UKC

Which Font Guide??

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 sip a cup 22 Mar 2013
I am looking for a guide that has easy circuits
for my partner also some tougher problems for
myself. Also if the guide book has some campsites
and helpfull stuff to help the trip go smoothly!

Thanks!
 Ramblin dave 22 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup:
We've got the purple one (Fontainebleau Climbs). You kind of have to already know how to get to the blocs, have a proper map, or like wandering around a lot. Otherwise it's fine - basically gives you all the information you need about an area (what circuits are there, how big are the blocs, how quickly does it dry) and not much more.
OP sip a cup 22 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup: maps to the areas sound pritty essential
szves alot of time looking for the right places, is it a good plan to buy
a map or do most of the guide books have good maps?
 Tom Last 22 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup:

Yeah get a map too. I pretty much ended up hating Font by the time I left after trying to navigate using purple guide. In fact - and I'm sure to get shouted down for this - but I can't recommend this guide at all. It's utter sh*t, unless you like doing tiresome mossy circuits.
 JackAus 22 Mar 2013
Jingowobbly Fun Bloc is brilliant for all levels and has good maps.

http://www.jingowobbly.com/FUN/Fun-main.html
OP sip a cup 22 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup: will be staying away from that
one then. The two books from Jingo Wobble look interesting
not much beta on any of the problems though but does have a large selection of
easy grades.
 Jon Stewart 22 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup:

The Jingo Wobbly guide is the only guide that works for circuits, as it describes the character of the circuit in question. That incomprehensible purple thing just gives useless topos and a list of numbers.

Personally, I'd say it's not worth having a different guide for individual problems unless you're climbing in the 7s and 8s, in which case that's the guide to get. If you're desperate to do some polished, overrated famous problem like Marie Rose or whatever just ask someone at the crag where it is and prepare to be disappointed. All the best days I've had in Font have been exploring the rocks, finding great problems as you stumble upon them. All the time I have spent working famous problems has been essentially joyless.
 Ramblin dave 22 Mar 2013
In reply to Jon Stewart: We pretty much used the purple guide to make sure that the area we were going to had a couple of circuits in the general grade range that we were interested in (ie orange, blue and red). Not sure how much more we needed - if a problem's awful you generally find out within about two seconds of getting on it and move on to something else instead.
OP sip a cup 23 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup: does the Jingo Wobble fun guide
Still have loads of 7s in it?
 obi-wan nick b 23 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup: The purple guide has been updated ( late last year) it is now the white guide!
 JackAus 23 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup:
Yeah. All grades.
Make sure its the Fun Bloc guide and not the Magique guide. The Magique is pretty useless whereas the guide is the best I've seen for Font.
OP sip a cup 23 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup: looks like the fun bloc guide
Is the one! I was going to pick up an IGN map of font to help nav
between the different areas, has any one found these
Maps useful?
mrsshan 23 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup: I agree with you ,believe you will success
 Doug 23 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup: Once you know the colour coding for circuits, a map is much more useful than the guides (if you have to chose one or the other)
 nasher47 23 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup:
i have 8 Font guides but I could happily go to font with just 2, they would be:
Fontainbleau Climbs by Jo & Francoise Montchausse
7&8 by Bart Van Raaj

I would strongly recommend the first one as the best one to start with.
 sg 23 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup:

for an intro guide this is dead useful, I think: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/book.php?id=581 smallest of all and picks out loads of the best individual probs; photos and sketch maps mean you can't go wrong with first time navigation. with the IGN map you can then just find circuits at will.
 Offwidth 23 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup:

The new white guide is probably what you are after. If you have never been remember the following conversion factor for stuff up to font 4: Font grade + 1 = UK tech grades. For friction slabs you can add another one so a Font 3a slab will be UK 5a and if thats 6m you could be looking at an E1 disguised as a beginner problem. The rock takes some getting used to.. more than most rock types. The best thing on starting off if you want easier stuff is to do yellow circuits... even these will have the odd tricky or scary move. Some oranges (esp Bas Cuvier) need experience as there are lots with the feel of VS solos. I'd recommend Diplodocus for a friendly area where you can climb side by-side on two circuits of different difficulty.

The local map is really useful.
 matthew jones 23 Mar 2013
In reply to sip a cup:
I would sponsor a couple of guides, off-piste and the jingo is a good combination. The new white guide is a big improvement on the purple book. Depends how long you are staying, scottish guide is great for a weekend, you'll need more for 3 weeks.

Can second the comment about wandering off the beaten track, sound advice.
 threepeaks 24 Mar 2013
In reply to JackAus: Agreed, I've used my Font Magique for year with the kids and had a great time. It's great to be liberated again after spending years in search of 'the grade'
 rockrat 24 Mar 2013
In reply to wildspaces: We've got this one. Managed to pick it up really cheap from Sainsbury's Online of all places.
 is2 24 Mar 2013
In reply to sg:
> (In reply to sip a cup)
>
> for an intro guide this is dead useful, I think: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/book.php?id=581 smallest of all and picks out loads of the best individual probs; photos and sketch maps mean you can't go wrong with first time navigation. with the IGN map you can then just find circuits at will.

This is spot on. I have just about every English guide published for font over the last 20 years. This guide, " Essential Fontainbleau", has good range of selected problems, useful notes on circuits at each location, clear maps and location directions and the cover maps show, campsite and supermarkets. The " Font Notes " section gives lots of useful info for the first time visitor. www.Bleau.info is useful for the detail if you can access wifi...

 Offwidth 07 Apr 2013
In reply to sip a cup:

Just back from Font. The new white guide has updated the problems but hasnt updated the maps correctly for a few of the easier circuits we did (eg Orange Buthier Piscine).
 remus Global Crag Moderator 07 Apr 2013
In reply to sip a cup: My vote goes to the following 2:

white circuits book, a big improvement on the old purple version.
Essential fontainebleau, great maps and plenty to keep the casual visitor busy. Captures the essence of the place better than any other guide.

5+6 and 7+8 are also good if you're looking for specific problems though for the first time visitor you'll probably have as much/more fun just wondering around trying anything that takes your fancy.

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