[shark]

http://www.v-publishing.co.uk/books/rock-climbing-guidebooks/peak-rock-the-history-the-routes-the-climbers.html

Peak Rock

The history, the routes, the climbers



ISBN: 978-1-906148-72-0
Author: Phil Kelly, Graham Hoey, Giles Barker and individual authors
Format: Hardback (396pp)
RRP: £37.95
Date:Monday, 25 November 2013
Pre-order online now
Limited Edition Pre-order offer

We have a limited quantity of copies in a special edition cloth slipcase box. These copies will be signed by Peak Rock patron and climbing legend Ron Fawcett, and authors Phil Kelly and Graham Hoey. They will be available on a first-come-first-served basis to anyone who pre-orders the book in the run up to publication.

About the book

Peak Rock is a celebration of significant developments at the cutting edge of rock climbing in the Peak District, from the day that James W Puttrell first set foot on rock at Wharncliffe in the late nineteenth century, through to modern day ascents on the area’s gritstone and limestone crags.

Meticulously researched and written by a team of local authors, this is the story of the sharp end of Peak District climbing as told through the words of many of the Peak’s – and the world’s – top climbers, including: James W Puttrell, Jack Longland, Joe Brown, Don Whillans, Ed Drummond, Tom Proctor, John Allen, Ron Fawcett, Andy Pollitt, Jerry Moffatt, Johnny Dawes, Ben Moon, Miles Gibson, Pete Whittaker, Steve McClure, Ryan Pasquill and many more.

The late Giles Barker first started work on Peak Rock – then titled Peak Performance – in the early 1980s, before progress was halted by his premature death in 1992. It was almost twenty years before Phil Kelly picked up where Giles left off, pulling together Giles’ original research and interviews, which were stored at the Mountain Heritage Trust. Phil enlisted Graham Hoey to work on the book, updating the manuscript with their own interview material and other primary source information, writing a number of missing chapters and also adding a number of chapters, including the significant developments of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

Phil and Graham brought in a team of experienced Peak District climbers drawing on their knowledge of specific developments – trad climbing, sport climbing, bouldering, gritstone, limestone – and worked with them to develop individual chapters. This resulting book on the history of Peak District climbing is the most comprehensive to be published since Eric Byne and Geoff Sutton’s High Peak in 1966.

 

About the authors

Phil Kelly’s first experience of climbing was to be top-roped up the descent route at Lancashire’s Deeply Vale aged 10. He returned to climbing in 1979 and spent the following 10 years as one of the leading activists across the Lancashire quarries, making a number of first and early repeat ascents across the county. While he has climbed rarely since 1990, he is active in maintaining an accurate history of rock climbing in Lancashire and the Peak District, and set up the RockArchivist web site (www.rockarchivist.co.uk) to make this information publicly available.

Graham Hoey has been climbing for 40 years and is passionate about gritstone and the history and development of climbing. Graham cut his teeth on extreme routes throughout the country, leading traditional routes on-sight up to E6 since 1984. He was a member of Sheffield University Mountaineering Club for six years during which he became a good friend of Giles Barker. The completion and publication of Giles’ book has been a long-standing desire. Graham has spent over 30 years working on climbing guidebooks to the Peak District and for 20 years was a member of the BMC Guidebook Committee.

Giles Ellis Barker was born in Hathersage in 1956. He studied archaeology at Sheffield University and served as its President of the Sheffield University Mountaineering Club. While a member he achieved several first ascents and made strong connections with other local climbers. While working as a teacher at Lady Manners School in Bakewell, Giles decided to write a history of climbing in the Peak District. The papers and audio recordings which survive are the research material for this project. Giles later concentrated on cave exploration and caving photography. Tragically Giles Barker died on 10 August 1992, aged 36, while exploring the Torca de Azpilicueta cave in the Matienzo system in Spain.

[cofe]

I'll post up some sample pages from the inside in a few days. It's quite a remarkable piece of work by Phil, Graham, Giles and everyone else who has contributed to it.

[Johnny Brown]

I was lucky enough to be in VG the other day and got a sneak preview on screen. It looks totes fucking amazeballs, been a long time since we had a climbing book as interesting as this (1991 by my estimation).

[fried]

I'd love to see the sample pages but I reckon it's already on my Christmas list.

[mrjonathanr]

It looks totes fucking amazeballs

It's really difficult to keep my finger off the 'punter' button when I read this...

[Johnny Brown]

I am so jaded I struggle to convey genuine enthusiasm without incorporating at least a phrase that excuses me for delivering it in a scornful tone.

[dave]

Awesome fucking welles.

[fried]

I've already copyrighted 'sweetastic'.

[Duma]

 

[Wood FT]

I'm getting a coffee table for this, goodbye pouf

[SA Chris]

OK, byeeeeee! (minces off)

This book looks fucking great, so psyched.

[duncan]

That's my very late birthday present.

Any chance of something similar for the west country?

[shark]

That's my very late birthday present.

Any chance of something similar for the west country?

I propose Nick White as author. 

[fatneck]

Psyched! That's my Christmas pressie sorted... Good work guys

[duncan]

That's my very late birthday present.

Any chance of something similar for the west country?

I propose Nick White as author.

Nick White + current publishing softwear + supply of Devon's finest hallucinogenic mushrooms. The mind boggles at what the result would be.

Whilst I'm making requests, how about a translation of Parois de Legende to go with Mont Blanc?

[Paul B]

Whilst I'm making requests, how about a translation of Parois de Legende

I'd be psyched for that! I've got one of the table books and then the new compact version, the former is so much nicer.

[cofe]

http://issuu.com/vertebratepublishing/docs/peak_rock_issuu]Sample pages now up.[/url]

[SA Chris]

What's the UKB Discount code again?

[Pantontino]

That's my very late birthday present.

Any chance of something similar for the west country?

I propose Nick White as author.

Nick White + current publishing softwear + supply of Devon's finest hallucinogenic mushrooms. The mind boggles at what the result would be.

Whilst I'm making requests, how about a translation of Parois de Legende to go with Mont Blanc?

Couldn't agree more. Nick's South Devon and Dartmor guide is one of the best ever made.

This new Peak book looks rather handsome too - I'll definitely be getting a copy.

[jamiev]

I was lucky enough to be in VG the other day and got a sneak preview on screen. It looks totes fucking amazeballs, been a long time since we had a climbing book as interesting as this (1991 by my estimation).

I also was in VG t'other day & recorded a radio interview with mr. Barton about it which is to be broadcast on saturday.  Also saw a set of paper proofs & indeed it looks absolutely brilliant. I'm not down enough wit da yoot to say amazeballs though.

[grahamhoey]

Psst..... Special edition reported to have sold out on pre-order. However, Outside at Hathersage still had about 12 special edition copies available for pre-order yesterday.
cheers
Graham

[GraemeA]

We have a few left as well

[smithaldo]

Outside only have two left now, they had three but I bought one.

[slackline]

These are in two local shops but pre-orders haven't been dispatched yet.  Any date on when they will be posted out?

Cofe, Mr Bartons?

[GraemeA]

The ones in Outside and The Works are pre--orders, the books don't arrive until late November

[slackline]

Thanks Graeme that makes more sense than people saying they've bought copies/there are copies left for sale.

[galpinos]

YYFY

Copy was waiting for me when I got back from the wall last night. Fantastic job, a real quality book.

Got in trouble with my wife for spending all evening reading it.

[SA Chris]

Balls, going to have to wait until I can unwrap mine in just under a month.

[nai]

If you wait til Christmas for it you'll only get in trouble for ignoring the kids, guests, Mrs, etc. burning dinner and generally ruining the whole day when you find yourself unable to put it down. Plus you might spill sherry on it. Probably best to have at least a sneak-peak beforehand.

[GraemeA]

There's a caption competition running over at https://www.facebook.com/climbingworks

[mark s]

Only just found out i have a pic in it,so thought i would order a copy.rude not to.give something to show the grand kids