Lake District Bouldering: the LakesBloc guidebook (Read 28301 times)

cofe · February 15, 2019, 10:06:53 am

Since 2016 we've been working on a Lake District bouldering guide with Greg Chapman (whom many of you will know), the guy behind LakesBloc. Given Greg started LakesBloc back in 2003, you could say this guide has been 16 years in the making. We're finally at the point where we're pretty confident we'll go to print in the next month or two. Final changes are being made (getting rid of the last few holiday grades, that kind of thing) and we're hoping to have finished books in early May.

At the last count the book was 560 pages, with just shy of 3,000 individual problems, plus plenty of linkups and variations. There are over 700 photo topos plus maps etc. We've put some OS maps in for some of the mountain crags. It's a phenomenal effort by Greg, documenting all this stuff.

We've just put a pre-order offer up on our website (click the cover image): pre-order for £30 inc. UK P&P and we'll chuck in a free Lapis brush (the nice wood ones) with the first 100 orders.

I'll stick a few more images up shortly ...

36chambers · February 15, 2019, 10:12:57 am

Psyched out of my mind for this. I'm also so happy that it's not landscape

tomtom · February 15, 2019, 10:16:10 am

Doylo · February 15, 2019, 10:16:28 am

Good work Greg. Anyone who’s ever used Greg’s free PDFs over the years should feel obliged to buy this.

Bradders · February 15, 2019, 10:36:01 am

Ordered. Never been more excited for a book!

cheque · February 15, 2019, 10:52:57 am

Quote from: 36chambers on February 15, 2019, 10:12:57 am

I'm also so happy that it's not landscape

The new Devon guides that have a portrait orientation cover but are landscape inside are particularly mindbending. I mail-ordered the Dartmoor one while I was bedridden in the summer- imagine my disappointment when I opened it to find that due to not being able to sit up in bed or hold things properly with my left hand it was impossible to read.

teestub · February 15, 2019, 11:06:11 am

Quote from: Doylo on February 15, 2019, 10:16:28 am

Good work Greg. Anyone who’s ever used Greg’s free PDFs over the years should feel obliged to buy this.

Word.

Fiend · February 15, 2019, 11:19:33 am

Excellent. Really glad this is coming out after Rockfax beat Greg to it last time. Given the quality of the pdfs, this will be essential.

fatneck · February 15, 2019, 11:38:24 am

Quote from: Doylo

Good work Greg. Anyone who’s ever used Greg’s free PDFs over the years should feel obliged to buy this.

This...

Very excited!!

sheavi · February 15, 2019, 11:53:33 am

Great stuff, just ordered a copy.

a13c · February 15, 2019, 12:02:13 pm

Like Doylo said....
Just ordered mine

Smith42 · February 15, 2019, 12:54:22 pm

Perfect for my birthday present. Hope they leave a few holiday grades in!

joel182 · February 15, 2019, 01:25:16 pm

Quote from: Doylo on February 15, 2019, 10:16:28 am

Good work Greg. Anyone who’s ever used Greg’s free PDFs over the years should feel obliged to buy this.

Greg's PDFs were my guides on my first ever bouldering adventures when I was growing up just south of the Lakes. Can't wait for the book to arrive!

Mike Tyson · February 15, 2019, 01:40:22 pm

Greg for an MBE!

(Mega Bouldering Enthusiast)

steveri · February 15, 2019, 04:49:22 pm

Is it bad that I left a note on my keyboard on this last night and after checking email, started pressing F5 on the VB site? And a brush too!

Will Hunt · February 15, 2019, 04:58:07 pm

I have bought this book almost exclusively for psyche purposes. I've never gone to the Lakes with the express intention of going bouldering, though I have bouldered there, and am unlikely to go very frequently. But I really want to look at some pictures of gorgeous rocks among the mountains.
And also, because if I or anybody else ever gets round to Unknown Stones: The Book, I'd hope that people would be equally charitable...

cofe · February 15, 2019, 04:58:40 pm

Well that escalated quickly. Thanks everyone. Really appreciate the support. We've sorted another 100 brushes so you'll now get one if you're one of the first 200 orders.

cofe · February 15, 2019, 04:59:26 pm

Quote from: Will Hunt on February 15, 2019, 04:58:07 pm

And also, because if I or anybody else ever gets round to Unknown Stones: The Book, I'd hope that people would be equally charitable...

I'm sure they would. Thanks Will.

remus · February 15, 2019, 05:08:21 pm

I was trying to hold off buying this as my guidebook collection is already bursting at the seams. Only lasted an hour before I buckled

tomtom · February 15, 2019, 06:35:11 pm

Time for a re-jazz of Peak guide?

See all too many cockfax ones around nowadays (even the forum owner uses one...)

Or a Lime and a Grit edition?

danm · February 15, 2019, 07:06:33 pm

Just ordered a copy. Well psyched, I love the rock in the Lakes and it's great to see Greg get the info from his amazing topos into book form. I first got into bouldering as opposed to trad climbing at Langdale boulders when I lived in Ambleside, so buying this book feels a bit like going home.

User deactivated · February 16, 2019, 10:17:41 am

Just ordered one, and I'd definitely back up the PDF thing, if you've used them over the years you should definitely buy this.

Greg C · February 22, 2019, 03:44:02 pm

Thanks for all the kind words and support guys. Very much appreciated.

dunnyg · February 23, 2019, 10:27:58 am

Will, it is all about thr big trad days and the evening boulder. Get on it!

macca7 · February 24, 2019, 10:32:10 pm

Am certainly looking forward to receiving mine!

Live in Cornwall and have bouldered in the Lakes twice but wanted to show my appreciation thanks to Greg for all of those PDF's used prior to the trip to try and work out where to go. The guide book was worth it for the St Bees PDF's alone.

Thank you and good luck with the sales!