[slackline]

I quite like collecting old guide-books that I come across in second-hand book shops (often for a pittance), and have collected a few over the years.

They're interesting reading, and often the descriptions for climbs haven't changed much (in particular I've noticed this to be the case with the Stanage guide which has many descriptions the same as the 1989 version that I use).  Some of the pictures are class too, although obviously the older the guide, the less pictures, but the Stanage one below has some classics.

Here are a few I've collected over the years.


FRCC Second Series (1938)

Bought in a second hand-book shop in Keswick for £10.


FRCC Second Series (1950)

Bought in a second hand-book shop in Keswick for £10.


Rock Climbs in the Peak Vol. I, BMC (1964, revised 1965). Picked up in a second hand book shop in Wales for £2.25!


by D.T. Roscoe, 1961 (revised 1964). Climbers Club.  Picked up in a second hand book shop in Wales for £2.25!


by A. J. J. Moulam, Third Edition 1958 (revised and reprinted 1964).  Climbers Club.  Picked up in a second hand book shop in Wales for £2.25!


by Steve Roper, 1971.  Purchased in a second hand book store in Daytona, Florida for about $7.

And a couple that aren't so old...

by Jim Ballard & Ernie Marshall, First Edition : New Series 1981.


By Paul Williams. 1994 reprint, Picked up in Oxfam in Broomhill for £7

Anyone else actively seek out old guides?  Or anyone still got old guides from back in the day that they've kept for posterity?

[dave]

I've got that 1964 Stanage guide I think, plus one from the '70s (will check when I get home), that derwent grit/lime guide, the derwent guide from the '80s (83? one with martine veale on downhill racer in white flared dungarees), plus mabye another older guide, plus all the most recent guides since the Chew one of the red ronhills era. I'll check when I get home.

[Ena]

Steve Bancrofts Recent Developments is my favourite old guide - a true historic document. I have to get the white gloves on to look at it.

[slackline]

Another one I forgot to post a picture of (mainly 'cause its not got a dust cover and is as dull as a grey book) is Paul Nunn's Constable Peak District Guide from 1975.  It uses the XS grade for tons of things, interesting for comparing to more recent grades.

[lagerstarfish]

It uses the XS grade for tons of things, interesting for comparing to more recent grades.

this recent? 

[slackline]

It uses the XS grade for tons of things, interesting for comparing to more recent grades.

this recent? 

 

[andy popp]

I seemed too seem to have amassed a fair few guides, many of them old (though most of these were in fact the current guide to the area when I bought them). But I also have the 1965 SMC guide to the Cuillin, a pristine copy of Crew and Harris' 1970 Tremadoc Area and two copies of Rouse's lovely Helsby and Wirral Number. Even more impressive is the 1939 journal of the Fell and Rock Club. This is a major 330+ page production, beautifully typeset and with excellent black and white plates. I can't imagine any club produces anything even vaguely similar today. The quality of much of the writing is also very high