April 25th 2008: KSP in Peak Guide…

peak district : climbing, a new selected guide to the best easy-grade climbing in the Peak District, has just been published. KSP was pleased to supply the majority of the crag images for the guide as well as number of action and incidental shots.

This is the second climbing guide from Vertebrate Publishing, the imprint of Vertebrate Grahpics. Unlike their first guide, which majored on top-end bouldering, this latest guide is a compendium of the best easy grade routes and bouldering in the Peak. Along with 850 route/boulder descriptions there are also a host of ‘how to’ sections to help readers boost their skill-set.

Capturing the crags shots proved an interesting (read challenging…) exercise in its own right. Good light (not necessarily strong sunlight…), quiet crags (preferably deserted…), foliage-free (especially important for the limestone crags…), predominantly dry (more laughter…) were just some of the highly desirable if not essential ingredients. Getting the first two alone was enough of a challenge in itself and more often than not Lady Luck proved vital. Fortunately as I live on the doorstep of the Peak, it was sometimes a matter of seeing decent light, jumping into the car and taking a chance.

Getting suitable action photographs was much more bread and butter. That said; hacking up to Kinder South for a day at Nether Tor and Upper Tor proved not without interest and effort! Surprisingly though, it was much more rewarding than I thought likely. Moorland grit isn’t necessarily high on everyone’s sport plan but it should be, particularly during a hot summer spell.

peak district : climbing joins a ‘busy market-place’ yet it clearly addresses a particular sector within that market. If you do trad. routes up to HVS, sport routes up to F6c and/or boulder up to Font 6c, peak district : climbing could be for you. Get a copy from a climbing shop near you or else hit the Buy Now button below for your copy direct from KSP. The £19.95 also includes P&P with shipping via second-class Royal Mail.