'It's a preposterous plan. Still, if you do get up it, it'll be the hardest thing that's been done in the Himalayas.' So spoke Chris Bonington when Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker presented him with their plan to tackle the unclimbed West Wall of Changabang - the Shining Mountain - in 1976. Bonington's was one of the more positive responses; most felt the climb impossibly hard, especially for a two-man, lightweight expedition. This was, after all, perhaps the most fearsome and technically challenging granite wall in the Garhwal Himalaya and an ascent - particularly one in a lightweight style - would be more significant than anything done on Everest at the time. The idea had been Joe Tasker's. He had photographed the sheer, shining, white granite sweep of Changabang's West Wall on a previous expedition and asked Pete to return with him the following year. Tasker contributes a second voice throughout Boardman's story, which starts with acclimatisation, sleeping in a Salford frozen food store, and progresses through three nights of hell, marooned in hammocks during a storm, to moments of exultation at the variety and intricacy of the superb, if punishingly difficult, climbing. It is a story of how climbing a mountain can become an all-consuming goal, of the tensions inevitable in forty days of isolation on a two-man expedition; as well as a record of the moment of joy upon reaching the summit ridge against all odds. First published in 1978, The Shining Mountain is Peter Boardman's first book. It is a very personal and honest story that is also amusing, lucidly descriptive, very exciting, and never anything but immensely readable. It was awarded the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for literature in 1979, winning wide acclaim. His second book, Sacred Summits, was published shortly after his death in 1982.

Lancashire is a walker's paradise with many unexpected delights such as Silverdale and the Forest of Bowland. This collection of 100 great walks will help you explore the diverse and beautiful landscapes of this fascinating yet under-rated county. The Crowood Walking Guides give detailed and accurate route descriptions of the 100 walks which are up to 12 miles in length. Full-colour mapping is included which is sourced from the Ordnance Survey. Details of where to park and where to eat and drink are included and also places of interest to see en route.

Facing the sea and backed by rolling chalk downland, Brighton is a great place from which to explore one of England's most recognisable and best-loved landscapes. As well as the old chalk grasslands, the South Downs incorporate a variety of habitats, including deciduous, coniferous and mixed woodland, heathland, wetland, shingle beach and saltmarsh. The 40 walks in this guidebook cover the area of the Downs around Brighton, extending to Eastbourne in the east and as far as Worthing and the Findon Valley in the west, and from the Channel coast to the foot of the Downs' steep northern escarpment at the edge of the Sussex Weald.

A guidebook to trekking the Slovene Mountain Trail, crossing Slovenia from Austria to the Adriatic. The 550km route is presented in a series of 12 3 to 6-day treks of all levels of difficulty, all featuring start and finish points that can be accessed by public transport. They can be completed as single sections or linked to create a longer trip. Each day is graded: low-grade walking is mostly on tracks or lanes with no steep ascents, whereas the most difficult stages may involve steep and technical terrain including fixed protection or sections of via ferrata, for which a helmet, self-belaying equipment and the appropriate experience are required. In addition to clear route description and mapping, the guide provides all the practical information you will need to plan your trip, covering transport, accommodation and safety, as well as background notes on geology, plants and wildlife. From Maribor, close by the Austrian border in the north-east, to Ankaran on the Adriatic coast in the south-west, the route covers outstanding mountain and upland walking: the vast forested plateau of Pohorje, the sheer limestone peaks of the Julian and Kamnik-Savinja Alps with their via ferrata protected routes, the traditional alpine pastures and flower-strewn ridges of the Karavanke, and the forested hills and olive groves of the limestone karst country that stretch towards the coast.

This learning book has been written and designed for anyone who wants to begin climbing at an indoor climbing wall. It starts you from the very first basics of indoor climbing, by introducing readers to the 'give-it-a-go' sessions that many climbing walls offer.

The Mediterranean island of Sicily offers holiday sport climbing in an excellent climate on superb rock. It has something of the character of Kalymnos with easily accessible cliffs many with a beautiful westerly aspect. There are steep tufa-caves, expansive vast walls and shorter single pitch cliffs mostly in easy reach of some delightful holiday accommodation. The climate is just what yoiu would expect for winter sun in the Mediterranean. This will be the biggest guide yet for the island covering the areas of San Vito Lo Capo, Macari, Castelluzzo and Palermo in the same book.

This guidebook describes the Grande Escursione Appenninica (GEA), a nearly 400km long, three week trek crossing the Apennines in 23 stages, from Bocca Trabaria to Passo Due Santi on the edge of Liguria. The route dips in and out of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, never dropping below 400 metres. Best walked between spring and autumn, it is suitable for any reasonably fit walker, and this guidebook provides step-by-step route descriptions, accompanied by detailed mapping. There are transport options for joining and leaving the walk at a number of points, making it perfect for undertaking in small sections or single-day walks. There are suggestions for accommodation en route in comfortable guest houses and alpine-style huts, making it essential reading for anyone undertaking the GEA. The Apennines are Italy's best-kept secret. Forming the rugged spine of the Italian peninsula, this range provides thousands of kilometres of marked trails over rocky crests and ridges and explores extensive forests and meadows, following routes established long ago by traders, pilgrims and shepherds and little affected by mass tourism.

Wester Ross and Lochalsh are amongst the most popular areas for walks in the Scottish Highlands. The Lochalsh peninsula between the shores of Loch Duich and Loch Carron offers varied walking from villages such as Plockton as well as the region's main town at Kyle of Lochalsh. Across the dramatic Mam Ratagan pass is the remote and secluded Glenelg peninsula, a tranquil and peaceful haven far from busy routes. Further north are Applecross and Lochcarron, with mountains that yield nothing in ruggedness to their more famous counterparts in Torridon, as well as attractive fishing villages and forest walks. Finally around Gairloch is an area that has long been famous for its fine sandy beaches, many of them still very quiet. Inland is a vast area of little-visited, rocky peaks known to walkers as 'The Great Wilderness'. This latest pocket guide features 40 of the best walks in this popular area in an attractive and accessible format.

Although Hong Kong is often thought of as intrinsically urban, just a short distance from the big cities are lush mountains and attractive and varied countryside. This guide presents the highlights of this hiking-friendly territory, detailing 21 graded day walks and four short treks: Hong Kong Trail (presented in 3 day stages), Lantau Trail (5 days), MacLehose Trail (5 days) and Wilson Trail (5 days). The day walks - of 5 to 22.5km - cover Hong Kong, Kowloon, the New Territories and the islands and range from easy hikes suitable for families to challenging ascents of Hong Kong's highest peaks. The territory's compact nature and excellent public transport infrastructure make it easy to access the routes. The guide has all you need to explore Hong Kong's excellent network of trails. Route description is accompanied by clear mapping and there are comprehensive notes - including Chinese place names - to help visitors navigate the public transport system. Alongside practicalities such as getting there, equipment and weather, information on local points of interest offers an insight into Hong Kong's rich geology, history and culture. The Hong Kong archipelago is one of surprising diversity and contrast, where high-rise modern cities are set against a backdrop of verdant green mountains, and sandy beaches lie right alongside dense jungle. There are also plenty of opportunities for wildlife-spotting and chances to experience the fascinating 'East meets West' culture. This guide is the perfect companion to discovering the fantastic walking on offer in the 'Pearl of the Orient'.

A concise, lightweight and pocket-sized, topo-guide to Skye's Cuillin Ridge. Forty-five annotated photo topo-diagrams show the Cuillin Ridge in more detail than ever before, highlighting the best route for tackling the UK's premier mountain challenge. The topos also offer many alternative options and bypasses on tricky sections. A short introduction offers advice on planning, tactics and equipment.

Incredible walks through Scotland's glorious landscape. In this boxed collection of walking cards you'll find a happy mix of routes around Scotland's loveliest towns, cities and countryside. Head to the Highlands or beat the streets of Edinburgh, these 35 walking cards are filled with unique half-day circular routes, as well as one and two-day walks. Each card has a different route fully described and illustrated on a large scale, 1:25 000 map and include our highly recommended, nearby charming places to stay. * Inspirational walks on handy, pocket size cards * Year-round walks specially designed for all seasons * Box includes transparent sleeve so if it rains you can pop the walking card into the sleeve to protect it from the elements * Recommended charming places to stay are included with each walking route so you can combine a great walk with a truly memorable overnight stop * A selection of easy half-day walks as well as some more challenging two-day routes * Ideal for visitors and adventurous locals Pocket a card, leave the box on your bookshelf and enjoy a glorious day out on foot.

There are few more beautiful places than Scotland's winter mountains. But even when most of the snow has melted, isolated patches can linger well into summer and beyond. In The Vanishing Ice, Iain Cameron chronicles these remarkable and little-seen relics of the Ice Age, describing how they have fascinated travellers and writers for hundreds of years, and reflecting on the impact of climate change. Iain was nine years old when snow patches first captured his imagination, and they have been inextricably bound with his life ever since. He developed his expertise through correspondence (and close friendship) with research ecologist Dr Adam Watson, and is today Britain's foremost authority on this weather phenomenon. Iain takes us on a tour of Britain which includes the Scottish Highlands, the Southern Uplands, the Lake District and Snowdonia, seeking elusive patches of snow in wild and often inaccessible locations. His adventures include a perilous climb in the Cairngorms with comedian Ed Byrne, and glorious days spent out on the hills with Andrew Cotter and his very good dogs, Olive and Mabel. Based on sound scientific evidence and personal observations, accompanied by stunning photography and wrapped in Iain's shining passion for the British landscape, The Vanishing Ice is a eulogy to snow, the mountains and the great outdoors.

The Pathfinder(R) Guide to East Sussex & the South Downs Walks contains 28 fantastic circular walks across the county, much of which lies inside the new South Downs National Park. Each walk in Pathfinder(R) Guide to East Sussex & the South Downs Walks is accompanied by clear, large-scale Ordnance Survey route maps and GPS waypoints to help you navigate your hike with ease. Pathfinder(R) Guide to East Sussex & the South Downs Walks guides you to some of the best walking destinations in the county, from the breezy heights of Ditchling Beacon to the rolling High Weald, Ashdown Forest and iconic Seven Sisters. No matter what your walking ability, you can experience a variety of walking routes in a range of difficulty with this Pathfinder(R) guide, including hikes taking in the infamous Beachy Head, 1066 Country and the South Downs Way. Inside you'll also find a wealth of helpful information accompanying each walk, including good pubs along the way, where to park before you start your walk and places of interest en route. Pathfinder(R) Guides are Britain's best loved walking guides. They are the perfect companion for countryside walks throughout Britain. Each title features circular walks with easy-to-follow route descriptions, tried and tested by seasoned walkers and accompanied by beautiful photography and clear Ordnance Survey mapping. The routes range from extended strolls to exhilarating hikes, so there is something for everyone.

Understanding the motivations behind those who partake in extreme sports can be difficult for some. If the popular conception holds that the incentive behind extreme sports participation is entirely to do with risking one's life, then this confusion will continue to exist. However, an in-depth examination of the phenomenology of the extreme sport experience yields a much more complex picture. This book revisits the definition of extreme sports as those activities where a mismanaged mistake or accident would most likely result in death. Extreme sports are not necessarily synonymous with risk and participation may not be about risk-taking. Participants report deep inner transformations that influence world views and meaningfulness, feelings of coming home and authentic integration as well as a freedom beyond the everyday. Phenomenologically, these experiences have been interpreted as transcendent of time, other, space and body. Extreme sport participation therefore points to a more potent, life-enhancing endeavour worthy of further investigation. This book adopts a broad hermeneutic phenomenological approach to critique the assumed relationship to risk-taking, the death wish and the concept of "No Fear" in extreme sports, and repositions the experience in a previously unexplored manner. This is valuable reading for students and academics interested in Sports Psychology, Social Psychology, Health Psychology, Tourism, Leisure Studies and the practical applications of phenomenology.

OS Explorer is the Ordnance Survey's most detailed map and is recommended for anyone enjoying outdoor activities such as walking, horse riding and off-road cycling. The series provides complete GB coverage and can now be used in all weathers thanks to OS Explorer - Active, a tough, versatile version of OS Explorer. The OS Explorer Active range of OL maps now includes a digital version of the paper map, accessed through the OS smartphone app, OS Maps.

This map shows all of the 214 Wainwright Fells of the Lake District very clearly on a high quality topographical base map. It will especially appeal to those walkers who are aiming to climb all the Wainwright Fells and want a clear, user-friendly aid to plan their trips and to mark off the fells as they do them. The map has been carefully designed to show essential detail as clearly as possible, whilst leaving off the things of less relevance (including footpaths) that would otherwise clutter the map. The result is a map of the Lake District that is one of the clearest, most legible and elegant maps available today. The base map is a detailed topographical map (based on O.S. geodata) that shows - towns, villages, roads, railways, stations, ferry crossings, youth hostels, campsites, rivers, lakes and mountains. Topographical relief is shown by graduated colour layers with a 50m contour interval. Each Wainwright summit is clearly labeled with the fell name together with a small circle so that you can mark off a peak when you have done it. Popular starting and parking places are shown with a small blue dot to further aid planning routes. Place and fell names are easily legible. The map is a convenient size so that it is easy to use - either opened out on a table, in the car, or when displayed on the wall. The map is printed on high quality paper. On the reverse of the map are tables and lists of the 214 Fells, with their heights with a wide column so the user can record the date climbed and personal notes. There is also helpful information on recommended books, web sites, etc. Rivers Publishing is a well established, specialist publisher based in the Lake District. Over the last twenty years they have built up a reputation for best-selling, quality guide books and maps.