This is a new book aimed at young climbers learning the National Indoor Climbing Achievement Scheme (NICAS). It features cartoon illustrations giving step-by-step instructions on the basic skills required for Levels 1 and 2 of the scheme and is fully endorsed by NICAS. It is also endorsed by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland. The book is beautifully illustrated by Sophie Mitchell with appealing drawings and comes with a robust hardback fold-out cover and is package with a short section of cord which enables readers to practice the knots they are learning in the book.

This book explains to the hillwalker, in easy to understand but accurate terms, how geology has shaped the landscape of South Wales. A selection of 16 guided walks is used to illustrate this in terms of what can be seen on the ground. The hills, valleys and coasts of South Wales are some of Britain's most celebrated and iconic landscapes. The coasts of Gower and Pembroke, and the shapely peaks of the Brecon Beacons are especially popular. These varied landscapes reflect a highly diverse geology. From the rolling hills of Mid and West Wales, the spectacular heights of the Brecon Beacons, the rocky outcrops of Fforest Fawr and Mynydd Du, the valleys and moors of 'the coalfield', to the delightful scenery of the southern and western coasts - each has its own fascinating geological story to tell. This book is for the walker who sets out among these hills and coasts and who wants to learn a bit more about the forces that forged this landscape. The first part is an account of the geological history of South Wales, while the second contains 16 walks where you can see evidence of the geology, along with some of the most outstanding scenery of the region. The author has concentrated on what you can see as you walk around the hills, pointing to conspicuous, easily seen features in rocks and the overall shape of the terrain in accounting for the present day landscape.Also in this Rock Trails series by Paul Gannon are Lakeland, Peak District, Scottish Highlands and Snowdonia.

Best Rail Trails Northern California is a directory to the top rail trails throughout Northern California. Written by a local author with expert knowledge of the region, this easy-to-use book provides mile-by-mile descriptions of the most popular rural and urban rail trails in Northern California. Readers are provided with all the information they need to experience the best rail trails in the area, including trail maps, descriptions of the trails and things to see and do along the way.

From Eric Robson’s Foreword: When Richard first mentioned this book to me and outlined the themes he hoped to address in it, I confess that I didn’t think he’d be able to carry it off. Surely we only ever scratched the surface of Alfred Wainwright’s complex character? Even after all the months of filming together, the passions that drove him remained locked in his private, silent world. Against that background Richard had surely set himself an impossible task. I was wrong. Richard has produced a book that’s entertaining and knowledgeable in equal measure. I should never have doubted him. It was, after all, the young Mr Else who persuaded AW to sup with the devil in the first place and against his better judgement agree to work with us television people. ***** It was the most unlikely of relationships. Britain’s most distinguished guidebook writer was in his late seventies and a young, inexperienced documentary film maker who was less than half his age. Yet Richard Else persuaded Wainwright out of the shadows and onto the nations television screens. In doing so, the highly reclusive Wainwright became the most unlikely of celebrities and his films with Eric Robson were amongst the most popular programmes on the small screen. Wainwright Revealed is not simply the inside story of those films - films that, Richard argues, did more than anything else to spawn today’s Wainwright industry. It also explores how, for the first and only time in his life, Wainwright agreed to work collaboratively with another person. Richard meticulously documents the 10 years they spent together and provides a new insight into AW’s achievement, his place in the tradition of guidebook writing and into a life that was essentially solitary. Richly illustrated with over 70 photographs (many seen here for the first time), Richard explores the forces that motivated Wainwright - forces which AW almost certainly did not fully understand. This book discovers a more complex individual than previously thought and is indispensable for both fans of Wainwright’s work and all those who enjoy exploring our fells, dales, moors, mountains and glens.

Richly illustrated and information-packed tools for the novice or handy reference for the veteran, BASIC ILLUSTRATED books distill years of knowledge into affordable and visual guides. Whether you're planning a trip or thumbing for facts in the field, the BASIC ILLUSTRATED series shows you what you need to know.

Discover how to:

• Choose and use the right type of compass

• Use a map and compass in concert with a GPS receiver
• Read and understand contour lines and other map features
• Plot a course and find your way through the wilderness
• Use the stars to navigate rivers, streams, and trails at night
• Find and order the maps you need
  

The fruit of a quarter of a century of walking, reading and thinking about the unique mountain playground of the Lake District, this book provides surprises for even the most ardent lover of the Lakes. Familiar with it in all weathers and all seasons, the author Steve Goodier describes his passion for fell-walking, explores little-known routes that will tempt and surprise even those who think they know the fells well, and uncovers some Lakeland oddities. He also reflects on favourite but generally disregarded mountains and finally discusses some of the writers who have shared his love of the Lakes, from the famous including Coleridge (the first recorded fellwalker), Wordsworth and Wainwright to the less well-known H.H. Symonds, W.T. Palmer and novelist Graham Sutton. By revealing and sharing the pleasure that the mountains have given the author and countless others over the years, this book takes its place amongst those that are essential reading for any lover of the lakes.

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 38 walking routes in Ticino, the Swiss canton with a Mediterranean twist. Towering snowcapped mountains and lush, narrow valleys overlook stylish lakeside resorts with palm-fringed promenades and handsome Italianate architecture. It's not just the Italian language that sets Ticino apart: the food, sunny weather and stunning landscapes attract millions of visitors to this part of the southern Alps every year. As for the walks, it's the variety - as much as the fabulous scenery - that provides the draw. In this book you'll find everything from level walks along the shores of Lakes Lugano and Maggiore, to more challenging trails through craggy, forested valleys with gushing waterfalls and ancient stone-built villages, to isolated mountain huts right at the permanent snowline. If you think you already know Switzerland, but haven't walked in Ticino, a stunning experience awaits you - and all of the routes are easily accessible through a network of buses, trains, funiculars, cable cars and chairlifts.

Joe Simpson, with just his partner Simon Yates, tackled the unclimbed West Face of the remote 21,000 foot Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in June 1995. But before they reached the summit, disaster struck. A few days later, Simon staggered into Base Camp, exhausted and frostbitten, to tell their non-climbing companion that Joe was dead. For three days he wrestled with guilt as they prepared to return home.

Then a cry in the night took them out with torches, where they found Joe, badly injured, crawling through the snowstorm in a delirium. Far from causing Joe's death, Simon had paradoxically saved his friend's life. What happened, and how they dealt with the psychological traumas that resulted when Simon was forced into the appalling decision to cut the rope, makes not only an epic of survival but a compelling testament of friendship.

The ultimate guide to the very best scenic and fun routes for camper vans and motorhomes around the mountains, coastlines and winding roads of beautiful Spain and Portugal. Forget hurrying. Forget putting your foot down and racing through sweeping bends. Forget the understeer (whatever that is). Forget the blur of a life lived too fast. This is a look at taking life slowly. It's about taking the time to enjoy journeys and places for their own sake. It's about stopping and putting the kettle on. Stopping to take a picture. Stopping to enjoy stopping. How are you going to do it? In a camper van or a motorhome, of course. In this book we define the best driving routes around Spain and Portugal for camper vans and motorhomes. We show you the coolest places to stay, what to see, what to do and explain why it's special. We meander around Spain and Portugal on the most breathtaking roads, chugging up mountain passes and pootling along the coast. We show you stuff that's fun, often free. We include the best drives for different kinds of drivers; for walkers, culture-buffs, sea-swimmers and sun-worshippers. We include the steepest, the bendiest, the most picturesque and most interesting. And you don't even have to own a camper van or motorhome - we'll tell you the many places you can rent one to take you on the journey. All of this is interspersed with beautiful photos, handy maps and quirky travel writing from the king of camper vans and motorhomes, Martin Dorey. So if all you want to do is flick through on a cold day and plan your next outing, you'll be transported (albeit slowly) to cobbled streets, beaches, mountains and winding roads that make you want to turn the key and go, go, go!

The first edition of The Walker's Handbook was published in 1978. This, the 5th edition, has been completely re-written and updated to include the latest developments in the world of walking. It is in manual format and pays particular attention to the needs of novice and inexperienced walkers who enjoy walking in the lowland countryside, as well as providing advice and information about walking in the more demanding environments of mountain and moorland.Subjects covered include behaviour in the countryside, kit and equipment, maps and navigation (six chapters), footpath guides, safety, first aid and mountain rescue, and walking in winter. There are chapters on walking in each of the countries of the British Isles, walking holidays, backpacking, challenge walks, peak-bagging and walking festivals, clubs, walking with children, letterboxing and geocaching, and how to lead walks and walking tours. There is a 9-page list of useful organisations, and a 6-page glossary of walking terms. In order to assist readers to find information quickly there is an 11-page list of contents, and a 12-page index that refers to numbered paragraphs.The Walker's Handbook is the only book currently in print that contains virtually all the information that most walkers require. For those who want to pursue specific subjects in even more detail there are extensive bibliographies of useful books.

The John Muir Trail (JMT) is one of the world's most spectacular treks and is North America's best known mid-distance walking trail. It runs for 216 miles through the high Sierra Nevada mountains of California, from Yosemite Valley (El Capitan and Half-Dome) to the summit of Mount Whitney (14,496ft), the highest peak in the US outside Alaska. The route is described in 21 day stages. All you need to know to plan and prepare for your trip is contained within this guide, from obtaining trekking permits to buying trek food and forwarding food caches along the trail. Abundant advice is given on such topics as dealing with inquisitive bears, coping with altitude, negotiating river crossings, as well as tips on booking transport to and from the trailheads and on what equipment to take. In addition, there is a detailed description of the flora and fauna of this remarkable region. The walking trail, which is named after the great 19th-century Scottish naturalist, conservationist and writer John Muir, is entirely through the unspoilt wilderness of the American West and passes through three national parks: Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks.

Carmarthenshire is the largest of the old Welsh counties and nestles between Pembrokeshire and the Gower Peninsula in the heart of South West Wales. Its a land of contrasts; along the coast you'll walk close to the airy edge of tall cliffs, but there are beaches too, some so long you can't see an end to them. And sheltered estuaries, like the heron-priested shores at Laugharne that inspired the poet Dylan Thomas. Inland there are tucked-away valleys and castle-topped hills, open moorland, and ancient woodland that is fizzing with life.

From upland outlooks and secret valleys to rolling pastures and honey stone villages, nature and history weave together in the Cotswolds to create a landscape that is the epitome of rural England. In these 40 walks Dominic North unlocks the secrets of the Cotswolds, from the hills and lanes in the north to the languid riverbanks and ancient woods of the south. Along the way discover sleepy villages, grand country houses and architectural curiosities, and then reach out to explore three of England's most celebrated cities, Bath, Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Recent innovations in backpacking gear and clothing are all covered in this new revision which continues to contain everything you need to know to strike out in the wilderness. Illustrated. A classic!

This title provides all climbers and boulderers living or visiting the South East, a guidebook to the nine top popular areas that have suitable easy public access. It is the first in a new generation of "Jingo Wobbly Photo" guidebooks that uses exceptionally high quality professional photography for crag illustration, and is supported by superb action photography with around 100 action shots. The guidebook is completely definitive to the 9 outcrops, and has been put together by team Jingo Wobbly that consists of some 50 climbers and boulderers. They are all local climbers who have lived and climbed in the area for years and know the rocks inside out, and are responsible for many of the first ascents. The book has been designed for ease of use, and should perfectly suit anyone visiting for the first time. It is a very easy to use, modern photo topo climbing guidebook with exceptional clarity in printing. Each page has the routes listed in order of difficulty, making it very friendly to newcomers. All of the routes are marked on the photos, show their climbing grades, and also have descriptions. Excellent maps to all of the climbing locations are included, along with all SAT NAV details. 100 climbing action shots will entice anyone to get out climbing. It has plenty of humour in the text with 'local chat' sections, but also full details on environmental care.

A reissue of the profound and meandering modern classic about the historical, political and philosophical paths traced by walkers. What does it mean to be out walking in the world? From pilgrimages to protest marches, mountaineering to meandering, this modern classic weaves together numerous histories to trace a range of possibilities for this most basic act. Touching on the philosophers of Ancient Greece, the Romantic poets, Jane Austen's Elizabeth Bennett, Andre Breton's Nadja, and more, Rebecca Solnit considers what forms of pleasure and freedom walkers have sought at different times. Profound and provocative, Wanderlust invites us to look afresh at the rich, varied, often radical interplay of the body, the imagination, and the world when walking. "Radical, humane, witty, sometimes wonderfully dandyish, at other times, impassioned and serious" - Alain de Botton

The best of both worlds: that's what you find when you retreat into the countryside in Central Sweden. This is where North and South meet each other, and where big game such as bear, lynx, wolf and moose roam around on the outskirts of the civilized world. Here the colder, northern climate meets the milder, southern weather. You find plants from both colder and warmer regions here. The flat south with its agricultural character flows into a sloping, rougher woodland area, where you can experience real peace, space and tranquility.Walking in Central Sweden provides a combination of everything beautiful that Sweden has to offer. A blend of nature and culture, of quiet and busy, from city to wilderness, from north and south, from big Swedish game to a visit to a cultural and industrial heritage that has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. With 22 routes, useful maps and GPS data, this walking guide will take you to some of the most beautiful spots. Walk, discover and experience it yourself, at your own pace!

This guide brings together a selection of the best walks in the Western Lakes and its surrounding area. The walks include town trails, coastal walks and routes through woodland and farmland and on the high moors.