A good friend of mine maintains that “guidebooks are a great shop-window for photographers” and as it happens, I agree. I’m dead chuffed therefore that a couple of the latest guides to the Peak, Ground Up’s Recent Developments on Peak Limestone and the BMC Froggatt, both have shots of mine in...

 

The Recent Developments is a supplement rather than a guide as the name suggests. A collaboration between east and west, Recent Developments is a much-needed update on the current status of Peak Limestone. Ground Up, the Welsh-based guidebook publisher, has provided the publishing know-how, Mark ‘Zippy’ Pretty, the well-known Peak-based guru, has provided the beta and the inevitable graded lists. I was delighted that Ground Up went with a shot of mine of Steve McClure on Mutation, Steve’s Raven Tor F9a test-piece, as the cover image. Steve’s route stands the test of time to date repelling all suitors over the decade since Steve’s first ascent. There is also a couple of other shots of mine between the covers as well. Top-effort guys – I’m liking it a lot...

 

The BMC’s Froggatt guide however is an altogether much more substantive affair as befits its definitive guide status. Again it’s a much-needed update on the previous guide which was edited by … err a young (and bearded) Sharples, ie yours truly. Grimer and the Froggatt team have gone to town on the guide which now includes bouldering, bouldering circuits as well as the routes for all crags from Froggatt down to Black Rocks. In simple terms, it’s beast of a guide rammed with more goodies than Harrod’s. Again I’m chuffed that my shot of Richard Heap on Sentinel Crack is featured, though I’m left wondering why the heck I didn’t submit more shots for the guide!? Mental note to self, talk to Grimer more...

 

KSP Covered again, Steve Mac on Mutation F9a at Raven Tor on the front cover of Ground Up’s Recent Developments on Peak Limestone...

 

 

Ground-zero for hard cranking remains Raven Tor. Herewith the Raven Tor page complete with Steve Dunning crimping the heck out of Houligan F8c...

 

 

The BMC Froggatt guide, a weighty tomb stuffed with more goodies than Harrod’s...

 

 

“Tenshion” - Richard Heap on Sentinel (Crack) duty at Chatsworth...