Vertebrate Publishing 2021 Spring Book Catalogue

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20 21 BOOK CATALOGUE FORTHCOMING AND NEW TITLES


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RECENT ECENT HIGHLIGHTS  R //  The Great Outdoors Awards 2020 Book of the Year

WINNER

GOLD AWARD

Title Crack Climbing

Title Hard Rock

Title Swimming Wild in the Lake District

Subtitle Mastering the skills & techniques Author Pete Whittaker

Subtitle Great British rock climbs from VS to E4

Subtitle The most beautiful wild swimming spots in the larger lakes

ISBN 9781911342762

Editor Ian Parnell

Author Suzanna Cruickshank

Format 246mm x 189mm; 272 pages, colour throughout; paperback (flaps)

ISBN 9781912560295

ISBN 9781912560622

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Format 310mm x 240mm; 256 pages, colour throughout; hardback

Format 229mm x 178mm; 192 pages, colour throughout; paperback (flaps)

Edition First

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Retail price £25

Edition Fourth edition

Edition First

Publication date 15 January 2020

Retail price £39.95

Retail price £20

Publication date 19 March 2020

Publication date 9 April 2020

Hard Rock is the best of British rock climbing. Featuring over fifty crags and sixty-nine routes in England, Scotland and Wales, it epitomises all that is great about traditional climbing in Great Britain. Ken Wilson’s first edition of Hard Rock was published in 1974 and quickly established itself as the definitive representation of British rock climbing. Ken’s vision for the book’s format – part guidebook, part literary celebration and part coffee table visual showcase – is one that has been much copied but never equalled. In this new edition, editor Ian Parnell has ensured Hard Rock continues to honour Ken’s original concept, in particular keeping the route, not the climber, centre stage. Alongside many of the original essays, written by a formidable cast of climbers including Pete Crew, Ed Drummond, Royal Robbins, Chris Bonington, Hamish MacInnes and Al Alvarez, this new edition features thirteen new routes and pieces by Eleanor Fuller, Stephen Reid, Kevin Howett, David Pickford, Paul Harrison, John Lawrence Holden, Martin Moran, Paul Donnithorne and Emma Alsford. It is illustrated with all-new colour photography throughout.

Swimming Wild in the Lake District by Suzanna Cruickshank is an informative and inspiring book for both new and experienced wild swimmers, exploring the larger lakes in the beautiful Lake District National Park. The book explores secluded wild swimming locations in the tourist hotspots of Winder­ mere and Derwent Water and takes you to the tranquil hidden gems of Bassenthwaite, Crummock Water and Devoke Water, with the emphasis on taking time to enjoy the stunning surroundings. The book is full of useful tips for both new and experienced wild swimmers; it contains sections on getting started in wild swimming, how to look after your own safety and impartial advice on all the essential kit you’ll need, as well as what you don’t need. Illustrated with stunning photography, and featuring overview maps, the book has all the practical information you need to plan your wild swimming adventure.

The ability to climb cracks is at the core of a climber’s craft. Crack Climbing by Pete Whittaker provides a single point of reference for all crack climbing techniques, regardless of the grade you climb. Pete is widely regarded as one of the best crack climbers in the world, having made dozens of cutting-edge first ascents and hard repeats. The book is split into easily accessible sections on techniques for different widths of cracks. Pete looks at the basics, including the hand jam – the essential technique in any crack climber’s repertoire – right through to advanced techniques such as the sidewinder and the trout tickler. Step-by-step practical information and how-tos are supplemented with tips and tricks from Pete alongside illustrations and photographs. Additional chapters cover how to tape up, as well as essential gear and equipment. Pete has also interviewed some of the world’s top crack climbers so that you can learn from the best. Gain insights from Lynn Hill, Alex Honnold, Barbara Zangerl, Peter Croft and more.

20//21 BOOK CATALOGUE  //  2


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//  RECENT HIGHLIGHTS The Great Outdoors Awards 2020 Book of the Year

The Great Outdoors Awards 2020 Book of the Year

SHORTLIST

BRONZE AWARD

Title Winter 8000

Title To Live

Title Never Leave the Dog Behind

Subtitle Climbing the world’s highest mountains in the coldest season

Subtitle Fighting for life on the killer mountain

Subtitle Our love of dogs and mountains

Author Bernadette McDonald

Author Élisabeth Revol

ISBN 9781839810381

ISBN 9781912560387

ISBN 9781839810176

Format 234mm x 156mm; 272 pages, black & white with 2x 8pp colour plates; hardback

Format 234mm x 156mm; 160 pages, black & white with 1x 8pp colour plate; hardback

Format 198mm x 129mm; 128 pages, black & white; paperback

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Edition First

Edition First

Edition First

Retail price £8.99

Retail price £24

Retail price £24

Publication date 14 January 2021

Publication date 1 October 2020

Author Helen Mort

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Publication date 3 September 2020 Of all the games mountaineers play on the world’s high mountains, the hardest – and cruellest – is climbing the fourteen peaks over 8,000 metres in the bitter cold of winter. Ferocious winds that can pick you up and throw you down, freezing temperatures that burn your lungs and numb your bones, weeks of psychological torment in dark isolation: these are adventures for those with an iron will and a ruthless deter­min­ ation. For the first time, award-winning author Bernadette McDonald tells the story of how Poland’s ice warriors made winter their own, perfecting what they dubbed ‘the art of suffering’ as they fought their way to the summit of Everest in the winter of 1980, the first 8,000-metre peak they climbed this way but by no means their last. She reveals what it was that inspired the Poles to take up this brutal game, how a handful of climbers from other nations were inspired to enter the arena, and how competition intensified as each remaining peak finally submitted to leave just one awaiting a winter ascent, the meanest of them all: K2. Winter 8000 is the story of true adventure at its most demanding.

On 25 January 2018, Élisabeth Revol and her climbing partner Tomasz Mackiewicz summited Nanga Parbat, the killer mountain. Situated in the Karakoram, the world’s ninth-highest peak is an immense ice-armoured pyramid of rock rising to an altitude of 8,125 metres. Élisabeth and Tomek had completed only the second winter ascent of the mountain, and Élisabeth had become the first woman to summit Nanga Parbat in winter. But their euphoria was short-lived. As soon as they reached the top, their adventure turned into a night­mare as Tomek was struck by blindness. In her own words, Élisabeth tells the story of this tragedy and the extra­ordinary rescue operation that resounded across the globe as fellow climbers flew in from K2 to help the stricken pair. She confronts her memories, her terror, her immense pain and the heartbreak of having survived, alone. To Live is Élisabeth Revol’s poignant tribute to her friend and climbing partner.

Now available in paperback. Dogs specialise in getting on with humans, and tales of faithful hounds in hostile environments form part of our cultural history. Award-winning writer Helen Mort sets out to understand the singular relationship between dogs, mountains and the people who love them. Along the way, she meets search and rescue dogs, interviews climbers and spends time on the hills with hounds. The book is also a personal memoir, telling the author’s own story of falling in love with a whippet called Bell during a trans­formative year in the Lake District. Never Leave the Dog Behind is a compelling account of mountain adventures and misadventures, and captures the unbridled joy of heading to the hills with a four-legged friend.

20//21 BOOK CATALOGUE  //  3


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//  BIOGRAPHY/NARRATIVE

Title Unknown Pleasures

Title Nine Lives

Title Broken

Subtitle Collected writing on life, death, climbing and everything in between

Subtitle Expeditions to Everest Author Robert Mads Anderson

Subtitle 2020: the year running records were rewritten

Author Andy Kirkpatrick

ISBN 9781839810374

Author Ally Beaven

ISBN 9781911342731

Format 240mm x 160mm; 240 pages, black and white with 4x 8pp colour plates; paperback

ISBN 9781839810404

Format 234mm x 156mm; 256 pages, black and white; paperback (flaps) Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Format 234mm x 156mm; 160 pages, black and white with 1x 8pp colour plate; paperback

Edition First

Edition First

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Retail price £14.95

Retail price £14.95

Edition First

Publication date 3 September 2020

Publication date 5 November 2020

Retail price £12.99 Publication date 3 December 2020

Now available in paperback. Unknown Pleasures is a collection of works by the climber and award-winning author Andy Kirkpatrick. Obsessed with climbing and addicted to writing, Kirkpatrick is a master storyteller. Covering subjects as diverse as climbing, relationships, fatherhood, mental health and the media, it is easy to read, sometimes difficult to digest, and impossible to forget. One moment he is attempting a rare solo ascent of Norway’s Troll Wall, the next he is surrounded by the TV circus while climbing Moonlight Buttress with the BBC’s The One Show presenter Alex Jones. Unknown Pleasures is Andy Kirkpatrick at his brilliant best.

Robert Mads Anderson is an elite mountaineer with a solitary goal: to conquer Everest. After nearly getting killed on his first expedition, he led a team up a new route on the Kangshung Face without oxygen or Sherpa support, climbed solo on the remote North Face, and finally guided a team to the top of the world. Incorporating a who’s who of internationally recognised climbers, including Stephen Venables, Reinhold Messner and Chris Bonington, Nine Lives traces the story of Everest, from the big, nationally supported expeditions of the 1980s; through the small teams forging new routes and climbing solo; to the commercially guided expeditions of today. Set against the majestic backdrop of the world’s tallest peak, Anderson’s nine Everest expeditions over eighteen years define what truly drives a human being to the greatest of heights. With a foreword by Peter Hillary and 32 pages of colour photography, in Nine Lives Robert Mads Anderson offers his personal account of the world’s highest mountain.

Attempting to break long-distance running records used to be an underground endeavour, until the virus-stricken summer of 2020 came along. Only a few, such as the Bob Graham Round in the Lake District, had ever broken into mainstream consciousness. But an absence of running races thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in an unprecedented rise in the popularity of attempts at breaking these records. Ally Beaven takes an entertaining look at just why 2020 was so unusual for long-distance running. With his interest in Fastest Known Times (FKTs) piqued, Beaven immerses himself in the scene. His summer becomes one of spending hours in the hills feeding, cajoling and generally trying to keep safe the runners he is supporting, as well as following the dots of live trackers in the middle of the night and endlessly refreshing his Twitter feed as records tumble around the country.

20//21 BOOK CATALOGUE  //  4


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//  BIOGRAPHY/NARRATIVE

Title Savage Arena

Title The Shining Mountain

Title Sacred Summits

Subtitle K2, Changabang and the North Face of the Eiger

Subtitle The first ascent of the West Wall of Changabang

Subtitle Kangchenjunga, the Carstensz Pyramid, and Gauri Sankar

Author Joe Tasker

Author Peter Boardman

Author Peter Boardman

ISBN 9781839810565

ISBN 9781839810534

ISBN 9781839810602

Format 198mm x 129mm; 336 pages, black and white; paperback

Format 198mm x 129mm; 224 pages, black and white; paperback

Format 198mm x 129mm; 320 pages, black and white; paperback

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Edition New

Edition New

Edition New

Retail price £9.99

Retail price £9.99

Retail price £9.99

Publication date 4 February 2021

Publication date 4 March 2021

Publication date 4 March 2021

Joe Tasker vividly describes the first British winter ascent of the North Face of the Eiger, the first ascent of the West Wall of Changabang – considered a ‘preposterous’ plan by the climbing world – and his two unsuccessful attempts on K2, the second highest mountain on Earth. Savage Arena is both moving and exciting, an inspirational tale of the adventuring spirit which follows its own path, endlessly seeking new challenges, climbs and difficulties to overcome. It is not reaching the summit which counts, it is the journey to it. It is also a story of the stresses and strains of living for long periods in constant anxiety, often with only one other person, and of the close and vital human relationships which spring from those circumstances.

The unclimbed West Wall of Changabang was perhaps the most fearsome and technically challenging granite wall in the Garhwal Himalaya as Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker prepared to tackle it in 1976. Their ‘preposterous plan’ seemed impossibly hard. An ascent – particularly one in a lightweight style – would be more significant than anything done on Everest at the time. The Shining Mountain 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; and a record of the moment of joy upon reaching the summit ridge against all odds. Peter Boardman’s first book is a very personal and honest story that is also amusing, lucidly descriptive, very exciting, and never anything but immensely readable.

Mountaintops have long been seen as sacred places, home to gods and dreams. In one climbing year Peter Boardman visited three very different sacred mountains. He began on the South Face of the Carstensz Pyramid in New Guinea, the highest point between the Andes and the Himalaya, and one of the most inaccessible. During the spring Boardman was on more familiar ground, making a four-man, oxygen-free attempt on the world’s third highest peak, Kangchenjunga. In October, he was back in the Himalaya and climbing the twinsummited Gauri Sankar. Renowned for its technical difficulty and spectacular profile, it is aptly dubbed the Eiger of the Himalaya. Three sacred mountains, three very different expeditions, all superbly captured by Boardman. Combining the excitement of extreme climbing with acute observation of life in the mountains, this is an amusing, dramatic, poignant and thought-provoking book.

20//21 BOOK CATALOGUE  //  5


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//  BIOGRAPHY/NARRATIVE

Title Everest the Cruel Way

Title Structured Chaos

Title Wild Winter

Subtitle The audacious winter attempt of the West Ridge

Subtitle The unusual life of a climber Author Victor Saunders

Subtitle In search of nature in Scotland’s mountain landscape

Author Joe Tasker

ISBN 9781912560677

Author John D. Burns

ISBN 9781839810527

Format 240mm x 162mm; 192 pages, black and white with 2x 8pp colour plates; hardback

ISBN 9781839810053

Format 198mm x 129mm; 176 pages, black and white; paperback Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Edition New

Edition First

Edition First

Retail price £9.99

Retail price £24

Retail price £9.99

Publication date 4 March 2021

Publication date 4 March 2021

Publication date 1 April 2021

On 30 January 1981 Joe Tasker and Ade Burgess stood at 24,000 feet on the West Ridge of Mount Everest. Below them were their companions, some exhausted, some crippled by illness, all virtually incapacitated. Further progress seemed impossible. Everest the Cruel Way is Joe Tasker’s story of an attempt to climb the highest mountain on earth – an attempt which pushed a group of Britain’s finest mountaineers to their limits. The goal had been to climb Mount Everest at its hardest: via the infamous West Ridge, without supple­ mentary oxygen and in winter. Tasker’s epic account vividly describes experiences that no climber had previously endured. Close up and personal, it is a gripping account of day-to-day life on expedition and of the struggle to live at high altitude.

Victor Saunders reflects on his early childhood in Malaya and his first experiences of climbing as a student, and describes his progression from scaling canal-side walls in Camden to expeditions in the Himalaya and Karakoram. Following climbs on K2 and Nanga Parbat, he moves to Chamonix to become a mountain guide. He later makes the first ascent of Chamshen in the Saser Kangri massif, and reunites with old friend Mick Fowler to climb the north face of Sersank. This is not just a tale of mountaineering triumphs, but also an account of rescues, tragedies and failures. Telling his story with humour and warmth, Saunders spans the decades from youthful awkwardness to concerns about age-related forgetfulness, ranging from ‘Where did I put my keys?’ to ‘Is this the right mountain?’ Structured Chaos is a testament to the value of friendship and the things that really matter in life: being in the right place at the right time with the right people, and making the most of the view.

In Wild Winter, John D. Burns, bestselling author of The Last Hillwalker, sets out to rediscover Scotland’s mountains, remote places and wildlife in the darkest and stormiest months. He traverses the country from the mouth of the River Ness to the Isle of Mull, from remote Sutherland to the Cairngorms, in search of rutting red deer, pupping seals, minke whales, beavers, pine martens, mountain hares and otters. In the midst of the fierce weather, John’s travels reveal a habitat in crisis, and many of these wild creatures prove elusive as they cling on to life in the challenging Highland landscape. As John heads deeper into the winter, he notices the land fighting back with signs of regeneration. He finds lost bothies, old friendships and innovative rewilding projects, and – as Covid locks down the nation – reflects on what the outdoors means to hillwalkers, naturalists and the folk who make their home in the Highlands.

Format 198mm x 129mm; 224 pages, black and white; paperback

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//  BIOGRAPHY/NARRATIVE

Title Peaks and Bandits

Title In It for the Long Run

Title Kangchenjunga

Subtitle The classic of Norwegian literature

Subtitle Breaking records and getting FKT

Subtitle The Himalayan giant

Author Alf Bonnevie Bryn

Author Damian Hall

Author Doug Scott

ISBN 9781839810480

ISBN 9781839810435

ISBN 9781912560196

Format 204mm x 135mm; 192 pages, black and white; hardback Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Format 234mm 156mm; 256 pages, black and white with 1x 8pp colour plate; paperback

Format 240mm x 162mm; 224 pages, black and white with 2x 8pp colour plates; hardback

Edition First

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Retail price £15.99

Edition First

Edition First

Publication date 1 April 2021

Retail price £12.99

Retail price £24

Publication date 6 May 2021

Publication date 3 June 2021

In It for the Long Run is ultrarunner Damian Hall’s story of his Pennine Way record attempt in July 2020. In July 1989, Mike Hartley set the Fastest Known Time (FKT) record for the Pennine Way, running Britain’s oldest National Trail in a little over two days and seventeen hours. Hartley’s record stood for thirty-one years, until two attempts were made on it in two weeks in the summer of 2020. First, American John Kelly broke Hartley’s record by less than an hour, then Hall knocked another two hours off Kelly’s time. Hall used his record attempt to highlight environmental issues: his attempt was carbon negative, he used no plastics, and he and his pacing runners collected litter as they went, while also raising money for Greenpeace. Packed with dry wit and humour, In It for the Long Run tells of Hall’s four-year preparation for his attempt, and of the run itself. He also gives us an autobiographical insight into the deranged world of midlife crisis ultramarathon running and record attempts.

Kangchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world and a notoriously difficult and dangerous mountain to climb. First climbed from the west in 1955 by a British team, it waited over twenty years for a second ascent. The third ascent, from the north, followed in 1979 by a four-man team including the visionary British alpinist Doug Scott. Completed before his death in 2020, and edited by Catherine Moorehead, Kangchenjunga is Doug Scott’s final book. Scott’s own relationship with the mountain began in 1978, three years after his first British ascent of Everest with Dougal Haston. The assembled team featured some of the greatest mountaineers in history: Scott, Joe Tasker, Peter Boardman and Georges Bettembourg. The plan was for a strippeddown expedition the following spring. It was the first time a mountain of this scale had been attempted by a new and difficult route without the use of oxygen, and with such a small team. Scott, Tasker and Boardman summited on 16 May 1979, further cementing their legends in this golden era.

In 1909, while dreaming of the Himalaya, Norwegian mountaineer Alf Bonnevie Bryn and a fellow young climber, the Australian George Ingle Finch, set their sights on Corsica to build their experience. The events of this memorable trip form the basis of Bryn’s acclaimed book, with their boisterous exploits delighting Norwegian readers for generations. Newly translated by Bibbi Lee, this classic of Norwegian literature is available for the first time in English. Although Bryn would go on to become a respected mountaineer and author, and Finch would become regarded as one of the greatest mountaineers of all time – a legend of the 1922 Everest expedition – Peaks and Bandits captures them on the cusp of these achievements: simply two students taking advantage of their Easter holidays, their escapades driven by their passion for climbing. As they find themselves in unexpected and often strange places, Bryn’s sharp and jubilant narrative epitomises travel writing at its best and embodies the timeless joy of adventure.

20//21 BOOK CATALOGUE  //  7


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//  ADVENTURE TRAVEL

Title Big Trails: Heart of Europe

Title Big Trails: Great Britain & Ireland

Subtitle The best long-distance trails in Western Europe and the Alps

Subtitle The best long-distance trails

Editors Kathy Rogers & Stephen Ross

ISBN 9781839810008

ISBN 9781839810022

Format 229mm x 178mm; 176 pages, colour; paperback

Format 229mm x 178mm; 176 pages, colour; paperback

Editors Kathy Rogers & Stephen Ross

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Edition First

Edition First

Retail price £17.99

Retail price £17.99

Publication date 22 October 2020

Publication date 1 October 2020

Title Big Trails: Great Britain & Ireland Volume 2 Subtitle More of the best long-distance trails Editors Kathy Rogers & Stephen Ross ISBN 9781839810459 Format 229mm x 178mm; 176 pages, colour; paperback Imprint Vertebrate Publishing Edition First Retail price £20 Publication date 1 April 2021

Big Trails: Heart of Europe is an indispensable guide to the most spectacular and popular long-distance trails in the Western European countries of France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. The twentyfive featured routes cover the best that European trails have to offer, sweeping from the GR21 along the Normandy Coast to the GR1 Tour de Paris and King Ludwig’s Way in Germany. Culminating in trails such as the Tour du Mont Blanc and Chamonix–Zermatt Haute Route, the jewels of the Alps, this delves deep into Western Europe’s most iconic routes. The book will inspire big adventures. Rather than being carried along the route, this guide provides everything you need to plan and explore further, including a general overview of the trails, specific technical information, overview mapping, key information and stunning photography. As well as this, each route specifies approximate timings devised using the Jones–Ross formula, which allows for custom itineraries to be generated depending upon the speed of the user.

Big Trails: Great Britain & Ireland is an inspirational guide to the most iconic, spectacular and popular long-distance trails in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. The twenty-five featured routes will take you across the best of the British Isles. From the South Downs Way in South-East England and across Wales’ mountains in the Cambrian Way, the book delves into the heart of Scotland on the West Highland Way, along the Causeway Coast Way on Northern Ireland’s coast, and into southern Ireland on the Beara Way. The book is designed to inspire big adventures. Rather than being carried along the route, this guide provides everything you need to plan and explore further, including a general overview of the trails, specific technical information, overview mapping, key information and stunning photography. As well as this, each route specifies approximate timings devised using the Jones–Ross formula, which allows for custom itineraries to be generated depending upon the speed of the user.

Big Trails: Great Britain & Ireland Volume 2 is the second volume of this inspirational guide to the most iconic long-distance trails in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the Channel Islands. The twenty-five routes featured in this book comprise more of the best trails in Great Britain and Ireland. From some of Wales’s best views on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path and the magnificent moorlands of the Two Moors Way (Devon Coast to Coast) in South-West England, the routes go to Scotland’s wild moors on the Southern Upland Way and over high cliffs on Ireland’s Burren Way. In the shadows of Lakeland peaks on the Cumbria Way and around five islands on the Channel Island Way, the book incorporates the highlights of Great Britain and Ireland, from its centre to its outermost edges. Big Trails books are designed to inspire big adventures. Rather than being carried along the route, this guide provides everything you need to plan and explore further, including a general overview of the trails, specific technical information, overview mapping, key information and stunning photography.

20//21 BOOK CATALOGUE  //  8


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//  ADVENTURE TRAVEL/CYCLING

Title Big Rides: Great Britain & Ireland

Title Bikepacking England

Subtitle Twenty-five of the best long-distance cycling trails

Subtitle 20 multi-day off-road cycling adventures

Editor Kathy Rogers

Author Emma Kingston

ISBN 9781839810725

ISBN 9781839810558

Format 229mm x 178mm; 176 pages, colour; paperback

Format 210mm x 148mm; 176 pages, colour; paperback

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Edition First

Edition First

Retail price £20

Retail price £19.95

Publication date 3 June 2021

Publication date 3 June 2021

Big Rides: Great Britain & Ireland is an inspirational guide to the most iconic, epic and popular long-distance cycle trails in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland, including two excursions from mainland Britain to Northern France. The twentyfive featured routes showcase the best of Britain on two wheels. For those who prefer to pedal on-road, the routes take you along the historic Way of the Roses trail through Lancaster and York, as well as across Scotland’s Atlantic perimeter on the Hebridean Way. The trails head off-road to Northern England’s hills on the Coast to Coast (C2C) and past iconic monuments in Southern England on King Alfred’s Way. Mountain bike enthusiasts will find plenty to challenge them in the Wales Coast to Coast and through the Scottish Highlands on the renowned Highland Trail 550. The routes then head offshore, to Ireland’s coast on the Wild Atlantic Way and from Devon and Dorset’s Jurassic Coast to Normandy’s alabaster cliffs on the Tour de Manche. Vertebrate Publishing’s Big Trails books are designed to inspire big adventures. Rather than being carried along the route, this guide provides everything you need to plan and explore further, including a general overview of the trails, specific technical info­rmation, overview mapping, key information and stunning photography. As well as this, each route specifies approximate timings which allows for you to plan your adventure at your own pace. Whether you’re completing routes at a leisurely speed or racing towards the finish, let Big Rides: Great Britain & Ireland be your guide.

Bikepacking England contains twenty great multi-day mountain bike adventures across England, including routes in the Lake District, Exmoor, Northumberland and the Jurassic Coast. Each route includes all the information you need to help you plan your ride, points of interest along the route, food and accommodation options, in addition to stunning photography and overview mapping. Downloadable GPX files of the routes are also available. The book is full of practical tips and advice for both experienced bikepackers and those who want to try it out for the first time. Written by experienced and knowledgeable mountain biker Emma Kingston, this book will inspire you to get out there on your bike with your tent and enjoy the best bikepacking that England has to offer.

20//21 BOOK CATALOGUE  //  9


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//  ADVENTURE TRAVEL

Title South Downs Way (Guidemap)

Title Hadrian’s Wall Path (Guidemap)

Title West Highland Way (Guidemap)

Subtitle Easy-to-use folding map and essential information, with custom itinerary planning for walkers, trekkers, fastpackers and trail runners

Subtitle Easy-to-use folding map and essential information, with custom itinerary planning for walkers, trekkers, fastpackers and trail runners

Subtitle Easy-to-use folding map and essential information, with custom itinerary planning for walkers, trekkers, fastpackers and trail runners

Author N/A

Author N/A

Author N/A

ISBN 9781839810305

ISBN 9781839810312

ISBN 9781839810329

Format 242mm x 116mm; 48 pages, colour; folded sheet map

Format 242mm x 116mm; 48 pages, colour; folded sheet map

Format 242mm x 116mm; 36 pages, colour; folded sheet map

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Edition First

Edition First

Edition First

Retail price £14.95

Retail price £14.95

Retail price £14.95

Publication date 20 August 2020

Publication date 5 November 2020

Publication date 5 November 2020

The 162-kilometre South Downs Way begins in Winchester and traces a ridgeline along the rolling, green South Downs to the coast at Eastbourne. It is rightly regarded as one of the finest long-distance trails in England. Predominantly bridleway, the trail is gene­­rally wide and hard-surfaced and can be walked at any time of year. The South Downs Way appeals to people who have different levels of experience and travel at all speeds, and this Vertebrate Publishing Guidemap is unique in that it caters for four categories of user, providing custom itineraries for walkers, trekkers, fastpackers and trail runners. This lightweight, water­proof, durable and easy-to-use folding map features all the essential information for a successful South Downs Way, including 1:40,000-scale mapping for the linear route starting in Winchester and finishing in Eastbourne. It also includes a detailed elevation profile and route planner, safety advice, terrain information and an accommodation directory, and a link to a GPX file download.

The 138-kilometre Hadrian’s Wall Path traces a grey line along Great Whin Sill, the dolerite ridge chosen by the Romans for their historic wall. The route, one of Britain’s most popular National Trails, is dotted with milecastles and forts, and attracts trail runners and walkers all year round due to its sweeping views. Beginning in Newcastle, the trail passes through rolling grassy paths and grey-green crags to reach Bowness-on-Solway on the Cumbrian Coast. Hadrian’s Wall Path appeals to people who have different levels of experience and travel at all speeds, and this Vertebrate Publishing Guidemap is unique in that it caters for four categories of user, providing custom itineraries for walkers, trekkers, fastpackers and trail runners. This lightweight, waterproof, durable and easy-to-use folding map features all the essential information for a successful Hadrian’s Wall Path, including 1:40,000-scale mapping for the linear route starting in Wallsend and finishing in Bowness-onSolway. It also includes a detailed elevation profile and route planner, safety advice, terrain information and an accommodation directory, and a link to a GPX file download.

The 153-kilometre West Highland Way encompasses the variety of Scotland’s wild places. The route, which begins in Milngavie and finishes in Fort William, passes from Glasgow, Scotland’s friendliest city, through lochs and forests, and across wild moors in the shadows of Munros. Offering panoramic views and clear waymarking, it is no wonder this is one of Scotland’s most popular long-distance routes. The West Highland Way appeals to people who have different levels of experience and travel at all speeds, and this Vertebrate Publishing Guidemap is unique in that it caters for four categories of user, providing custom itineraries for walkers, trekkers, fastpackers and trail runners. This lightweight, waterproof, durable and easy-to-use folding map features all the essential information for a successful West Highland Way, including 1:40,000-scale mapping for the linear route starting in Milngavie and finishing in Fort William. It also includes a detailed elevation profile and route planner, safety advice, terrain information and an accommodation directory, and a link to a GPX file download.

20//21 BOOK CATALOGUE  //  10


20//21

//  CLIMBING

Title The Climbing Bible

Title Peak District Gritstone

Title Bleau Blocs

Subtitle Technical, physical and mental training for rock climbing

Subtitle Over 2,000 classic trad routes on eastern, western and moorland grit

Subtitle 100 of the finest boulder problems in the Fontainebleau forest

Authors Martin Mobråten & Stian Christophersen

Author Graham Hoey

Author Stéphan Denys

ISBN 9781911342007

ISBN 9781839810497

ISBN 9781912560707 Format 250mm x 200mm; 352 pages, colour throughout; paperback

Format 210mm x 148mm; 544 pages, colour throughout; paperback (flaps)

Format 246mm x 189mm; 224 pages, colour; paperback

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Edition First

Edition First

Edition First

Retail price £25

Retail price £30

Retail price £34.95

Publication date 1 April 2021

Publication date 3 September 2020

Publication date 4 March 2021

More and more people around the world are discovering how great climbing is, both indoors and outdoors. The Climbing Bible by internationally renowned climbers and coaches Martin Mobråten and Stian Christophersen is a comprehensive guide to help you train effectively to become a better climber. The authors have been climbing coaches for a number of years. Based on their own extensive experience and research, this book collates the best European training techniques into one book with information on how to specifically train for the technical, physical and mental performance factors in climbing – including endurance, power, motivation, fear of falling, and much more. It also deals with tactics, fingerboarding and finger strength, general training and injury prevention, injuries related to climbing, and training plans. It is illustrated with 400 technique and action photos, and features stories from top climbers as well as a foreword by climber and bestselling author Jo Nesbø. The Climbing Bible will help and motivate you to improve and develop as a climber and find even more joy in this fantastic sport.

Peak District Gritstone is a fully compre­ hensive guide to traditional gritstone climbing which covers the whole of the national park. Written by local climber Graham Hoey, it features over 2,000 carefully selected trad routes graded from Mod to E10. This guide is split into three sections: Eastern Gritstone – extending from Wharncliffe Crags down to Black Rocks; Staffordshire Gritstone – including The Roaches; and Moorland Gritstone – from the Chew Valley to Kinder. Each crag features detailed access and approach information, including GPS coordinates for parking and crag grid references, together with conditions information and local knowledge. Alongside superb action photography from Mike Hutton, Adam Long, John Coefield and more, there are over 400 colour photo topos, plus overview and topo maps. A detailed introduction includes everything you need to plan a visit: tourist information centres, cafes and pubs, campsites and accommodation, gear shops, climbing walls, and useful websites.

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Bleau Blocs: 100 of the finest boulder problems in the Fontainebleau forest is a visual celebration of this unique and vast bouldering venue. Stéphan Denys is the eye of the Fontainebleau forest. Having spent nearly forty years as a photographer and climber roaming every inch of the rocky landscape, he has developed a special bond with these sandstone giants and their unique shapes: sometimes round and bumpy, sometimes sharp and angular, but always fascinating. His photos span a range of eras and are accompanied by texts that expand on the context and characteristics of each boulder problem. Included is a preface by Olivier Lebreton. The 100 striking problems chosen are listed by sector: the National Forest, the Trois Pignons, Larchant and Nemours, followed by Buthiers and l’Essonne. Through this selection, the author shares his vision of bouldering in Fontainebleau and invites us to consider the boulders more deeply from all their angles. An inspiring book for all climbers, whatever their level!

20//21 BOOK CATALOGUE  //  11


20//21

//  WALKING

Title Day Walks in Fort William & Glen Coe

Title Day Walks in Northumberland

Title Day Walks in East Anglia

Subtitle 20 routes in the Scottish Highlands

Subtitle 20 coastal & countryside routes

Subtitle 20 routes in Norfolk & Suffolk

Authors Helen & Paul Webster

Author David Wilson

Author Anna Paxton

ISBN 9781912560646

ISBN 9781912560615

ISBN 9781839810114

Format 175mm x 120mm; 144 pages, colour; paperback

Format 175mm x 120mm; 152 pages, colour; paperback

Format 175mm x 120mm; 160 pages, colour; paperback

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Edition First

Edition First

Edition First

Retail price £14.95

Retail price £14.95

Retail price £14.95

Publication date 4 February 2021

Publication date 4 March 2021

Publication date 1 April 2021

Day Walks in Fort William & Glen Coe features 20 routes between 4.4 and 14.4 miles (7km and 23.2km) in length, spread across the Scottish Highlands. Researched and written by experienced and know­ ledgeable authors Helen and Paul Webster, founders of the Walkhighlands website, the walks range from gentle rambles to more challenging day walks, all through grand and impressive landscapes. Split into four sections – Glen Coe & Glen Etive; Kinlochleven & the Mamores; Fort William & the Great Glen; and The Road to the Isles – this guidebook explores the best that the Highlands has to offer. Together with stunning photography, each route features Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, easy-tofollow directions, details of distance and navigation information, and refreshment stops and local information.

Day Walks in Northumberland features 20 routes between 7.6 and 14.5 miles (12.2km and 23.3km) in length, spread across the coast and the countryside of Northumber­ land and suitable for hillwalkers of all abilities. Researched and written by local walking guide David Wilson, this book covers the best that this varied county has to offer. Walk over sand dunes and past castles at Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh, discover the history of Roman Britain at Hadrian’s Wall, explore the industrial heritage around the River South Tyne and follow the Pilgrim’s Way to Lindisfarne. Together with stunning photography, each route features Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, easy-to-follow directions, details of distance and navigation information, and refreshment stops and local information.

Day Walks in East Anglia features 20 routes between 5.7 and 13.9 miles (9.2km and 22.4km) in length, suitable for hillwalkers of all abilities. Researched and written by outdoor adventure expert Anna Paxton, this book covers walks around the must-see sites of East Anglia, including The Broads and Norfolk Coast Path, and takes you to lesser-known spots too, while exploring the rich history, heritage and wildlife of the area. See the seals and stroll along the dunes at Blakeney Point, explore nature reserves at Titchwell Marsh and Upton Broad, admire grand houses such as Blickling Hall, walk alongside windmills and waterways on The Broads and explore the historic settlements of Norwich and Bungay. Together with stunning photography, each route features Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, easy-tofollow directions, details of distance and navigation information, and refreshment stops and local information.

20//21 BOOK CATALOGUE  //  12


20//21

//  WALKING/CYCLING

Title Classic Day Walks in England & Wales Subtitle 20 of the UK’s best walks Editor Jon Barton ISBN 9781839810695 Format 175mm x 120mm; 148 pages, colour; paperback Imprint Vertebrate Publishing Edition First Retail price £14.95 Publication date 1 April 2021

Title Day Walks in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs Subtitle 20 routes in the southern Scottish Highlands

Title Pennine Bridleway Subtitle From Derbyshire through the Yorkshire Dales to Cumbria Author Hannah Collingridge

Author Gerald McGarry

ISBN 9781839810428

ISBN 9781839810718

Format 175mm x 120mm; 140 pages, colour; paperback

Format 175mm x 120mm; 160 pages, colour; paperback

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Imprint Vertebrate Publishing

Edition First

Edition First

Retail price £15.95

Retail price £14.95

Publication date 6 May 2021

Publication date 1 July 2021 Classic Day Walks in England & Wales features a selection of 20 of the best day-length hillwalking routes from Vertebrate Publishing’s popular series of walking guidebooks. Edited by Jon Barton, this guidebook takes you to the best hiking country in England and Wales: take in Lake District fells, traverse Hadrian’s Wall, ramble in the South Downs, enjoy the coastline in Pembrokeshire, or explore Lizard Point in Cornwall. Together with stunning photography, each route features Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, easy-to-follow directions, details of distance and navigation information, and refreshment stops and local information.

Day Walks in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs features 20 day-length routes suitable for hillwalkers of all abilities. Researched and written by experienced local walker Gerald McGarry, the walks explore the highlights of the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park including the mountains of An Caisteal, Ben Lomond and Ben Ledi. Together with stunning photography, each route features Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, easy-tofollow directions, details of distance and navigation information, and refreshment stops and local information.

Pennine Bridleway is a guidebook to this National Trail taking you from Derbyshire through the Yorkshire Dales to Cumbria, following the Pennine Hills. The route is split into four sections; each section includes detailed directions as well as information on points of interest along the route, bringing the history and landscape of the trail into context. There are also three loops, including the Mary Towneley Loop, which can be tackled separately or as part of the main trail. The guidebook is illustrated throughout with stunning action photo­ graphy by professional photographer Joolze Dymond. Researched, ridden and written by MTB expert and freelance writer Hannah Collingridge, this guidebook features clear and easy to use Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 maps, easy-to-follow directions, details of distance, ascent and difficulty gradings, and local knowledge. There is also a comprehensive Introduction and a detailed Appendix.

20//21 BOOK CATALOGUE  //  13


//  CYCLING

Title Traffic-Free Cycle Trails

Title Lake District Mountain Biking

Subtitle The essential guide to

Subtitle Essential Trails

over 400 traffic-free cycling trails around Great Britain Author Nick Cotton ISBN 9781912560769 Format 210mm x 148mm; 464 pages, colour; paperback Imprint Vertebrate Publishing Edition Fourth Retail price £20 Publication date 2 April 2020 Traffic-Free Cycle Trails by Nick Cotton contains over 400 cycle routes in Great Britain. First published in 2004 and regularly updated ever since, it has become one of the country’s most popular cycling books, and this fourth edition published in 2020 features a large number of updates and revisions. Traffic-Free Cycle Trails includes a great variety of routes on former railway paths, canal towpaths and forest trails in England, Scotland and Wales – and every ride is away from traffic. Presented in an easy-to-use format and packed with useful information in ten regional sections, it includes route descriptions of rides in every part of Britain.

Cover available soon

Authors Richard Staton & Chris Gore ISBN 9781839810732 Format 175mm x 120mm; 212 pages,

colour; paperback Imprint Vertebrate Publishing Edition Third Retail price £16.95 Publication date 3 June 2021

Lake District Mountain Biking – Essential Trails is the full third edition of the bestselling guide to some of the finest mountain bike riding in the UK. Featured are over 20 of the best mountain bike rides in the Lake District, between 12 and 60 kilometres in length, suitable for all levels of mountain bikers. Explore classic rides around Walna Scar, High Street and Borrowdale, and discover several lesser-known gems. Ride moorland singletrack, tackle massive climbs and rattle along some of the rockiest trails you’ll ever encounter on two wheels. Enjoy lakeside cruises, picturesque valleys and 360-degree panoramas. Researched, ridden and written by local riders, each route features clear and easy to use Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 maps; easy-to-follow directions; details of distance, timings and difficulty gradings; and refreshment stops and local knowledge.

At Vertebrate Publishing we publish books to inspire adventure. It’s our rule that the only books we publish are those that we’d want to read or use ourselves. We endeavour to bring you beautiful books that stand the test of time and that you’ll be proud to have on your bookshelf for years to come. The Peak District was the inspiration behind our first books. Our offices are situated on its doorstep, minutes away from world-class climbing, biking and hillwalking. We’re driven by our own passion for the outdoors, for exploration, and for the natural world; it’s this passion that we want to share with our readers. We aim to inspire everyone to get out there. We want to connect readers – young and old – with the outdoors and the positive impact it can have on well-being. We think it’s particularly important that young people get outside and explore the natural world, something we support through our publishing programme.

Sales Enquiries Compass IPS T +44 (0)208 326 5696 E sales@compassips.london www.compassips.london Distributed by Central Books Ltd 50 Freshwater Road, Chadwell Heath RM8 1RX T +44 (0)208 525 8800 E contactus@centralbooks.com www.centralbooks.com

As well as publishing award-winning new books, we’re working to make available many out-of-print classics in both print and digital formats. These are stories that we believe are unique and significant – we want to make sure that they continue to be shared and enjoyed for generations to come.

Vertebrate Publishing Omega Court 352 Cemetery Road Sheffield S11 8FT United Kingdom T 0114 267 9277 E info@v-publishing.co.uk www.v-publishing.co.uk  @VertebratePub

@vertebratepublishing

@vertebrate_publishing

© Vertebrate Publishing 2021 02/21 805j


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