UKH

Evening all, 

Today I was lucky enough to spend some time in the Armitt museum today, reading a scrap book of the Lake District fell and rock climbing club. I highly recommend a visit if you've not been.

I asked around in the local book shops but there did not appear to be a book on the history of climbing in the Lake District. 

Would any of you folks be aware of one and willing to recommend it 

here’s a start

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/rock-climbing-english-lake-dis...

Cumbrian Rock 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cumbrian-Rock-Years-Climbing-District/dp/095111142...

Fantastic stuff folks, most helpful. I'll return to the bookstore tomorrow 

As well as the two already mentioned, here are some others:

The First Tigers - Alan Hankinson

A Century on the Crags - Alan Hankinson

Camera on the Crags - Alan Hankinson (superb collection of early Abraham Brothers Photos)

Lakelands Greatest Pioneers - Bill Birkett

A lakeland Climbing Pioneer, John Wilson Robinson (Robinson's Cairn on Pillar)- Michael Waller

Lakelands pioneer Rock Climbers, Wasdale Climbers Book Entries - Herbert & Mary Jackson

This is good:  http://www.boardmantasker.com/2017-submissions-1/nowt-but-a-fleein-thing

And this, for a first-hand account: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coniston-Tigers-Seventy-Mountain-Adventure/dp/1850...

Fantastic, thank you. It's getting to be a big reading list

There is also quite a good, detailed book on the first ascent of Central Buttress. I can't remember the exact title, or who it's by, because I'm away from home at the moment. It might have been quite a limited print run. Hankinson's books and Cumbria Rock, mentioned above, are very comprehensive. The O.G. Jones book is v good, if you can get hold of it, a real period piece. As is Haskett Smith's Climbing in the British Isles, which has a long Lake District section. An Ernest Press facsimile, I think (as I say, I'm not at home at the moment.)

The Graham Wilson collection of essays? (Millrace 2004). The title is simply "The Central Buttress of Scafell".

I'd forgot that one its:

The Central Buttress of Scafell - Graham Wilson (Published by Millrace 2004)

You beat me to it John!

As well as being in the Armitt museum, all the Fell & Rock Journals are accessible online. https://www.frcc.co.uk/archives-2/journal/

Heart of Lakeland by Lehmann Oppenheimer is another good one

I've just remembered another one I've got at home, which is very interesting, 'Climbing in Wasdale before the Great War' by Sansom. It has several very interesting pictures by Brunskill I think. Taken on a plate camera.

Journey After Dawn autobiography of Bill Peascod, leading 1940s pioneer responsible for Eagle Front. Out of print, but on Abe books for around £25

This is a cracking read: https://www.climb-scafell.co.uk/blog/central-buttress-of-scafell-mabel-bark...

Pricey, but a must-have:

https://www.cordee.co.uk/%27Nowt-but-a-fleein%27-thing%27-det-15-99-99-1436...

Not a book, but should be on your list nonetheless:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lakeland-Rock-DVD/dp/B000JJRBS6

Wonderful, thank you ever so much 

Of tangential interest, William Heaton Cooper's autobiography "Mountain painter" describes some of the early 20th century climbs and climbers such as Sid Cross and Harry Kelly.

The 1986 Volume of the FRCC Journal, which celebrated the centenary of the FA of Napes Needle, has four articles covering the history of lakes climbing, from 1886 to 1986. Well worth a read.

Vol 24 - 2 Number 70.

And the 2006 Journal (centenary of the FRCC number) has part 5 by Al Phizacklea, as well as numerous other articles related to the history of Lakes climbing.

Probably the best book on Lakeland climbing prior to WWI is Oppenheimer's The Heart of Lakeland which is available cheaply as a reprint: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=30257467445&searchu... or more expensively in the 1908 edition: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=30301551733&searchu...

And you will find NO evidence in any of the literature that Haskett Smith ever climbed Napes Needle   !!!!!!

Strava or it didn't happen?