UKH

I have a third edition of the original - from 1997 (the first edition was 1980!) and a few years ago, basically by mistake, bought the 2006 "Lake District Winter Climbs: Snow, Ice and Mixed Climbs in the English Lake District". This was post 2012 when the newest version came out, but I obviously didn't pay enough attention to the publication date and got the older one.

Is there anyone who has both the 2006 and the 2012 ones? Is there much more in the 2012 edition over the 2006? I would have thought there must have been quite a lot of development to justify an update after just 6 years, but is it more of just a reprint with a few changes or a new layout or something, but not really many more routes or crags covered?

Cheers all.

Hi Toby,

Not sure if you have looked at FRCC website.

Click on climbing then winter climbs then new routes and comments since publication of last guide.

There is a nine page update.

Happy Christmas

Simon

Thanks Simon, do you mean https://www.frcc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Winter-Climbs-New-Comment... ? I took that to be stuff sent in since 2012. But I may have missed something similar that was 2006 to 2012?

And while I'm thinking of Lakes Winter, does anyone have a link to an excellent winter topo of St Sunday Crag? I found it last winter and meant to keep a note of it and of course didn't. And now no amount of googling seems to be finding it. I think it was in a pdf version of some journal or similar, but don't remember exactly how I stumbled over it.

Got the 2006 version and didn't feel the additional routes justified the spend, 2012 very well researched historical section iirc

Hi Toby

I think the frcc ran out of the 2006 edition so rather than just reprint put together a new one for 2012 as there had been quite a lot done after 2006. There is more in the 2012 one - I definitely felt it was worth updating - and there have been some grade changes, but grading is still a bit variable. 

I use the 2012 & I've looked at the 2006. According to Steve Scott's editorial note there are over 200 new routes for 2012 (rough estimate getting on for 800 entries in the index). Even so I'm not sure it's worth updating unless you get particularly active in the area. I have a few gripes with the 2012 guide:

It now weighs as much as an ice tool. Not sure how you'd solve that without splitting the guide or leaving routes out, neither of which would be ideal, but it feels like lugging Cold Climbs up the crag with you. Sadly it doesn't seem to make finding the right conditions any easier.

The topos themselves are small and crammed with gratuitous borders abounding, leaving you squinting to see crag details, which are further obliterated by heavy coloured lines and numbered boxes. Specs essential, preferably x-ray.

Hmm, can you really complain about the topos being too small and the guide too heavy in the same breath?

To the OP, the guide was published follow two very good winters when there was a lot of activity. There are around 200 more routes. If you are an occasional visitor, who tends to visit the honeypots, you won't need it, if you are a devotee, active local or guidebook collector, you will already have it.

I think it may be a while before the next one.