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Reminiscent Ridges

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For mountaineers there is something especially attractive and appealing about mountain ridges. It is to do with their aesthetically elegant and spectacular form embracing classic lines that provide open and airy climbing in thrilling situations, plus the traditional objective of coupling to summits. There are arêtes and buttresses for rock-climbers or scramblers according to technical difficulties, with hillside shoulders or linking high level traverses for fell-walkers, and all combinations in between. This whole spectrum is covered in `Scotland's Mountain Ridges' including tackling ridges in both summer and winter. Probably my favourite British mountain expedition is the Cuillin Traverse on Skye and I am delighted Dan Bailey led up to this for his finale. I happen to agree with his selection of routes where all my Scottish favourites are included together with a few I don't know but am inspired to find out. A minor quibble may arise over definitions - for example from his first three choices I accept Arran's A'Chir Traverse as one of the greatest of Scotland's skyline `Moderate' ridges, and having done the nearby `VS' Rosa Pinnacle a couple of times I believe it is the best rock climb on Arran - but wonder why these sandwich the `Severe' Pagoda Ridge when it is not really a ridge? And is the range of grades set too wide? Whatever - `Scotland's Mountain Ridges' stirs happy memories spanning from a walk around the Ring of Steall, through light-hearted clambering on Stac Pollaidh to serious scrambling on An Teallach, with exhilarating climbing on Eagle Ridge or on the Ben's ridges, plus a winter epic on the Aonach Eagach and a hair-raising winter ascent of Dorsal Arête in a gale force wind - and many more. `Scotland's Mountain Ridges' is bigger than usual `guidebook' size and even than `normal' book proportions, and though it is hardly a `coffee-table' publication its larger size benefits the marvellous photographs accompanying selected routes. Photographs include views and assist mountain identification, but are mainly action shots to support route descriptions - as are the entertaining and enlightening comments at commencement of each chapter and the various sketches throughout. This is a book to enthuse readers rather than serve as a manual or guide. Accordingly the notes on techniques, hazards etc. are brief, and the ridge descriptions lack pitch lengths. For the 48 selected ridges there are details on location (with maps), access, distance, time, height etc. but I am left uncertain what target audience is envisaged, and I suspect Dan Bailey wrote his book largely for himself - as the book cover states it celebrates as well as documents. I applaud this - it's for people like me who want to recall and revel in past experiences - and for that it deserves 5 stars. As a guidebook I would grant it only 3 stars, and hence my 4-star award. Producing `Scotland's Mountain Ridges' was clearly a labour of love for Dan Bailey - I wish I'd written it!

Fantastic

Customer Rating:

It's a great idea to collect the best ridges in Scotland into one book and it turns out there isn't space for them all in this one book - the appendix lists another 40 odd (mainly climbs). The book is written with a marvelous energy and joie de vivre that really draws you in; the maps are great and the photos too. It's a lovely book. I am a walker, not a climber, and, despite the subtitle, there are many routes in here suitable for reasonably experienced hillwalkers with a good head for heights. Do the winter routes as summer walks and Creise, Ring of Steall, Aonach Eagach, Liathach and many others become accessible to us mortals. Some additional route planning to cut out short climbing sections also opens up a number of the other routes given. Of course a good number of the routes are serious climbs. You'll never find me on Tower Ridge Ben Nevis, but, in summer, you might find me on the adjoining Ledge Route. Fantastic book, highly recommended to all who love the Scottish highlands.

A climbing guide for real people

Customer Rating:

I really like the way Dan presents some of Scotland's most spectacular ridges. He provides invaluable information and shares his experience in a way that is inviting, not intimidating. He breaks down each section into approach, climb, continuation, and descent - really useful stuff. As a climber who started climbing Munros at age 50, I find some guides geared towards the super-fit or professional climbers. Dan's book is full of sound advice and the pictures are of ordinary people - not the professionals. I simply love Scotland's high and wild places, and Dan's book is the one I'll keep in my rucksack. Even if you don't climb at all, you'll enjoy the pictures and his vivid descriptions.