Category finalist: Banff Mountain Book Competition 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. While the activity of climbing has undergone myriad changes since 1974 – sticky rubber, camming devices, and the rise of sport climbing and indoor climbing walls – many climbers are still drawn to the drama and challenge of traditionally protected climbing. And this is why Hard Rock is still as relevant now as it was in 1974.

Stretching across the Scottish Highlands and Islands, the Lake District, the Pennines and the Peak District, North and South Wales and down to South-West England, the routes tackle big mountain walls, gritstone outcrops and epic sea cliff adventures. Focusing on the trad connoisseur’s grade range of VS to E2, with additional routes at E3 and E4, the featured climbs are within reach of a majority of climbers. Timeless classics include The Bat on Ben Nevis, the Old Man of Hoy, the Central Buttress of Scafell, Cenotaph Corner on Dinas Cromlech in the Llanberis Pass, Vector at Tremadog, Right Unconquerable at Stanage Edge and Suicide Wall at Bosigran on the Cornish coast.

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.

Hard Rock’s timeless collection is sure to inspire for generations to come.

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*The special edition copies of Hard Rock have now sold out. We will publish 200 special edition copies of Hard Rock in March 2020. These will be signed by Ian Parnell and numbered, and come in a premium Wibalin presentation box with silver foil blocking on the front. Each special edition order will also come with two signed Malc Baxter illustrations printed on art paper; one of Clogwyn Du’r Arddu and one of the north face of Ben Nevis. This special edition offer is available exclusively from our website on a first-come, first-served basis for £60 per copy inc. UK P&P.

The trade edition of Hard Rock will also be published in March 2020 and will be available to purchase at the same time for £39.95 inc. UK P&P. Trade copies purchased from our website will be signed by Ian Parnell.