Welcome to the FRCC guidebook downloads page. Presented are a number of downloadable guidebooks in PDF format. For ease of reference the downloads are organised by the areas covered by our printed guidebooks. Please also consider supporting our volunteer staffed guidebook productions by purchasing your own copy of the area guidebooks in our online guidebook shop.
Terms of Use
By downloading and/or using any of the PDFs below you are acknowledging that you have read and agree to the following terms and conditions and that you acknowledge and respect our copyright. © FRCC 2024
WARNING: Climbing is a dangerous activity that carries a risk of injury or death. You climb at your own risk. You are the sole judge of conditions. You take responsibility for your own actions. The information in these guides is derived from comments and route descriptions contributed by climbers to the FRCC website and other sources, often after the first ascent. Many crags and climbs are new or recent – descriptions, grades, rock quality, fixed gear, access and all other content may not have been checked, cannot be relied upon and you should use it with caution. Do not presume that any of this material is accurate. Neither the publisher nor anyone involved in the publication of this information can be held responsible for omissions, mistakes, nor held liable for any personal or third party injuries or damage, howsoever caused, arising from its use.
BMC Participation Statement: The British Mountaineering Council recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.
Access and Bird Restrictions: Please check the BMC Regional Access Database and the Bird Restrictions for up-to-date access information.
Fixed Gear: Includes bolts, slings, pegs and any gear found in situ. https://thebmc.co.uk/en/bolts Click the link to the BMC guide: BOLTS: a climbers’ guide…
In the UK bolting and placing of fixed gear is not controlled or monitored. Organisations like the Cumbria Bolt Fund (CBF) are attempting to remedy this. Run by volunteers, equipment from the CBF is specified, sourced and installed following best practice at that time. Many of the bolts have been placed by volunteers operating with the support of the CBF. A record of all this work is maintained. The work is completed competently, although this may have been done several years ago. There are no regular inspections or testing. You will find bolts that have been installed independently, often these are expansion bolts using mixed metals. No specification or quality standards may have been applied to the selection or installation of these bolts; they could fail at any time. To protect the lower offs it is essential that you use your own slings and karabiners.
Recent accidents demonstrate that fixed gear wears out or that the rock can fail. In England and Wales it is accepted that as a climber you alone bear the overall responsibility to understand the risks associated with climbing on fixed gear, and to manage these risks appropriately. You should be aware that using bolted and fixed protection outside is not the same as the gear provided at a climbing wall, where a planned maintenance and reporting schedule is in place. Outside the fixed gear is not maintained or inspected, a route may have become dangerous after it was originally created, where there is galvanic corrosion this could happen in a matter of weeks. Fixed gear, of any type, should not be relied on.
UIAA WARNING ABOUT CLIMBING ANCHOR FAILURES 2024: A recent incident in Leonidio indicates unexpected failure of climbing anchor after only some months/ years in place. These failures, mostly on stainless steel anchors, are due to environmental degradation; corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC). https://www.theuiaa.org/documents/safety-standards/UIAA_Anchor_Failures_2024.pdf
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLIMBERS: Make a visual check – look for cracks; belay or lower from multi-point anchors using more than one ring or karabiner; back up bolts, abseil points and belays/lower offs; be prepared to abandon the climb.
If a bolt fails: collect the parts and send these to the Cumbria Bolt Fund contact: dan@real-adventure.co.uk, or the BMC. Post the information on social media.
Copyright: The information contained in these PDFs is copyrighted to the FRCC and is provided for non-commercial use. Commercial users, or those wishing to distribute any of this information, should contact the FRCC Guidebooks Secretary for permission – this requirement is waived for those writing routes reports and similar articles for the climbing press.
Please Contribute: We welcome details of new routes, and comments on routes.
Using eBooks: Books are in PDF format. You will be emailed a link to download books that you purchase. Click to download, then open them on your computer, tablet, or phone. They are laid out by crag, then sector or buttress which allows you to print smaller sections. The PDFs are practical, stripped of all non-essential text and images, so you only get what you need. For example, each discrete section of a crag starts on a new page, so you are able to print just the pages that you need for a visit. Many are designed with larger text to be printed at A5 size; typically this is done by printing the download on A4 paper with pages two-up, i.e. two pages side-by-side.
Lakes Sport & Slate
Lakes Sport & Slate covers all the sports crags in Cumbria and conveniently nearby in Lancashire. Four rock types are documented: Limestone, Sandstone, Slate, and Micro-Granite. Alongside the sports climbing, protected by fixed equipment, all of the traditionally protected slate climbs are detailed.
Coverage extends from Warton Main Quarry near Carnforth in the south, to St Bees in West Cumbria, and Coudy Rocks near Appleby in the north east. The nationally important climbs at Chapel Head Scar are all detailed. Plus all of the developments at Scout Scar (over a dozen lower graded, F4 to F6b+, routes), Runestone Quarry (over 30 climbs in this once esoteric venue are now bang up to date), and the popular Bramcrag Quarry is included in full definitive detail (over 190 climbs, over half of which are in the F5 to F6a grade range).
And, possibly a first for any formally published guidebook, the dry-tooling crucibles of The Works and Bakestone Quarry are covered in all their spiky details.
Downloads to Purchase
The following PDFs mini-guidebooks are available to purchase for a small fee. This directly supports the Cumbria Bolt Fund. The ongoing work of CBF volunteers helps to develop new climbs and improve existing routes and equipment. Please support the rich diversity of climbing in the area that we all enjoy; your contributions directly help to continue CBF works. Thank-you.
Runestone
Quarry
[SKU30605] Price £5.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Scawgill Bridge Quarry
[SKU30877] Price £3.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Moss Rigg Quarry
[SKU31302] Price £2.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Brough Scar
[SKU31402] Price £2.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Free Downloads
These PDF mini-guidebooks to minor venues are available to download for free. However, please note that the FRCC supports the Cumbria Bolt Fund. So please consider donating to help develop new climbs and improve existing routes and equipment. Thank you.
Eastern Crags
Eastern Crags covers the large area that includes the Thirlmere and Ullswater crags, eastwards to Swindale and south to Longsleddale.
Included are some of the most iconic and historic crags in the Lake District; Castle Rock of Triermain, Raven Crag Thirlmere, and the steep walls of Dove Crag.The array of climbing will suit climbers of every standard. Many crags are easy to access being close to the road, while those in the mountains offer solitude. The crags in this guide offer some of the best-known climbs in the Lake District; Overhanging Bastion, Gazebo, Fast and Furious, Totalitarian, Top Gear, to name but a few.
Downloads to Purchase
Gowbarrow Boulders
[SKU31129] Price £2.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Kirkstone Buttress
[SKU31543] Price £1.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Free Downloads
Langdale
Langdale offers tremendous scope for climbers. This guide covers the whole valley together with adjacent Easdale and the superb crags of Pike of Blisco.With high mountain and low level valley crags, superb rough, often south facing, rock and short approaches, climbing is possible all year round. All this together with a regular bus service, a large campsite and convivial pubs make the valley extremely popular.
Downloads to Purchase
Thrang Crags, Langdale
[SKU31280] Price £1.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Free Downloads
Duddon & Wrynose
Duddon & Wrynose describes the crags and climbs in this beautiful quiet hidden valley. One of the gems of the Lake District climbing here, in the "ever sunny" Duddon, is a pleasure. Crags tend to be sunny and easy to access. A handy bunkhouse, campsite and convivial pub make this a convenient and delightful place to visit and explore.Downloads to Purchase
Sunny Pike
[SKU31156] Price £3.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Foss How Area
[SKU31361] Price £2.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Tongue House High Close
[SKU31336] Price £2.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Caw, Dunnerdale
[SKU31333] Price £2.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Free Downloads
Cockley Crag West
[SKU31181] Price £1.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Buttermere & St Bees
Beyond Honister Pass lies the beautiful valley of Buttermere, ringed by a wealth of climbing venues both high in the mountains, and also some close to the road. The high mountain crags have splendid outlooks, providing fabulous places to climb. Further east lies Newlands, where solitude is almost guaranteed on its high crags in a remote yet accessible setting. Also included in this definitive book are the sandstone cliffs of St. Bees. The sport routes are comprehensively covered in the more recent publication, Lakes Sport & Slate, yet this guidebook is the only source of information for the ultimate 'trad' adventures, bolted routes and boulder problems are also included.
Classic routes such as Eagle Front on Eagle Crag, and Oxford and Cambridge Direct and Dexter Wall on Grey Crag, all in Buttermere, and Dreaming of Red Rocks at St Bees are all included, but so are many equally worthy but perhaps less well-known climbs, in total covering a wide grade range of both trad and sport. A comprehensive set of colour photodiagrams of virtually every crag in the area will help you locate your route. In addition there are chapters on Geology and Conservation, together with sections on Climbing Walls, Useful Contacts, Campsites and Mountain Accidents, an annotated First Ascents List and a Crag Chart, while a superb selection of action photographs, both contemporary and historical, provides added inspiration.
Downloads to Purchase
Disco Buttress, Chapel Crags
[SKU31164] Price £2.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Dow & Coppermines
Dow Crag, in the south of the Lake District, is one of the most accessible high-mountain crags in the Lakes. After a thirty year gap, the new, handy pocket-sized guide from FRCC GUIDES comprehensively covers all of the routes on Dow, neighbouring Blind Tarn Crag and, for the first time, records the climbs on the adjacent outcrops.
The Coppermines Valley benefits from selective coverage to help you pick the best climbs and conditions. Beta is top-quality: the familiar FRCC GUIDES format, with detailed area maps, clear photo diagrams, concise descriptions and convenient QR codes is all sumptuously illustrated with stimulating action images.
Downloads to Purchase
Tilberthwaite Area
[SKU31308] Price £1.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Free Downloads
Eden Valley & South Lakes Limestone
The limestone and sandstone crags and quarries described in this book are scattered over a large area of North, East and South Cumbria, much of which is outside the Lake District National Park. One of the many attractions of these crags is that their climbs may often remain dry when those in the National Park are not.
Important crags described include the superb Chapel Head Scar (Limestone) and delightful Armathwaite (Sandstone). These are contrasting venues, Chapel Head Scar is by far the best sport climbing venue in the region while Armathwaite is exclusively a Trad venue with many easier routes and is also the home of some very bold slab and wall climbs, many of which are desperate. The numerous less well known crags give plenty of options within easy reach of the Lakes and are ideal venues to save a rainy day or as evening crags for locals.
Downloads to Purchase
Mallerstang Edge
[SKU31253] Price £2.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Wild Boar Fell
[SKU31395] Price £2.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Free Downloads
Gable & Pillar
From the earliest days of the sport of rock climbing in the UK, Great Gable and Pillar have provided inspirational challenges in sometimes remote but always beautiful surroundings. Always some distance from roads and valley bustle, the crags described in this FRCC guidebook provide enjoyable climbs across the grade range to suit every climber. This book includes not only the well-known honey pots described in selected guidebooks, but also all the crags that have been developed, some equally worthy, in the Gable and Ennerdale area.
Downloads to Purchase
Raven Crag, Ennerdale
[SKU31376] Price £2.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Free Downloads
Scafell & Wasdale
Scafell has the best crags in England, the two major crags, Central Buttress and East Buttress, rank with any, anywhere, and offer superb world class climbsThis definitive guide includes all of the routes on these superb walls together with the climbs on nearby Pikes Crag and those in Wasdale.
Downloads to Purchase
Cam Crag
[SKU31623] Price £2.00
(Shipping £0.00)
Free Downloads
Eskdale
The new FRCC guidebook to the stunning Eskdale valley. The book covers the easily accessible and popular valley crags of Brantrake, Hare Crags, and Bell Stand, the remote solitude of Birker Moor, and showcases surely one of Lakeland's finest climbing destinations - Esk Buttress in the Upper Eskdale valley.Borrowdale
Synonymous with climbing in the Lake District Borrowdale has an abundance of great crags of rough featured rock. The climbing here is hugely varied, yet always exquisite. The crags stand serenely on the valley sides overlooking bare fells, or are hidden amongst the trees and ferns. Borrowdale is arguably the most beautiful of the Lakeland valleys and this makes it popular, not just with climbers.Blessed with campsites and a regular bus service from nearby Keswick the valley makes a great base, with many crags accessible by bus and a walk.
Many of the routes here are iconic; Troutdale Pinnacle on Black Crag, Little Chamonix and Ardus on Shepherd's Crag. The valley also has it's share of harder climbs, some of the best in the Lakes; The Voyage, Tumbleweed Connection, Grand Alliance, the Cam Crag routes and the climbs of Hell's Wall rank highly.
This modern and authoritative guide offers over 800 routes on 50 crags and is a must for climbers looking to extend their experience of climbing in Borrowdale.
Free Downloads
Swaledale & North Pennines
Though technically in Yorkshire and Durham, the crags are just over the border from Cumbria. They are not covered in any printed guide elsewhere at the moment and are included here to promote their presence.