The term ‘climbing’ belies the stark differences between the many disciplines it is so often used to encompass. But as well as the major categories like ‘Traditional’, ‘Bouldering’ and ‘Alpine’, there are others that fill the gaps in between, making the link between some of the major disciplines more logical. One such subcategory is the subject of this...

With so much stunning climbing in the Provence region, it is of little surprise that most travelling climbers will need to invest in several guidebooks. Well, not any more!

DMM cams have been some of the most popular in the UK recently, but with an increasingly wide choice of brands on the market choosing the right device can be confusing business.

There are a number of key elements for success when undertaking the mammoth task of guidebook writing. Broadly speaking, there needs to be inspiring photography, useful maps, clear and logical organisation, and most of all the book needs to be easy to use.

A little known crag that is popular with locals and home to some outstanding routes on limestone that is unusual.

Lesser known than some of the other areas in the region, Venasque is a good choice for those who are looking for somewhere a bit quieter than the usual hotspots but with routes that are just as good.

An extensive valley with bolted routes of the highest quality. The crag hosts a wide variety of routes, from short and bouldery to long and sustained on very good quality rock. The area is excellent for routes from 7a/b upwards and really comes into its own in the 8th grade. The featured nature of the rock and sequency climbing makes this a better crag for redpointing than onsighting.

Not another guide to the peak district, I hear you cry! That was my initial thought when I saw "Peak District: Climbing" on the shop bookcase. But before you navigate back to the BBC news page (or whichever other website you visit when you’re bored), let me explain how this particular peak guide is different, and how it represents a breath of fresh air for one of the world’s most popular climbing areas.

Looking up at the trail of pockets, the confines of the blue streak suddenly assume a tunnel like character. My mind is relieved of its other duties now, and nothing else matters. Nervousness sets in. The pockets continue out of sight, and this aggravates the feeling of gradual solidification in my forearms. I become aware of my heartbeat, measured at first, like a metronome keeping time with the route. Pocket, crimp, big move...jug, clip...“breath”... But the tempo quickly increases until the pounding is difficult to ignore - the threat that it will seal the fate of my
weakening grip weighs on my mind.

It’s easy to see that the progression in technology in climbing gear has accelerated in the last few years, but there are few areas in which the advance has been as marked as that of the trusty helmet.