Scotland Via Ferrata Expeditions Alpine 4000 Nick Bullock Andy ...

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Hillwalking
The Official Handbook of the
Mountain Leader and Walking
Group Leader Schemes
By Steve Long, £14.99
This new book published by the Mountain
Leader Training UK (formerly known as the
UKMTB) is the first in a series of handbooks
that will support the mountain training
schemes. This is the first time the boards
have produced an “official handbook” to
complement a scheme’s syllabus, and will
be an essential buy for all candidates as
well as current holders of the ML and WGL
awards. However it’s not just good news for
them, since it also looks set to become one
of the best general publications for anyone
with an interest in hill or mountain
walking. Hillwalking is available from all
good bookshops or from the BMC.
365
Bouldering on Dartmoor
365, (48mins), £16.99
Perhaps one of the least explored bouldering
areas in the UK is exposed in a new video,
combining close up action with great scenery,
“traditional” weather and even cream
teas. More information and shots from the
film can be found at Luc Percival’s website
– www.365bouldering.com - so take a look,
and pass the jam.
Between the rain
Dringo, (61mins), £18.99
This appropriately titled film by Mark Reeves
reveals some of the cutting edge climbing
from North Wales activists over the last couple
of years, squeezed into those “weather
windows” that we all know and love.
Bouldering, trad, sport, big walls, and silliness,
it’s all here in plenty, so if you want a
look at the current scene in Wales, then get
hold of a copy – available at
www.planetfear.com or from GreenShires.
Olympus µ-400
Olympus £379.00
The Olympus Mju series of cameras have long
been a favourite of climbers, being light, easy
to operate, and producing great results. In fact
a quick quiz in the office revealed that staff had
owned a total of 20, of which 16 are sadly still
missing in action at the base of sea cliffs. So that’s why it’s great to see the new digital
Mju 400. It looks like the old favourite, has a strong metal splash proof housing,
chunky buttons, and can be easily operated one-handed. The zoom lens is 35-
105mm (35mm equivalent), and a max image size of 2048x1536 pixels (4.07M)
means prints up to A3 are game on. All in all, it’s desirable.
The Mju is available from the Digital Camera Company ( www.digital-cameras.com
tel: 08707778550), one of the largest online retailers of digital cameras. They also
offer a hassle free printing online service called Photodeal, and are offering an introductory
offer of five free prints.
Titanium Observer Sport
Suunto, £279.00
For the style conscious sportsperson, (which let’s face
it, probably isn’t climbers and walkers) Suunto has
just brought out its smartest, lightest, and classiest
wristop computer watch yet, the new titanium Observer
Sport. You’ll be relieved to know it’s solid
enough to wear to the top of Everest, that it has a
chronometer, altimeter, barometer and electronic compass,
as well as a massive logbook. Plus we think it
tells the time. But the best thing of all is that it looks
the business. Again, highly desirable, and strangely
enough, also silver.
Staffordshire Grit
BMC, £9.99
OK. It’s not the
new guidebook
yet, but if you
keep getting lost
at the Roaches,
then you’ll be
pleased to know
that the Staffordshire
guide has
just been reprinted.
This is
the classic guide for the area and has been
unavailable for some time. But don’t worry,
the Staffordshire team are still working on
the completely new and improved guide,
which will be due out later in the year. Buy
this one to fill the gap, or, hell, just buy
both, since your mate is bound to run off
with one anyway. Available from all good
climbing shops or direct from the BMC.
BMC Insurance
Now that the holiday season is getting into
full swing, don’t forget one of the most
important items of kit you can take with
you – BMC Insurance. The policies represent
excellent value for money, and can
provide cover for everything from a family
break in the sun, through snowsports and
caving to an ascent of Everest. As used by
top mountaineers the world over (and
rather too recently by Alan Hinkes!), this
really is something you can’t afford to be
without.
BMC Insurance is available instantly
online from www.thebmc.co.uk or call the
office on 0870 010 4878 for help in finding
the right policy for you.
LiveLine
Weather Service
Ever thought about starting a long
route but are unsure of what those
clouds are going to do? Well, problem
solved with LiveLine. This is a unique
real time telephone consultancy service,
allowing callers to speak in person
to a professional forecaster between
08:00hrs - 20:00hrs daily. Just ring up
and you can get an idea of the weather
from 10minutes ahead to a 16 day forecast.
Now you’ve really got no excuse.
LiveLine can be accessed on 09061 992
060
Calls cost £1.50/min + VAT. The service
provider is Telecom Express, London, SE1
7SP.
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