logo Walking Britain
Home About Holidays FAQ Email MENU ☰

Book Review - Snowdonia

Two new books featuring Snowdonia is something of a rarity. Cicerone have really pushed the boat out with these two volumes, although there is some repetitive content.

book cover Hillwalking in Snowdonia - Steve Ashton

Comprehensive coverage of hillwalking in the Snowdonia National Park is much as the title suggests. Maps provided courtesy of OrdnanceSurvey although they are rather small and of little practical use when you are on the hill. Colour photography is generally relevant and of good quality. Like many books on Snowdonia, concentrates on Snowdon, the Glyders and Carneddau with relative sparse coverage on other areas.

Published by Cicerone. 153pp. Softback. £10.00

This book is currently out of print (2017).

book coverRidges of Snowdonia - Steve Ashton

identical format to its sister volume. Coverage again good although predictable. Published by Sigma Leisure. One negative is the inclusion of anecdotes in walk descriptions, all very good if you were there at the time but annoying if you weren't - just like listening to someone telling you about a great comedy you missed! There are also some of contradictions between volumes. The first volume describes Y Gribin as an unsuitable method of descent from Snowdon but then goes on and describes it in this volume. "Probe cautiously north-east to locate ..." is fine if you know where to look but is downright lethal in this location if you lack experience in poor weather.

Published by Cierone. 185pp. Softback. £12.00

VERDICT

Some repetition is unavoidable between the volumes. Caution needs to be exercised on some routes and be warned about the excessive descriptive prose the "Ridge" volume - "It is June - the hesitant month ..." - this sort of stuff belongs more to cheap romances than serious walking books and detracts from the presentation of the author's extensive knowledge.

Review date - 16th August 2002 - Reviewed by LJ

News & Reviews

A range of product reviews including books and maps are available. The following reviews are the most recent.

Wainwright Hill Bagging Map - A scratchable map showing all 214 Wainwrights in the Lake District. More info.

the people's poncho 2.0 - Lightweight, stylish and lightweight alternative to traditional waterproofs ideal for walkers. More info.

the people's poncho - A durable, lightweight, stylish and compact alternative to traditional waterproofs ideal for walkers with 10% Discount. More info.

AZ Adventure Series Maps - Convenient 1:25000 OS maps in booklet form covering the National Trails of Britain. More info.

Walking in the Aire - A new book by Lee Senior featuring 14 walks in the Aire valley. More info.

West Yorkshire's Wild Side - Two new books in the 'Wainwright' style featuring Calderdale and moorland walks. More info.

Follow Walking Britain for the latest news. Facebook  Twitter