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SOUTHERN SANDSTONE and the Sea Cliffs of South-East England
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• Southern Sandstone and the Sea Cliffs of South-East England by Mike Vetterlein and
Robin Mazinke (2008)
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It is a thorough revision and update of Mike Vetterlein’s
1995 guidebook.
• This is the third guidebook in the new CC
format, following on from Forest of Dean and Lower Wye Valley.
• ISBN 978-0-901601-80-3
• £19.50
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Download Southern Sandstone Sample Pages (PDF, 23MB)
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Download Sea Cliff Sample Pages (PDF, 10MB)
• Back to Guidebooks
The visual impact is impressive from the start with a
new wrap-around cover photo, the inside uses the Lower Wye
Valley concept of a double-page spread for the title page and,
amongst many others, there are a couple of superb (and
frightening?) images of the chalk sea cliffs. Where tree cover
has allowed photo-diagrams have been used to supplement the maps
and plans, as well as the usual written descriptions.
A large selection of action photographs have been obtained for
the guidebook, including a number of historical photographs from
the 1930’s to 1970’s. The guidebook is 463 pages and well over
half of these will have either action photos or photo-diagrams
on all or part of the page.
As well as the significant photographic increase upon the
previous guidebook, the new one has a major addition in the form
of a first ascents list painstakingly compiled by Paul Highams.
Previous CC guidebooks to the area have not included a first
ascents list and many of the new routes books have been lost
over the years, so there are many routes for which details are
unknown (and a few where the authors have received conflicting
information). If anyone has any information to help fill any of
the gaps please record it via the
New Routes facility on this website.
Along with many areas, there has been a considerable increase in
bouldering activity on Southern Sandstone since the introduction
of the bouldering mat, this guidebook has attempted to document
all known activity. In common with some other bouldering areas
it was decided not to give stars to boulder problems, although
routes have been starred.
Again the guide contains the Sea Cliffs of South-East England, a
significant change here since the last CC guidebook has been the
development of ‘Sport Chalk’ on the crags in the Saltdean and
Newhaven areas by a small group of activists.
The Sandstone Code again takes a prominent spot to assist
climbers protect the rocks from preventable erosion. The five
most important points are listed on the back cover, the full
code is listed inside and a copy of the code on a postcard will
be included with the guidebook. There is the usual graded list
to provoke pub discussion over a pint of the local Harveys; and
the addition of various ‘text boxes’ offering snippets of
information or suggestions of routes such as slabs or cracks to
try.
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