I began climbing back in the days before sticky rubber, chalk, cams and full-colour guidebooks - my how things have changed! I moved to Sheffield in 1970 and have spent most of the intervening 38 years getting up close and personal with gritstone - leaving enough time to climb throughout most of Europe (including 80+ trips to Spain) and 10 extended trips to the States.

I worked on a series of small climbing guidebooks for Cicerone Press of Cumbria, and eventually teamed up with Alan James of Rockfax to produce the award-wining and revolutionary Peak Grit East. Other guide have followed steadily and there are plenty of plans still afoot.