GRIT BLOCS - 100 of the finest boulder problems on Pennine Gritstone

The gritstone crags of Northern England are internationally renowned and are home to some of the best bouldering in the world. With an emphasis on high-quality photography, Grit Blocs presents a selection of the very best boulder problems in these areas – covering the Peak District, Yorkshire, Lancashire and North East England.

The classic problems are there – Careless Torque on Stanage and Flying Arête at Almscliff – but, as the sport of bouldering continues to evolve, there are also lesser-known and newer gems to discover: Archery at West Nab, The Lash at Birk Gill and Ouzel Thorn at Thorn Crag, amongst others.

The stunning photography is accompanied by texts that expand on the context and characteristics of the boulder problem and give you a flavour of what each problem is like, with a bit of bouldering history thrown in too.

Published in September 2022 by Vertebrate Publishing in Sheffield, and available to purchase directly here. Grit Blocs is also available at your local climbing wall, independent bookshop or climbing shop.

Common Climber’s interview with Dave about the book, his approach and background here

Media

Dave’s Top Five Summer Gritstone Bouldering Venues here

Harrison Cameras’ blog post with Dave discussing the photography here

UKClimbing.com review of Grit Blocs here

Grit Blocs Offcuts - article on UKClimbing.com here

In this film by Wedge Climbing Dave discusses Grit Blocs and his relationship with climbing and photography.

  • Sample Spread - Guisecliff

  • Sample Spread - Thorn

  • Sample Spread - Howshaw

  • Sample Spread - Stanton

“It is the ultimate collection of gritstone problems which every boulderer should aspire to do. Written with humour, intellect and a deep understanding for climbing, this book is what Hard Rock did for trad routes..”

— Jon, publisher, Sheffield

“..a love letter to climbing in the North, born of 25 years experience, and it's both funny and packed with great photography.”

— Heather, novelist, Glasgow

“It would be at home on any climber’s coffee table and is perfect for getting inspiration for the upcoming grit season.”

— Wedge Climbing

“Dave’s done a beautiful job and it captures perfectly how much good climbing we have in the UK..”

— Jim Pope, athlete, Sheffield

“I absolutely loved Grit Blocs. ….. The breadth and range of the coverage encourages you to explores places you might not have otherwise thought about, which is something I'd encourage all climbers to do”

— Rob Greenwood, UKC