very old school guidebook find

I recently picked up a copy of the 1949 'Rock Climbs Glencoe and Ardgour' published by the Scottish Mountaineering Club. I've been greatly enjoying it as a peak into a momment in climbing history and attitudes. Thought I'd share a few quotes.

In the introduction whilst discussing the potentially for guidebooks to detract from the adventure of climbing it quotes Isaiah, 'Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small, and make the hills as chaff.'

A few random snippets.

'Use boots for the chmney-severe. Rubbers for the crack-very severe.'

'The route is not recommended in rain.'

'Combined tactics are strongly recommended (the wall will still be very severe), but a leader with powerful wrists and fingers may get up without a shoulder.'

'... followed by a brief but strenuous wriggle to the top.'

'Position can be maintained in this chimney, without aid of feet or hands, by expanding the lungs.'

'The rock is most untrustworthy.'

'.... muscularlarly severe.'

Anyway just a few little gems that have tickled me so far.

Thank you for sharing this. Are you willing to post a photo of the cover of the book? 

Not that exciting.

Is that the guide that was written from memory in a German POW camp?

Would be fun if there were any banshee reference in it? What a great find!

scott rourke wrote:

Is that the guide that was written from memory in a German POW camp?

No, that was Murray's climbing memoir Mountaineering in Scotland--same author. The memoir was written twice, on whatever scrap paper, including toilet paper, he could find, as the first draft was confiscated by the POW camp authorities. Murray was one of the top Scots climbers in the decade or so before WW2--especially winter climbing.

Alan Rubin wrote:

No, that was Murray's climbing memoir Mountaineering in Scotland--same author. The memoir was written twice, on whatever scrap paper, including toilet paper, he could find, as the first draft was confiscated by the POW camp authorities. Murray was one of the top Scots climbers in the decade or so before WW2--especially winter climbing.

The quotes are a perfect snapshot of the climbing mindset and language from that era—pragmatic yet poetic. I love the blend of technical advice and humor, like the "muscularly severe" routes and the descriptions of climbing techniques. It really highlights how attitudes toward adventure and risk were different back then. Thanks for sharing! While applying for internships, I also had to manage essays. That’s when I tried academized.com/ to lighten the load. Academized offered professional and timely work. Their paper writing service lets me focus on my future without falling behind.

Leilani crovix-

What about the alanine route in the Scottish West Indies?  Digitized entities such as yourself have been very successful there.