Latest in World Mountain Ranges series is a cracker by Kev Reynolds.
The latest in Cicerone's excellent World Mountain Ranges series, is a new guide to the Swiss Alps by veteran guidebook writer, Kev Reynolds and gives a comprehensive overview of each Swiss mountain area complete with background info, classic walks, climbs and hut-to-hut trekking routes and logistical information.
As with the other two books in the series, the idea is to provide a detailed overview for climbers, walkers, trekkers and ski mountaineers, covering not just the obvious honey-pot areas like the Bernese Oberland with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, but also other, less publicised parts that you may not even be aware of.
That makes it ideal not just for the first-timer, but any mountain goer who's looking for a fresh perspective on the country mixed in with a dose of inspiration.
General Overview
The book starts with a general introduction to the Swiss mountains quickly covering the basics you need to know from mountain safety through to information on flora and fauna via practicals like recommended clothing and equipment for walking and climbing in the Alps and suggestions on how to acquire basic mountaineering skills.
The bulk of the 450-odd page book however, is taken up with seven main chapters on the various Swiss mountain areas. To put that in perspective, it's taken Reynolds, who already has an impressive knowledge of the Alps, some six years to write the book.
Each chapter is beautifully illustrated with full-colour images and kicks off with a introduction to the area before launching into a detailed run through of the various valleys. It's quite dense stuff with a lot of information compressed into each page - not only do you get a little description of each mountain with some basic route information, there's also details of all the main huts along with a brief outline of climbing routes starting from them, plus web pages addresses and phone numbers.
Mixed in with all that, are some lovely images plus little box-outs on historical figures, classic multi-day treks - the Tour of the Jungfrau Region for example - and a series of basic maps showing where the mountains and passes sit in relation to towns, villages and railway links.
The route descriptions aren't detailed enough to serve as stand-alone directions, but they give you an idea of what's possible in the area and point you in the direction of more detailed guides.
No Nonsense Overview
Just as with Chris Townsend's guide to Scotland, Swiss Alps is a no-nonsense overview of the country and an essential reference for anyone planning a trip out to Switzerland with mountains central to the agenda. Thumb through the book, pick out the regions you're interested in, dig into the possibilities, get inspired by the images then pick up a more detailed guide for the specifics of your chosen treks and/or climbs.
It's not really bed-time reading, there's too much logistical information crammed in there for that, but that's not to say that it isn't inspirational in its own way.
And Switzerland, if you haven't been there, is astonishingly lovely.
Swiss Alps by Kev Reynolds is published by Cicerone Press and retails for £25. More information on the book at: www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail.cfm/book/465/title/the-swiss-alps.
