A very thorough reassessment of the climbing on the south side of the A5, based around the ever-popular Tryfan and Cwm Idwal areas, including some 140 new routes climbed since the last guide, and many ‘rediscovered’ older climbs. The new routes are at all grades and on both old and new crags. Among the latter are the Eastern Cliffs of Gallt yr Ogof, including Skyline Buttress, the location of some of the hardest climbing in Wales where the E9 Mission Impossible has been the subject of much recent publicity.

Similar in format to the well-received Llanberis guide published last year, with many action photos, all-colour photodiagrams, and photoplans (93 in total, even more than in Llanberis), and bouldering sections by Simon Panton. The guide also has a chronology (a combination of the historical and first ascents sections), which includes short biographical notes on the leading activists over the years. Particular attention has also been given to highlighting some of the easier climbs, which are now often climbed as scrambles.

Although now standard practice in many CC guidebooks such as Llanberis, a graded list of climbs in the Ogwen area has been included for the first time.

The guide now also includes the climbing on the north side of the A4086 between Pen y Gwyrd and Capel Curig, and for the first time the excellent climbing on the Creigiau Llynnau Mymbyr (the Ricks and Racks) is described in detail, although these crags have been climbed on for years by Plas y Brenin parties.

Ogwen replaces half of the double-volume Ogwen and Carneddau, published in 1993. Work is now starting on a new Carneddau guide, but meanwhile the text of the 1993 Carneddau section is available as a free download from on the Carneddau Guidebook Page.