Wild Rock

Publishes 1st April 2026 – order now for shipping in late March

By Matt Heason

The ultimate guide for adventurers and ramblers looking to step off the path and onto the rock. Covering every corner of the country, from rugged mountain ridges to hidden coastal outcrops, Wild Rock features the hundred best routes in England, Scotland and Wales, striking a balance between accessibility and excitement.
Each scramble is carefully chosen for its beauty, character, and sense of discovery – perfect to bridge the gap between hiking and climbing. Packed with inspiring photography and practical advice, co-ordinates and tips, Wild Rock is your ticket to a lifetime of scrambling adventures across Britain.

Adventure across spectacular rock landscapes From mountain classics to coastal gems, no ropes required.

Quick hits
Not got much time on your hands, but want to get out on some rock?

Scrambles for the adventurous
A little out of the ordinary, these adventures won’t be in any tourist brochure.

Getting away from the crowds
Find peaceful and quiet adventures in otherwise busy corners of the country.

Watery scrambling
Choose a warm day and mix moving on rock with playing in water.

Picnic havens
Perfect for hanging out with kids or mixed ability/interest groups where some want to play on the rock whilst others watch with a glass of wine.

Coasteering
Explore our wonderfully chaotic coastline amidst rock pools, fossil beds, cliffs and zawns.

Historical journeys
Scramble amidst ruins and relics whilst soaking up the ambience of times gone by.

Weaseling, mines, caves & quarries
Take a torch and helmet and get down and dirty, literally inside the rock.

Mountain environments & summits
Combine views, technical scrambling, exposure and a good old-fashioned workout.

Classic Scrambles
You’ve likely heard of these, but not seen them all in one guidebook before.

Matt Heason is author of Wild Swimming Walks Peak District and founder of Sheffield Adventure Film Festival. Matt writes books and organises events for climbers, walkers, cyclists and runners. He grew up climbing in rural north Wales and moved to Sheffield in 1996.
heason.net | shaff.co.uk | mattheasonphotography

Initially, this guide was titled ‘Beginners’ Scrambles Around The UK’, but after discussing it with friends, colleagues, outdoor guides, and others, it evolved into something much more exciting. The word ‘scramble’ conjures images of classic ridges like Crib Goch and Striding Edge, high mountains, and big red socks in heavy leather boots. Similar books already exist but are limited to our national parks where our mountains are located.

England, Scotland, and Wales offer a wider variety and higher concentration of rock than anywhere I have travelled overseas. Rock is the best natural playground we have, whether for a toddler playing in gravel or climbers scaling El Capitan in California. I wanted this guide to be more than just a directory of old classics; I aimed to showcase caves and coastlines, boulders and arches, waterfalls, mines, and quarries – places you might take adventurous family or friends to share your local area in a playful way – as well as the more classic ridges and peaks.
The guide is intended for beginners and requires no ropes. However, ‘beginners’ can be a problematic term, as it suggests novices who are new to the outdoors. Adventures on rock carry inherent risks, so a degree of competence must be assumed; some prior experience in outdoor activities is necessary. If you are a true novice who has never set foot on rock, this book isn’t for you – yet. Go with a friend who has experience or join a club and give it a try. If you find yourself wanting to do more, I hope the adventures within these pages
lead to many happy memories.

I have long believed in assessing our own risk and would encourage readers to do the same before embarking on any of these adventures. For the
most part, no specialist equipment is needed, but I recommend wearing a helmet, shoes or boots with good grip on rock, and clothing suitable for
the environment and weather. With that in mind, read on and enjoy Britain’s Wild Rock.

Traditional scrambling books describe scrambles as circuits, starting and finishing in the same place, typically constituting a full day of walking. While this format works for most scrambles in this guide, it isn’t always the case. Some are simply rocky picnic spots and others are a there-and-back affair. Some are short and sweet, while others entail massive days out. Each scramble features a description along with geographical and geological context and often some local history. Coordinates for a suggested start point, information about difficulty, length, aspect, and altitude are included. We also detail public transport and public toilets where possible, nearby places to eat and drink, alternative scrambles nearby and inspiring photos.
We have done our best to direct you to good-sized parking spots from which to base your adventures. However, we haven’t provided turn-by-turn directions. Unlike a guided walk that follows a prescribed route, most adventures in this book require you to choose your own path based on your experience, the weather, underfoot conditions, available time, and group size.

The included maps will get you to your scramble and show you its location, but the fun lies in finding your own route. For some of the more difficult scrambles, where route choice is crucial, this information is provided. Where quoted, distance and altitude are measured in kilometres and metres. Each route includes an estimated approach time, estimated scrambling time, and an estimate for returning to the start. While approach and return times should be fairly accurate, treat scrambling times with caution. The purpose of this book is to enjoy the process of moving, playing, and exploring on the rock. You may whizz through it in minutes or spend a full day crafting your own adventure.

Scrambles are traditionally graded on a scale of 1 (easy) to 3 (difficult); this guide focuses on Grade 1 terrain. In researching the guide, it became evident that some scrambles at the upper end of Grade 1 and some at the lower end of Grade 2 can be made safer and more accessible by being less prescriptive about the actual route. By avoiding trickier sections when possible, all the scrambles in this book (barring a couple) fall within the traditional Grade 1. To help you assess them, for the purposes of this book we have introduced a breakdown within that grade: easy, moderate, and difficult Grade 1 scrambles. This way, you can choose your adventure to suit your needs, but please read each scramble chapter thoroughly before embarking to understand the context of the grading. Some require navigational expertise, some feature technical scrambling, and some are exposed. These requirements are detailed in the descriptions.

We’ve organised the scrambles by region and made a concerted effort to provide a good geographical spread across the country. This has meant omitting some classics to include others in less popular areas. Hopefully, you’ll appreciate this variety as you explore different parts of England, Scotland, and Wales. Speaking of Wales, we have used Welsh names first, sometimes giving English translations; for example, Eryri and Yr Wyddfa for Snowdonia and Snowdon.

All walks are illustrated by photographs to guide and inspire you. Note that some photographs depict people scrambling in situations beyond the remit of Grade 1 territory, but all are taken on the routes described in the book. It is almost always possible to pick your own route so we encourage you to choose terrain that you are comfortable with. The introductory chapters highlight safety tips and guidelines, a comprehensive code of conduct, and notes on wildlife and conservation, ensuring you can enjoy this activity responsibly and sustainably. We’ve even included some fun rock-related games for you to play.