IF you enjoy climbing, then one of the best spots in the country is on our doorstep at Cheddar Gorge – and Martin Crocker has compiled a book of the best climbs for you to try.

But it is not a carte blanche to climb anywhere in the gorge – the book has been compiled with the cooperation of the Cheddar Caves and Gorge management, and there are strict guidelines on where and when you can climb there.

The book starts with a list of the guidelines, detailing access, what to expect, regulations and a code of conduct.

There are hundreds of climbs, short and longer, and they are detailed with photos of the rockface with actual lines of climbing detailed for you to follow, all listed either on the Cheddar Cave and Gorge south side or the National Trust north side.

The author says Cheddar Gorge is one of Britain finest inland climbing sites, its 100 metre high limestone walls offering over 1,000 climbs, among them some of the longest and most breathtaking climbs in the country.

There is an acclaimed mix of all climbing styles and grades, ‘cheek by jowl on its varied crags’. Gear, access routes and descents are given in detail.

The story of climbing in Cheddar Gorge started even before Sir Chris Bonington’s famous first ascent of the 115 metre Coronation Street rockface in 1965 and among the earlier climbers were Marples and Bates in 1931, while the roll call provides a host of British climbing legends.

The most recent major climb there was by Chris Savage in June this year when he conquered the last unclimbed line of Sunset Buttress, graded at the sport climbing grade of F8c, the hardest sport climbing route in Southern England.

Author Martin Crocker is the most prolific Cheddar Gorge climber of his generation. In 1983 he scaled the ‘unclimable’ walls of Spacehunter and went on to conquer ‘Every Step of the Way’ in 1986, a climb that has beaten everyone else until Matt Rawlinson matched him earlier this year.

Crocker has pioneered 500 new climbs out of the 1,200 traditional (unprotected) and sport (bolt protected) routes in the gorge and in 1992 he wrote the Cheddar and Avon Gorge Climbing Guide Books to bring the sport he loves to as many climbers as possible.

It was through his determination to restore climbing routes in Cheddar Gorge, which had become heavily vegetated, and to improve access for climbers from their winter only regime to something closer to year round. This led him to devote his professional life to the ultimately successful Cheddar Gorge Climbing (Restoration) Project.

The book is the distillation of his hard won knowledge of the climbs and his resolve to restore them and share them with others. Now he is able to see up to 100 climbers of different standards of fitness, ability and experience enjoying climbing on a range of sport and traditional routes on any sunny Sunday after noon in June or September.

This pocket sized guide could inspire you to take up this exhilarating sport if you do not already partake.

Cheddar Gorge Climbs, by Martin Crocker, published by Cheddar Caves and Gorge, £15.