Snowdon: The Story of a Welsh Mountain

by Jim Perrin

The life story of the British mainland's finest mountain is an enchantment, parcelled in Jim Perrin's ribboned prose. Possibly no other mountain has more story attached to it than Yr Wyddfa, Snowdon. You can approach it from a surprising number of directions: from the secrets within its fractured rocks, its shy flora, its folk tales echoing an older race and its beliefs. Stone and hut circles, forts and cairns, travellers' chronicles, industry, sport and an anthology of literature - in two languages - work on one's mind, gradually revealing the mountain's essence.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

Jim Perrin is an English rock climber and travel writer.
Perrin has lived in Wales since the age of 17. Before turning to writing, he worked in Cwm Pennant as a shepherd. As a writer, he has made regular contributions to a number of newspapers and climbing magazines. As a climber, he has developed new routes, as well as making solo ascents of a number of established routes.

He has won the Boardman Tasker prize twice, first for Menlove (1985), his biography of John Menlove Edwards, and again as a joint winner (alongside Andy Cave's Learning to Breathe) for The Villain (2005), a biography of Don Whillans.

For many years he has contributed mountaineering obituaries for The Guardian (see, for example, the recent contribution on Brede Arkless). He has six children by six different partners, one, Will, also a talented climber, took his own life aged 24.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought this book expecting lots of interesting facts about the geological, ecological and anthropological history of Snowdonia and the Eryri mountain range. Though the book did deliver on this in some regards, it was overshadowed by the sour mood of the author throughout. I would have much more enjoyed this book if the golden nuggets of interesting facts had not been utterly crushed under monotonous writing style and interlaced with the sour, and frankly ridiculous, opinions of the author. Beautifully represented quotes by famous historians, botanists and mountaineers were suddenly marred by some uncalled for and egocentric quip from the author.

Because of the bitter and arrogant standpoint of the author I found this book a chore to finish. To anyone looking for a similar read, I am sure there are more books out there which will be many times more enjoyable. Don't waste your time with this one unless you like hearing the worn out opinions of a sour individual who believes Surrey retirees and conservationists are all the things wrong with Snowdonia, and who likes find a way to bring their misguided ideas about climate change into a book about the history of a mountain.

[Ivan Monckton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is difficult to believe how much divergent information Jim Perrin has managed to squeeze into this delightful book. I was put off buying it when it was published because of the rock climbing element, but I have to say, the writing and descriptions of climbs in the penultimate chapter made it ‘edge of the seat’ exciting stuff, and his put downs of the elitist clap trap that is the official history of mountaineering endeared him to me for ever!
Archaeology, botany, industrial and social history, appreciation of landscape...it’s all here. A highly recommended book.

[David Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jim Perrin’s writing although there is some disturbing stuff on line about a bitter family feud. This must have been a potboiler for the money but it’s still a lovely book, based on approaching the mountain on foot from every angle. Wish there’d been a map though. I know Snowdon quite well but still needed an OS beside me to make sense of the topography he describes so beautifully. He couldn’t write a dull sentence if he tried

[Pedro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great account of our top Welsh Peak. Shrouded in history, mystique, and romance, & conquerored by ancient invaders, Victorians, and moderns: Eyrie, stands tall. An engaging and hugely informative read with an abundance of Welsh names to make the tongue roll about.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating, conversational and colloquial, Perrin weaves a tale from geology, ecology and archaeology to describe the enduring (though perhaps only recently recognised) significance of the Snowdon massif. Written with wit and eloquence, his digressions only serve to better flesh out the story of the mountain and the development of its place in the cultural heritage and national identity of Cymru.

[Steve Chilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author knows the local landscape, history, and people. The book has no illustrations, nor even a map. Jim Perrin says you can convey so much more in writing than in pictures. He is very erudite and includes many quotations from older texts, but it's also very personal. He writes well, and tells a good story, even against himself on occasion.