The Darkness Beckons by Martin Farr a book review by Stevie Haston.

Here it is , I got my grubby  hands on the new, The Darkness Beckons. First impressions are, it's the same, but better! It's the third edition of this truly great book, it's a re vamp, it's got more photos, it's more in depth obviously with the new stuff, the tech dives that are going deeeep!

 Cover is different, so is the foreword by Bill Stone.

Its the same,  but different, reassuringly the same as it treats this fascinating cave diving experience with the love and adoration of one of its long time adherents the author and aquanaut Martin Farr! 

 Theres poetry in the title and mystery and suspense….

I will give it a proper more thought out review after I have read and reread this book. The most important thing for you might be these words, buy it! Publication date is the 3rd of July!

Martin Farr.

You people out there might know I love climbing, but some of you also know I am an avid caving fan, and water man, some times these wonderful things can all come together, they do in this book. Ultimately this book is about the passion for exploration, and today with google maps, the bastardisation of guided mountains, and  drone footage for tomorrows latest clothing advert,  exploration is quivering in its death throws. This book in its foreword even talks about that as we have even today the capability to send robots beyond the Darkness!  But hey, the Darkness still Beckons! For me this book is a loving pilgrimage with some friends, and indeed lost friends, and people who I don't know, but have admired and respected for years. With this new rendition I have met new adventures, and adventurers, I'll share the review with you as soon as I can get my head out of its lovely words, and photos.  

Ben 9a Moons Fore arms, by Stevie weak Haston.

Ia've just been at the Summer trade show in Germany, and it was great! Sound like Trump I hope not! People might suspect that the truth is somewhat different but hell yes I enjoyed it, the unpleasant things about work, politics, and being tired I ignored.

 Being in Germany made me love my home and love being alive..

Those people wishing to know about Ben Moons forearms should skip forewords. Seeing mates and old climbing buddies just seemed the special thing it always is.  So seeing people like Ben Moon and Paul Craven (among others ) just made me smile. They are younger than me but still like me keen as mustard! Paul is older than Ben and was an early member of the Stoney Middleton Woodshed dossiers club as was I. Ben is just Ben.

 The pieces of a life, a thousand piece jigsaw…

I promise to write a book, every body who asked OK. I need to dive and swim but I promise to write, especially as I now seem to be selectively forgetting. Oh the unbearable sweetness of selective forgetting.

 If you remember these things your one of the chosen tribe of Rock.

Good gear, good people, and stupendous beer, that was the summer show.

 One of the Lords of Font, Big Joe.

Climbing is so easy today, good gear, good info, etc, its amazing that people don't take up the gauntlet and crush (new words for old success), boots in particular-you should try climbing in old EBs, but more precisely slabs at Font.

Benedict Moons forearms..; such wonderful devices shame you can't buy them.

Ben Moon as some of you might know did a 9a just before his 50 birthday a few years ago, this year he has some fore arm issues and believe it or not is Trad climbing! 

More stuff soon, sorry I haven't been blogging but I got a lazy pencil.

Another day another new route, by Stevie Haston.

 Kids , dogs , ropes, diving gear…

Did two hours swimming, but missed the fish! We saw a shoal of big fish from the top of the cliff, but they saw us coming ofcourse. We found a few swim throughs underwater, nice arches, and a few holes in the underwater cliffs. All good fun.

 Alex going for a vertical series of holes.

We did an old route called Aero Rambler 6b+, and brill, then we did a new one 6a+, and really good too.

Alex climbing the cliff after the swim.

There was some building rubbish thrown down one cliff, and a lot underwater, horrible to see how people trash their own back yard.