A lot of the pleasure of hiking, mountaineering or climbing is the anticipation, the planning and the dreams that ease away the working week as we plot our escapes. Once Bonington’s and Harrer’s nail-biting exploits have filled you with admiration, grab one of these volumes and follow in their footsteps.

Some are literary greats, some are practical guides and others are pure eye candy; but they will all get the muscles twitching to get out on the mountains. So plump up the cushions, settle into your favourite chair and prepare for some extreme inspiration.

The Roaches: Staffordshire Grit

Guidebooks are about so much more than just where a climb starts and how hard it might be. This latest BMC effort shows how, with all sorts of anecdotes about the first or infamous ascents, lists of recommended challenges such as the crack climbers’ graduation list, and loads of stunning pics.

Pb The BMC £17.50*

Ben Nevis: Winter Climbs Selected Routes by Godefroy Perroux

Scotland’s highest mountain is the jewel in the crown of Scottish winter climbing with routes to match those in the Alps. It’s surprising therefore that one of the UK’s best guidebooks is written by a Frenchman. But Perroux was a regular visitor over many seasons and his enthusiasm for The Ben shines through. Also impressive are the superb black and white photos which, through high quality printing, radiate detail.

Pb Perroux Editions £18.99*

I Chose To Climb by Chris Bonington

Bonington has written a whole shelf full of books, so it’s hard to pick out just one. The first volume of his autobiography covers his first Alpine route (the Bonatti Pillar no less!) and in particular his obsession with The Eiger.

Pb Weidenfeld & Nicholson £14.99*

The White Spider by Heinrich Harrer

First published in 1959, The White Spider is one of the great classics of mountaineering literature detailing the history of the legendary north face of The Eiger. Harrer was involved in the first ascent, which at the time (1938) was thought to be an unclimbable and unjustifiably dangerous wall. It’s a fascinating insight into one of the great climbs, but Harrer also gives plenty of space to cover the epic attempts prior to his success and tell the story of the modern routes.

Pb HARPERCOLLINS £12.99*

Extreme Alpinism by Mark Twight

This really is an exceptional volume. There’s a perfect mix of alpine philosophy, tips from the cutting edge, and no-punches-pulled technical information, all with a liberal sprinkling of Twight’s own experiences and anecdotes. It proves how-to manuals don’t have to be boring.

Pb The Mountaineers £19.99*