'Here be dragons,' said the old maps ... In the late eighteenth century, a few brave men started to venture up the mountains of Switzerland to discover the secrets hidden in their snowy peaks. Then the British arrived and 'mountaineering' was born. This is a history of the conquest of the Alps.



Full of eccentric characters, Killing Dragons is the story of the first British mountaineers to tackle the Alpine summits of Switzerland during the late eighteenth century. Originally the explorers of this area were poorly equipped, wearing ordinary shoes and no protective clothing. The British arrived intent on reaching every Alpine summit, and 'mountaineering' was born. The title refers to the mythical creatures said to inhabit these peaks: 'Here be dragons,' said the old maps ...