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Awards
Vertebrate is one of the world’s leading independent publishers of outdoor adventure books. Below is a list of just some of the prizes awarded to us and our books in recent years.
2026
The Great Outdoors Book of the Year
Winner: The Search by Paul Besley
Commended: Walk Britain by Elise Downing
Shortlisted: Peak Bagging Munros Volume 1 by Nicola Hardy
Shortlisted: Adventures on the Water by Jo Moseley
The Great Outdoors Online Retailer of the Year
Commended: Vertebrate Publishing
2025
Grand Prix du Pays du Mont Blanc (Passy France)
Winner: High Risk by Brian Hall
The Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature
Shortlisted: The Search by Paul Besley
Lakeland Book of the Year Guides and Places Award
Winner: Stand-up Paddleboarding in the Lake District by Jo Moseley
The Great Outdoors Book of the Year
Shortlisted: Running Challenges by Keri Wallace
The Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Performance Book of the Year
Shortlisted: There is No Wall by Allie Bailey
2024
The Great Outdoors Book of the Year
Commended: Cook Out by Harrison Ward
Shortlisted: Other Ways to Win by Lee Craigie
Shortlisted: The Outdoors Fix by Liv Bolton
The Vikki Orvice Women's Sports Writing Award
Winner: Other Ways to Win by Lee Craigie
2023
NZMFF Best Mountain & Adventure Narrative
Winner: High Risk by Brian Hall
BANFF: Mountain Book Mountain Image Award
Winner: Mont Blanc Lines by Alex Buisse (translated by Natalie Berry)
Lakeland Book of the Year Guides and Places Award
Winner: Extreme Lakeland by Nadir Khan & Tom McNally
2022
British Book Awards
Winner: Small Press of the Year
Independent Publishing Awards Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year
Winner: Vertebrate Publishing
The Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature
Winner: High Risk by Brian Hall
Shortlisted: The Mountain Path by Paul Pritchard
The Himalayan Club Kekoo Naoroji Award
Winner: High Risk by Brian Hall
BANFF Mountain Book Competition
Finalist: The Mountain Path by Paul Pritchard
Finalist: The Farthest Shore by Alex Roddie
Finalist: Peak Bagging Wainwrights by Karen & Dan Parker
Lakeland Book of the Year Guides and Places Award
Winner: Peak Bagging Wainwrights by Karen & Dan Parker
The Great Outdoors Book of the Year
Commended: We Can’t Run Away from This by Damian Hall
Shortlisted: Stand-up Paddleboarding in Great Britain by Jo Moseley
2021
British Book Awards
Honourable Mention: Small Press of the Year
IPG Independent Publishing Awards
Shortlisted: Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year
Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature
Shortlisted: To Live by Élisabeth Revol
Shortlisted: Never Leave the Dog Behind by Helen Mort
Banff Mountain Literature Award
Shortlisted: Structured Chaos by Victor Saunders
Shortlisted: To Live by Élisabeth Revol
Banff Mountain Fiction Award
Winner: Dammed If You Don't by Chris Kalman
The Great Outdoors Book of the Year
Shortlisted: The Farthest Shore by Alex Roddie
Shortlisted: The Mountain Path by Paul Pritchard
Shortlisted: The Vanishing Ice by Iain Cameron
Shortlisted: Wild Winter by John D. Burns
Lakeland Book Awards
Winner: Swimming Wild in the Lake District by Suzanna Cruikshank
Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards
Shortlisted: Wild Waters by Susanne Masters
Krakow Mountain Festival, The Best Publications on Mountains:
Winner: Kangchenjunga by Doug Scott
2020
BANFF Mountain Book Competition
Winner: Crack Climbing by Pete Whittaker
The Great Outdoors Book of the Year
Gold: Swimming Wild in the Lake District by Suzanna Cruikshank
Bronze: Never Leave the Dog Behind by Helen Mort
Krakow Mountain Festival, The Best Publications on Mountains
Winner: Hard Rock by Ian Parnell
National Outdoor Book Awards
Honourable mention: Crack Climbing by Pete Whittaker
Premio Itas, Trento Mountain Festival ‘ITAS’ Mountain Book Award
Winner: The Ogre by Doug Scott
2019
BANFF Mountain Book Competition (Nonfiction) The Jon Whyte Award
Winner: Waymaking edited byHelen Mort, Heather Dawe, Claire Carter and Camilla Barnard
Premio Itas, Trento Mountain Festival ‘ITAS’ Mountain Book Award
Winner: The Bond by Simon McCartney
Krakow Mountain Festival, The Best Publications on Mountains
Edmund Hillary by Michael Gill
2018
BANFF Mountain Book Competition (Nonfiction)
Winner: Tides by Nick Bullock
Warwickshire Secondary Book Award
Winner: Lie Kill Walk Away by Matt Dickinson
2017
BANFF Mountain Book Competition (Nonfiction)
Winner: Art of Freedom by Bernadette McDonald
National Outdoor Book Award
Winner: Art of Freedom by Bernadette McDonald
Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature
Winner: Art of Freedom by Bernadette McDonald
Alcester Schools Book Award
Winner: Lie Kill Walk Away by Matt Dickinson
2016
BANFF Mountain Book Competition
Nonfiction Winner: The Bond by Simon McCartney
Mountain Guidebook Winner: 1001 Climbing Tips by Any Kirkpatrick
Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature
Winner: The Bond by Simon McCartney
Kekoo Naoroji Book Award
Winner: Up and About by Doug Scott
National Adventure Awards, Media Category
Winner: Up and About by Doug Scott
2015
BANFF Mountain Book Competition
Mountain Image Winner: Alpine Exposures by Jon Griffith
Kekoo Naoroji Book Award
Winner: My Father, Frank by Tony Smythe
2014
BANFF Mountain Book Competition
Grand Prize Winner: One Day as a Tiger by John Porter
Mountaineering History Winner: One Day as a Tiger by John Porter
2013
ITAS ‘Opere Prima’ Award
Winner: Troll Wall by Tony Howard
2012
Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature
Winner: Cold Wars by Andy Kirkpatrick
2011
BANFF Mountain Book Competition
Best Guidebook Winner: Peak District Bouldering by Rupert Davies, John Coefield and Jon Barton
Norwegian Mountain Literature Prize
Jury’s Special Award Winner: Troll Wall by Tony Howard
2010
Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature
Winner: Rock Athlete by Ron Fawcett
2009
BANFF Mountain Book Competition
Grand Prize Winner: Revelations by Jerry Moffatt with Niall Grimes
SHORTLISTED AND LONGLISTED BOOKS
2018
Tides
Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature – SHORTLISTED
Kinder Scout
Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature – SHORTLISTED The Great Outdoors Awards – SHORTLISTED
The Ogre
Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature – SHORTLISTED
Wild Light
Scottish Nature Photography Awards – SHORTLISTED 2017
Lie Kill Walk Away
Southwark Schools Book Award – SHORTLISTED
Coventry Inspiration Book Awards – SHORTLISTED
The Warrior in the Mist by Ruth Eastham
Coventry Inspiration Book Awards – SHORTLISTED
There is no Map in Hell by Steve Birkinshaw
The Great Outdoors Awards – HIGHLY COMMENDED
2016
The Everest Files by Matt Dickinson
Trinity Schools Book Award – Junior Award – SHORTLISTED
Doncaster Book Awards – Secondary School category – SHORTLISTED
2015
Statement by Ed Douglas
Banff Mountain Book Competition – Mountain and Wilderness Literature – SHORTLISTED
One Day As A Tiger by John Porter
Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature – SHORTLISTED
British Sports Book Awards – Biography of the Year – SHORTLISTED
In Some Lost Place by Sandy Allan
Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature – SHORTLISTED
The Everest Files by Matt Dickinson
CILIP Carnegie Medal – NOMINATED
2014
The Mantis by Philip Temple
Banff Mountain Book Competition – Mountain Fiction and Poetry – SHORTLISTED
Hanging On by Martin Boysen
Banff Mountain Book Competition – Mountain and Wilderness Literature – SHORTLISTED
Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature – SHORTLISTED
My Father, Frank by Tony Smythe
Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature – SHORTLISTED
2013
Echoes by Nick Bullock
Banff Mountain Book Competition – Mountain and Wilderness Literature – SHORTLISTED
Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature – SHORTLISTED
2012
The Wild Within by Simon Yates
Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature – SHORTLISTED
2011
Lake District Mountain Biking by Richard Staton and Chris Gore
Lakeland Book of the Year – LONGLISTED
2010
Rock Athlete by Ron Fawcett
Banff Mountain Book Competition – Mountain and Wilderness Literature – SHORTLISTED
2009
Revelationsby Jerry Moffatt
Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature – SHORTLISTED
Other award-winning VP books
As well as producing our own books, we also own the Bâton Wicks imprint and are the UK publisher of a range of prize-winning books from further afield. These include:
Freedom Climbers by Bernadette McDonald
2013 - Kekoo Naoroji Award – Mountain Literature Award – WINNER
2012 – American Alpine Club Literary Prize – WINNER
2011 – Banff Mountain Book Competition – Grand Prize – WINNER
2011 – Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature – WINNER
Beyond the Mountain by Steve House
2009 – Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature – WINNER
2009 – Banff Mountain Book Competition – Mountain Literature Award – WINNER
Deep Play by Paul Pritchard
1997 – Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature – WINNER
Elusive Summits by Victor Saunders
1990 – Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature – WINNER
Shishapangma by Doug Scott and Alex MacIntyre
1983 – Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature – WINNER