|
The Munros of Scotland |
|
|
The Munros are those separate Scottish mountains over 3000 feet (914 metres) high. The first list of these was compiled and published by Sir Hugh Munro in 1891. In the previous (1984) list there were 277 mountains recorded - this changed to 284 in August 1997. A popular "hobby" is that of Munro-bagging - undertaking to climb all of the Munros.
All except one of these can be ascended without any mountaineering skills or equipment. The exception is Sgurr Dearg on Skye with its Inaccessible Pinnacle. The 'InPin' is a blade of rock about 20 metres high and 100 metres long embedded in the steepest side of Sgurr Dearg. The traditional route is to scramble up its east ridge - using ropes due to vertical drops on both sides and a lack of good handholds - and then to abseil down the short west side.
The best guidebook for the Munros is the Scottish Mountaineering Club Hillwalkers Guide, Volume One - "The Munros" published by the Scottish Mountaineering Trust (SMC Munro Guide for short).
Also See:
Memorable Munros: A collection of information and great
trip reports from one who has done the lot. (Paul Kennedy).
Anthony Dyer's Mountain
Diary: The mountains of Scotland (and Norway) with many great
photos.
Scotland's Mountains - a short guide: An introduction to
the Scottish Mountains with a couple of good trip reports, photos and a good
list of books. Munro Bagger:
Justin Cullen's Munro bagging adventures.
The Tartan Tammy by Stephen
Kennedy.
There is a
good set
of trip reports in French-Canadian by Bertrand Côté aka
"Ridgerunner".
My Munros
I climbed my 63 Munros in four stints:
Firstly I gave myself Ben Nevis as a belated birthday present (and gaining my first four Munros along the way).
Then I walked the West Highland Way with little stopovers along the route to do the next 3 Munros. I ended with a walk into Glen Nevis where I camped and climbed Aonach Beag and Sgurr a'Mhaim.
Before returning to New Zealand, I took 5 weeks off to travel around Scotland and bag another 45 peaks. I also did a couple of hills that I had climbed before (Ben Lui and Sgurr a'Mhaim).
I returned to Britain during May and June 2001 to attend my brother's June wedding. Beforehand I wandered up to Scotland and bagged another 9 Munros (and I also revisited Ben Nevis): Aonach Mor, Meall a'Bhuirdh, Buachaille Etive Beag, Buachaille Etive Mor, Sgurr nan Gillean, Ben Macdui and Brynack More.
While the latest revision robbed me of Sgor an Iubhair (1001m), it gave me Sgurr na Carnach (1002m, Five Sisters of Kintail) - a gain of 1 metre!
The Munros that I have bagged (in bagging order):
|
|
|
|
|
