A NEW guidebook is equipping and inspiring walkers, runners and outdoor enthusiasts to take on one of Scotland’s greatest challenges – climbing all 282 Munros.
Peak Bagging Munros: Volume One offers practical advice and encouragement for anyone aiming to summit Scotland’s mountains over 3000 feet, whether they’re seasoned hillwalkers or just discovering a new passion for mountain hiking.
The book contains detailed written directions for each of the 64 routes which come with 1:40,000 scale maps, and downloadable GPX files for GPS devices and apps. It also includes difficulty gradings and suggested timings tailored to four styles of ascent – walking, trekking, fastpacking or trail running – so readers can plan their adventures to suit their pace and preferences.
Author Nicola Hardy says the goal is to make Munro bagging accessible to as many people as possible.
“You’ll be pleased to know there is no right or wrong method to bag the Munros – it’s a joyously rule-free zone,” Hardy explains. “As long as you touch all 282 summits, you’re bagging. It’s up to you if you take the chairlift down Meall a’ Bhùiridh or accept a ride down a long access road. This is your journey. The experience is yours too.”
The Munros – first listed in 1891 by Sir Hugh Munro – have long held a special place in the hearts of hillwalkers. The feat of climbing them all, known as a “compleation” in the Scottish Mountaineering Club, can take years and often decades.
For some, it’s a focused campaign, ticking off multiple peaks in a single trip. For others, it’s a slow-burn project, choosing hills according to fitness, weather and whim.
While the panoramic views and palpable cultural history are obvious attractions, the author believes there is more to the challenge than the scenery alone.
“The physical and mental health benefits of hillwalking are well documented, but as well as the views, the escapism and the fresh air, for many Munroists it’s the random, chucklesome and serendipitous moments along the way that make the journey so life-affirming," Hardy said.
Those moments might include emerging through thick clag to stand above a marshmallow-like temperature inversion with jagged peaks piercing through the cloud in every direction, spotting an eagle soaring over a ridge, crossing paths with a hungry badger at dusk, or laughing with like-minded strangers in a mountain shelter waiting out a sudden storm.
It could be a comedy slip into waist-deep bog, the relief of outrunning a swarm of midges when there’s nothing left in the legs or the elation of reaching the pub after a challenging climb. These are the experiences, the author says, that keep people coming back to these mountains year after year.
Peak Bagging Munros: Volume One is structured for flexibility. Routes are grouped according to their proximity to Highland “hubs” – towns and villages from which the author gives a nod to local businesses through recommendations of accommodations, eateries and shops.
The 10 hubs in Volume One are Arrochar, Comrie, Oban, Tyndrum, Killin, Glencoe, Fort William, Corrour, Pitlochry and Braemar. This layout makes it easy to plan outings from each location.
They also help find well-walked routes that are easier to navigate in poor weather and the downloadable GPX files provide an extra layer of navigational reassurance.
By blending traditional route descriptions with modern mapping tools, the book bridges the gap between paper maps and digital convenience. The author is keen to stress, though, that no amount of technology replaces basic hill skills and sound preparation.
Scotland’s Munros vary enormously in character – from the lofty ridge of the Càrn Mòr Dearg arête, which leads on to the country’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, to the sprawling high plateau of the Cairngorms and the solitary island Munro of Ben More on Mull.
The book captures this variety while offering clear, step-by-step directions for safe and enjoyable ascents, delivered with the warmth and familiarity of a friend sharing their favourite routes.
Routes accessible by public transport are championed in the book, like Beinn Narnain and Beinn Ime near Arrochar, the Cruachan Horseshoe near Oban and the whole of the Corrour chapter of the book.
“Adventure tourism will continue to drive visitors to the Scottish Highlands thanks to its world-class offerings so I like to do my bit by travelling using public transport as much as possible,” explains Hardy. “Doing this also helps eliminate my anxiety around parking!
“I’ve noticed more and more women out hiking Munros solo in recent years, and that really excites me,” Hardy adds.
“When girls see women on summits, leading groups or writing guidebooks, it helps normalise the idea that mountain adventures in wild spaces are ‘for them’. I’d love to see the proportion of female Munroists rise from around a quarter of the community to half.
“The hills are a place to build strength, develop self-reliance and find space to think, away from the demands of daily life.”
For those eyeing up their first Munro, the guide might open the door to a lifelong hobby – Ben Lomond, with its forgiving slopes, is a great starter Munro.
For seasoned baggers already deep into their list, the book may offer fresh inspiration and smart new ways to tackle the challenge.
“Munro bagging doesn’t have to be a race or a competition though,” the author says.
“You don’t automatically get a medal at the end but as well as a sense of fulfilment and elation, you might feel a sense of sadness that the journey is over.
“Don’t worry though, the Corbetts, Donalds and Grahams will be ready to welcome you on to new trails when the time comes.”
All the routes and more are described in detail in Peak Bagging Munros: Volume One published by Vertebrate Publishing and Volume Two will follow soon
