50 Classic Routes on Scottish Mountains by Ralph Storer sampler

alph storer is an experienced hillwalker who has hiked extensively
around the world. Despite being a Sassenach by birth, he has lived in
Scotland since studying psychology at Dundee University and has a
great affinity for the Highlands. As well as disappearing into the hills
for a regular fix of nature, he also writes fiction, is a contributing editor
to Jade, the magazine of the Guild of Erotic Artists, and produces
darkwave music on his home computer.
His books are exceptional… Storer subverts the
guidebook genre completely.
the angry corrie

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE MUNROS series
Picks up where others – including my own – leave off, with
lots of nitty-gritty information on alternative routes, levels of
difficulty and aids to navigation, all in a very up-beat style.
Given that all this extra Munro-info would fill a gigantic
Bumper Fun Book of the Munros, Ralph has chosen to break
the list down into volumes, of which the Southern Highlands
is the first. I look forward to seeing the rest of his fun-packed
Munros series.
cameron mcneish
Fabulously illustrated… Entertaining as well as informative…
One of the definitive guides to the Munros.
press & journal
Irresistibly funny and useful; an innovatively thought-through
guidebook that makes an appetising broth of its wit, experience
and visual and literary tools. Brilliant.
outdoor writers & photographers guild
With the winning combination of reliable advice and quirky
humour, this is the ideal hillwalking companion.
scots magazine
This is a truly indispensable guide for the Munro-bagger.
Bursting with information, wit and delightful irreverence rarely
found in this type of guide, it is a joy to read. An absolute gem!
alex mackinnon, manager, waterstone’s, edinburgh

BAFFIES’ EASY MUNRO GUIDE series
A truly outstanding guidebook.
undiscovered scotland
Packed to bursting with concise information and route
descriptions. There should be room for this guide in
every couch potato’s rucksack.
outdoor writers & photographers guild
It is perfect for anyone exploring Scotland’s beautiful
mountains, whatever his or her level of experience.
guidepost
THE JOY OF HILLWALKING
A treat for all hillwalkers active or chairbound.
scots independent
<strong>50</strong> SHADES OF HILLWALKING
A fantastic celebration of this addictive pastime.
don currie, scotland outdoors
THE ULTIMATE MOUNTAIN TRIVIA QUIZ CHALLENGE
A thoroughly fascinating way to kill time – every
bothy should be furnished with one.
roger cox, the scotsman

Books by Ralph Storer
100 Best <strong>Routes</strong> on Scottish Mountains (Little Brown)
<strong>50</strong> Best <strong>Routes</strong> on Skye and Raasay (Birlinn)
Exploring Scottish Hill Tracks (Little Brown)
The Ultimate Guide to the Munros series (Luath Press):
Volume 1: Southern Highlands
Volume 2: Central Highlands South (including Glen Coe)
Volume 3: Central Highlands North (including Ben Nevis)
Volume 4: Cairngorms South (including Lochnagar)
Volume 5: Cairngorms North (including Cairn Gorm
and Ben Macdui)
Baffies’ Easy Munro Guide series (Luath Press):
Volume 1: Southern Highlands
Volume 2: Central Highlands
Volume 3: The Cairngorms
The Joy of Hillwalking (Luath Press)
<strong>50</strong> Shades of Hillwalking (Luath Press)
The Ultimate Mountain Trivia Quiz Challenge (Luath Press)

<strong>50</strong> <strong>Classic</strong> <strong>Routes</strong>
on Scottish Mountains
Third Edition
RALPH STORER
Luath Press Limited
EDINBURGH
www.luath.co.uk

First published in hardback by David & Charles 1998
Revised paperback edition 2005
Revised edition 2018
isbn: 978-1-912147-29-8
The paper used in this book is recyclable. It is made from low
chlorine pulps produced in a low energy, low emission manner
from renewable forests.
Printed and bound by
Bell & Bain Ltd., Glasgow
Typeset by 3btype.com
© Ralph Storer

To those who follow in our footsteps

A Message from the Publishers
Hillwalking and mountaineering are not risk-free activities and
may prove injurious to users of this book. While every care and
effort has been taken in its preparation, readers should note that
information contained within can change following publication
and may not be accurate. Neither the publisher nor the author
accept any liability for injury or damage of any kind arising
directly or indirectly from the book’s contents.
9

Acknowledgements
Investigating a route for a hillwalking guidebook involves more
than simply climbing a mountain. It may mean exploring more
than one approach, checking different ascent routes, pausing
repeatedly to take notes, redescending to find a missed path,
starting early or chasing a patch of blue sky to obtain the best
light for a photograph. It is not the kind of day on the hill that
many hillwalkers would be prepared to endure (at least, more
than once). I would therefore like all my hillwalking companions
to know that, although it may not have seemed like it on occasion,
I shall be forever grateful for their patience, understanding and
help in the writing of this book.
All maps by Don Sargeant and the author.
All photographs by the author.
11

Contents
Preface to the Third Edition 17
Introduction 19
The Scottish Highlands 21
<strong>Routes</strong> 23
Route Grid 25
Map of Scotland 26
Grade 27
Terrain 28
Navigation 28
Seriousness 28
Route Assessment 28
Seasons and Weather 29
Weather forecasts 30
Sketch Maps 30
Measurements 31
Mountain Names 32
Access 33
the southern highlands 35
1 Ben Vorlich (Arrochar) 36
2 Ben Vane 38
3 Beinn Ime and Beinn Narnain 40
4 Beinn an Lochain 42
5 Ben Oss and Beinn Dubhchraig 44
6 Ben Challum 46
7 Beinn Achaladair and Beinn a’ Chreachain 48
8 Creag Mhor <strong>50</strong>
9 Stuchd an Lochain 52
10 The Glen Lyon Horseshoe 54
13

the central highlands 57
11 Beinn a’ Chochuill and Beinn Eunaich 58
12 Stob Coir’ an Albannaich and Glas Bheinn Mhor 60
13 Beinn Sgulaird 62
14 Beinn Fhionnlaidh 64
15 Sgor na h-Ulaidh 66
16 Creise and Meall a’ Bhuiridh 68
17 The Giant’s Staircase of Stob Ban 70
18 The Treig Traverse 72
19 Carn Dearg and Sgor Gaibhre 74
20 The Ardverikie Trio 76
21 Beinn a’ Chaorainn 78
the western highlands 81
22 Beinn Resipol 82
23 Sgurr Dhomhnuill 84
24 Sgurr Ghiubhsachain 86
25 Gulvain 88
26 Sgurr na h-Aide 90
27 Sgurr nan Coireachan 92
28 Sgurr Mor 94
29 Meall na Teanga 96
30 The Druim Chosaidh 98
31 Ben Aden 100
32 Gairich 102
33 Sgurr a’ Mhaoraich 104
34 The South Glen Shiel Ridge 106
35 The Conbhairean Group 108
14

the northern highlands 111
36 The Round of the Hundred Hills 112
37 Beinn Dearg (Torridon) 114
38 Beinn an Eoin 116
39 The West Fannichs 118
40 The Glensguaib Circuit 120
41 Cul Mor 122
42 Arkle 124
the cairngorms 126
43 Glas Tulaichean 128
44 Broad Cairn 130
45 The Glen Feshie Hills 132
46 The Devil’s Point 134
47 Beinn Mheadhoin 136
48 Beinn a’ Bhuird 138
the islands 141
49 Ullaval and Oreval (Harris) 142
<strong>50</strong> Teilesval and Uisgnaval Mor (Harris) 144
Glossary / Index 147
15

Preface to the Third Edition
following on from <strong>50</strong> Best <strong>Routes</strong> on Scottish Mountains, <strong>50</strong>
More <strong>Routes</strong> on Scottish Mountains and <strong>50</strong> Best <strong>Routes</strong> on Skye and
Raasay, <strong>50</strong> <strong>Classic</strong> <strong>Routes</strong> on Scottish Mountains completes a selection
of 200 routes that represents the best of Scottish hillwalking.
The four volumes were originally published as four hardbacks,
which are no longer available. In paperback form, <strong>50</strong> Best <strong>Routes</strong>
and <strong>50</strong> More <strong>Routes</strong> have been combined into 100 Best <strong>Routes</strong>
on Scottish Mountains, published by Warner Books. The second
paperback edition of <strong>50</strong> Best <strong>Routes</strong> on Skye and Raasay is
published by Birlinn. This Luath Press publication is the third
paperback edition of <strong>50</strong> <strong>Classic</strong> <strong>Routes</strong> on Scottish Mountains.
<strong>50</strong> <strong>Classic</strong> contains a selection of outstanding walking and
scrambling routes that were prevented by lack of space from
inclusion in earlier volumes in the series. These routes again range
across the Highlands to provide a cross-section of route types
and locations, with tedious and tiresome ascent routes avoided in
favour of more rewarding ways up. Hence ‘Best’. As well as
descriptions of popular routes up popular mountains you’ll also
find here descriptions of interesting ways up less well-known
mountains that will be a revelation even to many experienced
Scottish hillwalkers.
The temptation to revisit favourite mountains from earlier
volumes in order to describe other ascent routes has been resisted.
All routes in this volume are brand new, with a greater con centration
than before on the more accessible southern half of the
country. Further route possibilities remain, of course, but given
the number of mountains in Scotland, a worthwhile continuation
of the series would require a change to the route criteria. For
instance, there are many fine routes on hills that do not meet the
600m/2,000ft height criterion cited in the Introduction, notably
in the Hebrides.
17

<strong>50</strong> classic routes on scottish mountains
This Luath Press third edition follows the 1998 first edition and
2005 second edition and is completely updated. If you think mountain
routes wouldn’t change much in such a period of time, think again.
Lower down, there are new paths, new vehicle tracks, new car parks
with new starting points, new access arrangements (owing, for
example, to increased afforestation or changes in land owner ship)…
Higher up, paths can either become worn, overgrown or dangerous,
or be upgraded and made easier by path renovation schemes.
Here are some examples of changes that have occurred in recent
years. Inverpolly lost its National Nature Reserve status in 2004
(Route 41). The Land Rover track from Dalmunzie Hotel to
Glenlochsie Farm has been paved (Route 43). There’s now a café
at Auchtertyre Farm on the recommended route up Ben Challum
(Route 6). The road to Achallader Farm now has a new car park
and path (Route 7).
A bulldozed Land Rover track has obliterated the fine old path
up Glen Ure (Route 13). The path up Beinn Dubhchraig is now
so eroded that it could do with being obliterated (Route 5). The
original path described for the ascent of Sgor Gaoith is now so
overgrown that it has necessitated a new approach route (Route 45).
The original route to Beinn a’ Chaorainn is also overgrown and
requires a new approach (Route 21).
Among other changes, the Ordnance Survey has opted to Gaelicise
some of its place-names. Examples in this book include changing
Loch Einich to Loch Eanaich and Loch Quoich to Loch Cuaich
(though Glen Quoich remains unaltered). Yet more annoyingly for
guidebook writers, even the height of many mountains has changed,
owing to improved surveying methods (including by satellite). All
these changes have been reflected in this third edition’s text and
sketch maps.
Another major development since the first two editions has been
a reappraisal of access to Scotland’s countryside, not only in terms
of statutory rights but also in terms of the willingness of landowners
to countenance the presence of hillwalkers on their land.
See Access notes in the Introduction.
18

preface to the third edition
It’s also worth noting that more and more car parks at the start
of routes are becoming pay-and-display, eg Glen Muick (Route 44)
and Linn of Dee (Route 46), so keep a few £1 coins handy.
The at-a-glance difficulty grids I pioneered in <strong>50</strong> Best <strong>Routes</strong>
on Scottish Mountains are now commonplace in guidebooks. In
this edition they have been updated to reflect current conditions
and they have also been improved slightly. Where a route has two
(or more) optional lines of differing difficulty, eg up a crag or around
it, the grid now reflects this with more than one box infilled.
Finally, may the routes presented herein continue to bring you
as much joy as they do the author.
19

Introduction
The Scottish Highlands
the scottish highlands are characterised by a patchwork of
mountains separated by deep glens, the result of glacial erosion in
the distant past. On a global scale the mountains reach an insignificant
height, topping out at 1,344m/4,409ft on Ben Nevis. But
in form they hold their own against any range in the world, many
rising bold and beautiful from sea-level. For hillwalkers they
have distinct advantages over higher mountain ranges: their
height is ideal for day walks and glens give easy road access.
Moreover, the variety of mountain forms and landscapes is
arguably greater than in any mountainous area of equivalent size.
This is due to many factors, notably differing regional geology,
the sculpting influence of glaciation and the proximity of the sea.
There are no less than 282 mountains, called ‘Munros’, that are
over 3,000ft/914m high. If they were much higher or more remote,
mountain walking in Scotland would be an entirely different
pursuit, requiring more time, more effort and more skill to climb
the highest peaks, as is the case in the European Alps and American
Rockies. We’re lucky to have so many accessible mountains.
The 3,000ft peaks are named Munros after Sir Hugh Munro
(1856–1919), the third President of the Scottish Mountaineering
Club, who first listed them in the 1891 edition of the Scottish
Mountaineering Club Journal. In a country with a highpoint of
4,409ft the choice of 3,000ft as a cut-off point is aesthetically
justifiable and gives a satisfying number of mountains. Despite
metrication of measurement in the 1970s, a metric cut-off point
of 1,000m (3,280ft), giving a more humble 137 Mountains, has
never captured the hillgoing public’s imagination.
The original list, soon known as Munro’s Tables, was a substantial
achievement in an age when mapping of the Highlands
21

<strong>50</strong> classic routes on scottish mountains
was still rudimentary. In the years since, various developments
have conspired to prompt amendments to the Tables, including
metrication, improved surveying methods (most recently by sate l-
lite), and a desire on the part of each succeeding generation of
Tables’ editors to reduce what they have regarded as ‘anomalies.’
For example, the ‘mountain range in miniature’ of Beinn Eighe was
awarded a second Munro in 1997 to redress the balance with
similar but over-endowed multi-topped ridges such as the seven-
Munro South Glen Shiel Ridge.
The original list contained 283 Munros. By 1981 that number
had been reduced to 276, but in the latest Tables published by the
smc in 1997 there were 284. Even that number had since changed,
with satellite re-measurement causing Sgurr nan Ceannaichean
(2009) and Beinn a’ Chlaidheimh (2012) to lose their status.
And that’s not all. Part of the problem in devising the Tables
is deciding when a summit is a separate mountain rather than the
subsidiary top of a nearby higher mountain. Consider, for example,
the problem of differentiating between separate mountains, sub sidiary
tops and other highpoints on the Cairngorm plateaus, where
every knoll surpasses 3,000ft. Cue pub discussion on distance and
height differentials. Suffice to say that, as well as 282 Munros, there
are also currently 226 further highpoints, known as ‘Tops’, that
are over 3,000ft high but are not regarded as separate mountains
in their own right.
And that’s not all. There are many fine mountains, especially
in the north and on the islands, that don’t reach the magic 3,000ft
mark. To cater for these, the 1921 edition of the Tables also
included J. Rooke Corbett’s list of mountains with heights between
2,<strong>50</strong>0ft/762m and 3,000ft/914m. These are now known as Corbetts
and there are currently 222 of them.
And that’s not all either, as there are some fine ‘mountains in
miniature’ that don’t even reach the 2,<strong>50</strong>0ft mark, such as Stac
Pollaidh in the Northern Highlands. Other mountain classification
systems exist to include these, but Munros and Corbetts are the
traditional lists and give some idea of the wealth of adventure
22

introduction
that awaits the mountain walker in Scotland. <strong>50</strong> <strong>Classic</strong> <strong>Routes</strong>
includes Munros, Corbetts and others, judging mountain routes
by quality rather than height climbed.
<strong>Routes</strong>
To give some order to the country’s geographical complexity, the
Highlands are traditionally divided into six regions for hillwalking
purposes: Southern Highlands, Central Highlands, Cairngorms,
Western Highlands, Northern Highlands and Islands. These regions
feature a great variety of scenery, but you’ll find amazing mountains
to climb everywhere.
The volumes in the Best <strong>Routes</strong> series contain a personal choice
of the best walking and scrambling routes in this mountain playground,
from short afternoon rambles to day-long expeditions,
from roadside summits to remote mountain sanctuaries, from
gentle paths to kneebreakingly-steep hillsides, from hands-inpockets-whistle-while-you-walk
strolls to thrilling scrambles.
Any book of this nature begs the question ‘What constitutes
best?’, for beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Some walkers may
prefer the vast windswept plateaus of the Cairngorms in winter,
others the sharp peaks of Skye on a long summer gloaming. For
the purposes of this series, the routes chosen are those I have found
to be most enjoyable, would most want to repeat and would
most recommend to newcomers, given the following criteria:
1 A route must ascend a mountain over 2,000ft/600m. Although
many of the finest mountains are Munros, this book does not
neglect some superb smaller ones. Of the <strong>50</strong> routes described
in this volume, 14 are on mountains under 3,000ft/914m.
2 A route must contain no rock climbing, ie terrain on which a
rope would normally be required for security. This does not
exclude some scrambles on which walkers of a nervous disposition
would never venture – even with a safety net.
23

<strong>50</strong> classic routes on scottish mountains
3 For ease of access, a route must start from a place that can be
reached by motorised transport (including a ferry if necessary
on the west coast and islands) and end at the same place.
4 A route must be able to be completed by walkers of reasonable
fitness in a single day. No backpacking is required. This
does not exclude some routes whose completion may be
impracticable in daylight in winter.
Although the <strong>50</strong> classic routes in this guidebook represent a crosssection
of the six mountain regions of the Highlands, most are
intentionally located in the Southern and Central Highlands and
the Cairngorms, which are more accessible from the south of the
country.
The Southern Highlands 10 routes – <strong>Routes</strong> 11 – 10
The Central Highlands 11 routes – <strong>Routes</strong> 11 – 21
The Western Highlands 14 routes – <strong>Routes</strong> 22 – 35
The Northern Highlands 7 routes – <strong>Routes</strong> 36 – 42
The Cairngorms 6 routes – <strong>Routes</strong> 43 – 48
The Islands 2 routes – <strong>Routes</strong> 49 – <strong>50</strong>
Within each region routes are listed in approximately south-tonorth,
west-to-east order.
As with Munro’s Tables and Corbett’s List, the list of
recommended routes has already provoked many hours of heated
debate among colleagues, and may it continue to do so among
readers. Yet amongst those who know and love the Highlands
the amount of agreement is surprising. May the following pages
help you explore and enjoy the Scottish mountains and, when
you’re not on the hill, while away many an hour in planning,
anticipation and reflection.
24

introduction
Route Grid
The overall difficulty of each route is shown in the form of an at-aglance
route grid. Many accidents in the Scottish hills are caused
by walkers attempting routes outside their capabilities and the grid
is intended to enable a more realistic route appraisal.
1 2 3 4 5
GRADE
TERRAIN
NAVIGATION
SERIOUSNESS
X
X
X
X
Each route’s grid indicates its overall difficulty, where difficulty
consists not only of grade (ie technical difficulty) but also type of
terrain (irrespective of grade), difficulty of navigation with a compass
in adverse weather and seriousness (ie difficulty of escape in case
of curtailment of route for one reason or another, based on criteria
of length and restricted line of escape).
These factors vary over the duration of the route and should
not be taken as absolute, but they provide a useful general guide
and enable comparisons to be made between routes. Each category
is graded 1 (easiest) to 5 (hardest). New to this third edition, the
presence of more than one infilled Grade box indicates optional
lines of differing difficulty, eg up a crag or around it.
25

<strong>50</strong> classic routes on scottish mountains
26

introduction
Grade
1 Mostly good going
Mainly on good paths or good terrain. There may be occasional
steep or rough sections, but not for long.
2 Appreciable awkward going
Notably rough or steep terrain, perhaps prolonged, but not
involving handwork on rock.
3 Minor handwork required
Use of hands required on rock, e.g. for balance or a step-up,
but not difficult or prolonged enough to constitute scrambling.
4 Easy scramble
Includes one or more sections that require movement on rock
with good holds.
5 Hard scramble
One grade below a rock climb for which a rope would normally
be required. Compared to g4, holds are often smaller and
exposure is often greater.
Note: Some guidebooks misleadingly include roped rock climbs
as ‘scrambles’. This guidebook does not.
27

<strong>50</strong> classic routes on scottish mountains
1 Excellent, often on paths
2 Good
3 Reasonable
4 Rough
5 Tough
Terrain
Navigation
1 Straightforward
2 Reasonably straightforward
3 Appreciable accuracy required
4 Hard
5 Extremely hard
Seriousness
1 Straightforward escape
2 Reasonably straightforward escape
3 Appreciable seriousness
4 Serious
5 Very serious
Route Assessment
A brief Assessment is provided for each route to give an indication
of what to expect during summer conditions. Under snow,
Scottish mountains become much more serious propositions.
28

introduction
Seasons and Weather
From a hillwalking perspective, the Highland year has two seasons:
the snow season and the no-snow season. The length of
these seasons varies from year to year and from place to place.
From May to September, snow is rarely a problem. Historically,
May and June have the greatest number of sunny days, with the
air at its clearest. July and August are the hottest months but are
also more prone to rain and haze, not to mention that blight on
the landscape, the Highland midge. The biting season begins in
mid to late June and lasts until the first chills of late September.
By October it is colder, the hills get their first dusting of winter
snow and good days are few and far between.
The months from November to April, though sometimes earlier
and later, are characterised by short days, cold and snow. March
and April are transition months, with little or lots of snow. In
some years, snow can last into early summer and be a nuisance
on some routes. If you are unequipped for it, turn back. Snow is
more treacherous to descend than ascend, and spring snow often
has a crystalline quality that makes it behave like ball-bearings.
In a normal winter (whatever that is, these days), conditions
vary from British to Alpine to Arctic. An easy summer route can
be made life-threatening by icy conditions and severe winter
weather. Paths are obliterated, grassy hillsides become treacherous
slopes, ridges become corniced, stone shoots become snow gullies,
walking becomes more difficult and tiring, terrain becomes featureless
in adverse weather, and white-outs and spindrift reduce
visibility to zero.
On a clear winter’s day the Scottish mountains have an Alpine
quality that makes for unforgettable days out, but no-one should
attempt a Munro in winter without adequate clothing and equipment
(including ice-axe and crampons), and experience (or the
company of an experienced person). The number of accidents, some
of them fatal, that occur in the Highlands every winter should
leave no doubt as to the need for caution.
29

<strong>50</strong> classic routes on scottish mountains
Bearing these points in mind, the Seasonal Notes for each route
indicate any specific places where particular difficulties may be
encountered, thus enabling the walker to be better prepared. Where
an easier escape route presents itself this also is noted.
Weather forecasts
www.mwis.org.uk
www.metoffice.gov.uk
www.mountain-forecast.com
www.metcheck.com/HOBBIES/mountain.asp
www.sais.gov.uk (snow conditions)
Webcams may be available for specific locations. Try a web search.
Sketch maps
Sketch maps show each route’s major features but are not intended
for use on the hill. Ordnance Survey 1:<strong>50</strong>,000 Landranger maps are
suitable for most Scottish mountain walking, including the routes
in this guidebook. os 1:25,000 Explorer maps show more detail
but more than one be may be required to cover whole routes.
Harveys also publish 1:40,000 maps of the more popular areas.
Beside each sketch map is indicated the number of the 1:<strong>50</strong>,000
map on which the route appears and the grid reference of the route’s
starting point (eg Route 1: os 56, nn 319151). Some routes overlap
two os maps (eg Route 25: os 40/41) and others appear on either
of two or more maps (eg Route 21: os: 34 or 41/42). The classification
of mountains as Munros or Tops is based on the 1997
edition of Munro’s Tables plus unpublished revisions made since.
30

introduction
Measurements
Route distances are specified in both miles (to the nearest half-mile)
and kilometres (to the nearest kilometre). Short distances in the
text are specified in metres (an approximate imperial measurement
is yards).
Mountain heights are specified in metres and feet. Metric heights
have been obtained from the latest os 1:<strong>50</strong>,000 maps. Equivalent
heights in feet have been obtained by multiplying the height in
metres by 3.281. These may not tally with heights on old os oneinch-to-one-mile
maps, which were obtained from an earlier survey.
The total amount of ascent for the whole route is specified to the
nearest 10m (<strong>50</strong>ft). This is an approximation based on os map
heights and contours, which are shown at 10m intervals and are
in many instances omitted because of cartographic complexity.
The total may be greater than that in other guidebooks that do
not take dips and undulations into account, especially on descent.
Route times (to the nearest half-hour) are based on the time it
should take a person of reasonable fitness to complete the route
in good summer conditions. They take into account length of
route, amount of ascent, technical difficulty, type of terrain and
short stoppages, but do not make allowances for long stoppages
and adverse weather. They will be too short for some people and
too long for others, but they are roughly standard between routes
for comparison purposes and can be adjusted where necessary by
a factor appropriate to the individual.
In winter, routes will normally take much longer, depending on
snow and ice conditions. A pre-dawn start is often necessary and
some of the longer routes are best tackled as two-day expeditions,
camping or bivvying en route or making use of a bothy.
31

<strong>50</strong> classic routes on scottish mountains
Mountain names
Most Highland names are Gaelic in origin and the ability to pronounce
and understand Gaelic names can add much to the pleasure
of walking in Scotland. To this end a guide to the pronunciation
and meaning of all mountain names and many other physical
features named in the text is provided in a Glossary.
The production of such a guide is made difficult by a number
of factors. os maps, despite their otherwise excellence, have often
been named by Sassenachs. They abound in Gaelic misspellings,
misunderstandings, misuses and misplacements. With some
misgivings, the os spelling has been retained for the purpose of
standardisation.
The names are correct at the time of writing but are subject to
change, not only to correct mistakes but also because of a Gaelic
revisionist policy. In recent years, for instance, Glen Einich has
become Gleann Eanaich (Route 45). More controversially, Loch
Quoich is now named Loch Cuaich on os maps, although it is still
known as Loch Quoich to its owners and Glen Quoich remains
unchanged (see note for Route 30).
Some os misspellings make pronunciation impossible. Coire
Sgreumh (Route 35), for instance, is possibly a misspelling of Coire
Sgreamh (meaning ‘disgust’, and perhaps referring to the corrie’s
agricultural worthlessness). Any attempt at a direct pronun ciation
would be ludicrous.
In addition some names have become Anglicised to such an
extent that it would be pedantic to enforce a purist pronunciation
on a non-Gaelic speaker; eg the correct pronunciation of Ben is
something akin to ‘pane’, with a soft n as in the first syllable of
onion. Moreover, pronunciation differs, sometimes markedly,
through out the Highlands and Islands.
Despite these problems the phonetic guide given in the Glossary
should enable a good attempt at a pronunciation that would be
intelligible to a Gaelic speaker. In connection with the guide, the
following points should be noted:
32

introduction
Y before a vowel pronounced as in you
OW pronounced as in town
CH pronounced as in Scottish loch (not English lock)
TCH pronounced as ch in church
OE pronounced as in French oeuf or the u in turn
Toponymy (the study of place-name meanings) is complicated by
os misspellings, changes in spelling and word usage over the centuries,
words with more than one meaning, and unknown origin of
names (Gaelic, Norse, Irish etc). For example, consider the origin of
the name Sgurr Cos na Breachd-laoidh (Route 27 and Glossary).
Meanings given in this book are the most commonly accepted,
even if disputed. When the meaning is doubtful it is annotated
with ‘poss’ (ie possible). Some names are too obscure to be given
any meaning.
Access
Land access was revolutionised by The Land Reform (Scotland)
Act 2003 and the accompanying Scottish Outdoor Access Code
(2005), which created a statutory right of responsible access for
outdoor recreation. It is recommended that anyone walking in
the Scottish countryside familiarise himself/herself with the Code,
which explains rights and responsibilities in detail. Further information:
www.outdooraccess-scotland.com.
In summary, everyone has a statutory right of access, but:
• Take responsibility for your actions.
• Respect people’s privacy and peace of mind.
• Help land managers and others to work safely and effectively.
• Care for the environment.
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<strong>50</strong> classic routes on scottish mountains
Deer stalking considerations: Notwithstanding the new access
legislation, much of the Scottish Highlands is privately owned,
with deer-stalking an important seasonal activity. Whatever one’s
ethical stance on stalking, the fact remains that it provides muchneeded
revenue for the local economy. If revenue is lost because
of interference with stalking activities, estates may be forced to
turn to afforestation or worse, which would disadvantage local
economies, increase access problems and irreparably alter the landscape.
In short, non-compliance with stalking restrictions is likely
to be counter-productive and cause aggravation for all concerned.
The red stag stalking season runs from 1 July to 20 October
but actual dates vary from locality to locality. Access notices dot
the roadside and information on stalking activities can be obtained
from estate offices and head stalkers.
An increasing number of estates contribute to the Hillphones
service, which provides daily recorded messages of where stalking
is taking place so that walkers can avoid those areas. An altern a-
tive route is usually provided. Further information can be found
on the Outdoor Access website → Practical Guide → Heading for
the Scottish Hills.
It is worth noting that there is no stalking on a Sunday and that
land belonging to public bodies such as the National Trust for
Scotland and the John Muir Trust is normally not subject to stalking
restrictions. See main text for specific access considerations.
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