Ronald Turnbull

Ronald Turnbull Biography

Ronald Turnbull was born at St Andrews, Scotland, into an energetic if not especially distinguished fellwalking family. His grandfather was a president of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, and a more remote ancestor was distinguished as only the second climbing fatality in Snowdonia. He now lives in the Lowther Hills of Dumfriesshire. Most of his walking, and writing, takes place in the nearby Lake District and in the Scottish Highlands.

In 1995 he won the Fell Running Association's Long-distance Trophy for a non-stop run over all the 2000ft hills of Southern Scotland; his other proud achievements include the ascent of the north ridge of the Weisshorn and a sub-2hr Ben Nevis race. He still likes to mix some fast and challenging outings among gentler walks. He enjoys multi-day treks, through the Highlands in particular, and has made 18 different coast-to-coast crossings of the UK. He has also slept out, in bivvbag rather than tent, on over 70 UK summits. Outside the UK he likes hot, rocky areas of Europe, ideally with beaches and cheap aeroplanes. Recently he achieved California's 220-mile John Muir Trail and East Lothian's 45-mile John Muir Way in a single season, believing himself the first to have achieved this slightly perverse double.

His recent books include The Book of the Bivvy, and walking/scrambling guides Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, The Cairngorms and Ben Nevis & Glen Coe, as well as Three Peaks Ten Tors – a slightly squint-eyed look at various UK challenge walks. He has five times won Outdoor Writers' & Photographers' Guild Awards for Excellence for his guidebooks, outdoor books (including Book of the Bivvy), and magazine articles. He has a regular column in Lakeland Walker and also writes in Trail, Cumbria and TGO (The Great Outdoors). His current, hopelessly ambitious, project is to avoid completing the Munros for at least another 20 years.

Ronald has won the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild award for excellence six times.



Website: http://www.ronaldturnbull.co.uk
 

Titles by Ronald Turnbull

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Not the West Highland Way
The West Highland Way is one of the UK’s finest long distance walks, but the path runs close to a busy main road and avoids the mountain tops. NOT The West Highland Way describes alternative routes over mountains, smaller hills or high passes to all but one of the Way's nine stages. With add-on day trips over Ben Lomond or Beinn Dorain. Read and see more…
The Book of the Bivvy
A guidebook on bivvybag skills and expeditions. Accounts of bivvybag nights and expeditions, both nice and nasty, alternate with practical chapters on lightweight kit. Finally a selection of bivvybag expeditions. Hilarious (and informative) reading! An updated second edition. Read and see more…
Walking Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
A guide to walking and scrambling routes in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park in the Southern Highlands of Scotland. Over 70 walks to all 21 Munros summits and 30 lesser hills, including the Cobbler, Arrochar Alps and Ben Lui. A good introduction to walking in the Scottish Highlands. Read and see more…
Ben Nevis and Glen Coe
A guidebook to 100 walks and scrambles in the area from Ben Nevis southwards towards Glen Coe. This guide not only covers Lochaber's mountain summits such as the climb up Ben Nevis but also describes mid-level walks and gentle strolls, great through routes along empty glens, and tent or bothy treks - serious in terms of remoteness and scenery. Read and see more…
Three Peaks, Ten Tors
Practical guidebook for anyone planning to do a long distance or challenge walk. Includes information on 15 routes from the 3 peaks (National, Yorkshire & Lancashire) to the Ten Tors with both serious and humorous approaches. Provides notes on what it takes to do a challenge walk, how to choose the challenge and much more. Read and see more…
Walking in the Cairngorms
In over 100 walks, this guidebook explores Britain's biggest mountain range - including 23 Munro summits and the smaller hills outside the main Cairngorm range. Covers the Cairngorms between Speyside and Deeside, as well as Lochnagar. Mountain routes, and mid- and low-level walks make the guide suitable for all abilities. Read and see more…
Walking the Lowther Hills
A guide to walking in southern Scotland’s Lowther Hills. Covers the Lowther Hills, Nithsdale, Carsphairn Hills and the hills of the Solway coast, Cairnsmore of Fleet, Tinto and Cauldcleuch Head. Beautiful landscapes, accessible but quiet, this area offers some of the best hillwalking in southern Scotland. Read and see more…
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