A large-format guidebook describing 50 walks and scrambles across Scotland. From the Southern Uplands to the Outer Hebrides, a mix of classic routes and unsung gems are detailed in this guide for experienced walkers, suitable to be walked year-round.

The routes range from 20-46km (13-28 miles) and can be enjoyed in 7-20 hours, either crammed into 1 day or backpacked over 2 days.

• Adapted 1:100,000 OS mapping for each route
• Routes include Cairngorms 4000-ers, Tyndrum’s five Corbett’s, Loch Tay traverse, Skye’s Trotternish Ridge, Glen Coe Circuit, the Mamores
• Many routes are suitable for fell running
• Boat and bike access options are given
• Information on public transport, accommodation and sleeping out options

Overview map

Map key

Preface

Introduction

Getting around

Camps, bivvies, bothies and howffs

Maps and guidebooks

Scrambles

Seasonal variations

Hazards

Access – the legal situation

The hill environment

Using this guide

Northwest Highlands

1 Ben Hope and Ben Loyal

2 Ben Klibreck

3 Foinaven

4 Ben More Assynt, Conival and Breabag

5 Suilven and Canisp

6 Seana Bhraigh and Càrn Bàn

7 The Beinn Dearg four

8 Traverse of the Fannaichs

9 An Teallach and the Beinn Deargs

10 Fisherfield Six

11 Beinn Eighe

12 Liathach and Beinn Alligin

13 Coulin Forest

14 Circuit of Loch Monar

15 Loch Mullardoch hills

16 Carn Eige, Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan and more

17 Cluanie Horseshoe from Glen Affric

18 Beinn Fhada, The Brothers and the Five Sisters

19 South Glen Shiel Ridge to The Saddle

20 Ladhar Bheinn and Loch Hourn

21 The Sgurr na Ciche range – a Rough Bounds round

22 Glen Finnan circuit

23 Beinn Odhar Bheag and the Rois-Bheinn group

Lochaber, The Central and Southern Highlands

24 Creag Meagaidh

25 Ben Alder and the Geal-chàrn group

26 Lochaber Traverse

27 The Mamores

28 Glen Coe circuit

29 Black Mount Traverse

30 Glen Etive hills

31 Ben Cruachan, Beinn Eunaich and Beinn a’ Chochuil

32 Achallader’s five Munros

33 Tyndrum’s five Corbetts

34 Ben Lui, Ben Oss and Beinn Dubhchraig

35 Crianlarich hills

36 Arrochar ‘Alps’

37 Ben Lawers group and the Tarmachan Ridge

Cairngorms

38 Beinn a’Ghlo, the Tarf and the Tilt

39 Munros of Glen Feshie

40 Cairngorms 4000-ers

41 Beinn a’ Bhuird and Ben Avon

42 Lochnagar via The Stuic

43 Glen Clova circuit

Galloway

44 Galloway hills

The Islands

45 Glen Rosa circuit, Arran

46 Cuillin Traverse, Rum

47 Bla Bheinn, Sgurr na Stri and Sligachan, Skye

48 Trotternish Ridge, Skye

49 An Cliseam range, Harris

50 Uig hills, Lewis

Appendix 1 Walk Summary Table

Appendix 2 Key Summits and Ranges

Appendix 3 Further Reading

Appendix 4 Useful Contacts and Websites

Seasons

Routes possible year round, with major seasonal variations noted; winter conditions are more strenuous and serious, demanding appropriate skills and equipment

Centres

Brodick, Crianlarich, Fort William, Glen Shiel, Torridon, Portree, Stornoway, Ullapool, Tongue, Aviemore, Braemar

Difficulty

Long hard days on rough remote ground for fitter, more experienced hill walkers, overnight backpackers and ambitious runners; some optional scrambling; some optional approaches by mountain bike or kayak

Must See

Cairngorms 4000-ers, Arrochar Alps, Tyndrum's five Corbetts, Lochaber Traverse, Ladhar Bheinn and Loch Hourn, circuit of Loch Monar, Liathach and Beinn Alligin, Fisherfield Six, Foinaven from Loch Eriboll, Rum Cuillin traverse, Skye's Trotternish Ridge

Even GPS users should carry a map and compass (and know how to use them) in case of electronic gremlins or battery failure. The Ordnance Survey (OS) produce comprehensive mapping of the whole country in a range of scales, the most useful for walkers being Explorer maps at 1:25,000 and Landranger sheets at 1:50,000. The latter are generally better for long hill walks since they cover more ground per sheet at sufficient (but not excessive) detail. Popular mountain areas are also covered by the small independent cartographer Harvey, their Superwalker (1:25,000) and British Mountain Map (1:40,000) series having been designed to contain only information pertinent to outdoor users. The relevant maps are given in the information box for each walk.

Scotland’s hills must be among the best documented anywhere, covered by a library of guidebooks in a thriving ‘literary’ tradition dating back to the 19th century. Activity-specific guides are available for every mainstream outdoor activity – post-lunch glen strolls, long-distance hikes, serious hill walks, scrambling, climbing, paddling, and cycling in its various sub-genres. Regional guides provide detail on a given area; national guides take a broad-brush approach or (like this book) they cherry pick. There are too many books to list, but for some specific recommendations see Appendix 3.

September 2020

Walk 40

April 2015

Updates

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