Explore 112 Scottish Corbetts across some of Scotland's most rewarding and least-crowded mountain terrain, from the island summits of Goatfell on Arran and Beinn an Oir on Jura to the rugged Arrochar Alps, the sweeping Cairngorms and the remote hills of Badenoch. The Corbetts, Scotland's mountains between 2500 and 2999ft, are every bit as dramatic and satisfying as the Munros, and have the added appeal of often being clear when higher peaks are buried in cloud.

Aimed at experienced hillwalkers with good navigation skills and a taste for wild, remote terrain, this trusted Cicerone guidebook by Brian Johnson gives you everything you need to walk the Scottish Corbetts south of the Great Glen with confidence. It combines clear route descriptions with 1:100,000 mapping and honest difficulty notes, helping you plan each outing thoroughly and navigate safely once you're on the hill.

• 95 routes covering all 112 Scottish Corbetts south of the Great Glen, spanning the Southern Uplands, Arrochar Alps, Trossachs, Grampians and Cairngorms, with distances ranging from 5 to 41km to suit a variety of days out
• Clear route descriptions with 1:100,000 mapping for every route, alongside detailed difficulty notes covering terrain, challenges, hazards and any scrambling or river crossings involved
• Highlights include Merrick, The Cobbler, Goatfell, Morven and Ben Vrackie, alongside dozens of rarely climbed summits that reward the effort with outstanding solitude and views
• Practical information on maps, parking, local bases and facilities for each area, making it straightforward to plan a day in the Southern Uplands as easily as a remote Cairngorms ascent
• An alphabetical list of all Corbetts covered in the volume, allowing summit-baggers to track their progress and plan future outings efficiently

Together, the route descriptions, mapping, difficulty notes, and navigation advice provide a thorough, reliable companion for walking the Corbetts across Scotland's most varied mountain landscapes. Tackle 112 Scottish summits with the knowledge, confidence and inspiration to make every ascent one to remember.

Walking the Corbetts Vol 1 South of the Great Glen is one half of a two-volume set — pair it with Walking the Corbetts Vol 2 North of the Great Glen for complete coverage of all 222 Scottish Corbetts.

Walking the Corbetts Vol 1: South of the Great Glen - Quick Facts

Series: Walking the Corbetts (volume 1 of 2) 
Area: South of the Great Glen, Scotland 
Regions covered: Southern Uplands, Arran, Jura, Arrochar Alps, Trossachs, Grampians, Cairngorms, Badenoch 
What are Corbetts: Scottish mountains between 2500ft and 2999ft (762m–914m) with a re-ascent of at least 500ft on all sides 
Summits covered: 112 Corbetts 
Routes: 95 
Route distances: 5 to 41km (3 to 25 miles) 
Highlights: Merrick, The Cobbler, Goatfell, Morven, Ben Vrackie, Beinn an Oir 
Difficulty: Demanding — requires good fitness, navigation skills and experience in remote mountainous terrain 
Terrain: Moorland, remote glens, steep slopes, some scrambling and river crossings 
Navigation: Map and compass essential; 1:100,000 mapping included in guide; OS 1:50,000 or Harvey maps recommended on the hill 
Best season: Spring to autumn; the guide assumes snow-free conditions 
Companion volume: Walking the Corbetts Vol 2 – North of the Great Glen 
Total Corbetts across both volumes: 222

Author Highlight

“The Corbetts can offer the solitude you won’t find on the Munros. Many of the Corbetts are rarely climbed and have not suffered from the human disturbance that is often seen on the Munros. For those walkers who have already ‘compleated’ the Munros, the Corbetts provide another challenge.”

- Brian Johnson, author of Walking the Corbetts Vol 1 South of the Great Glen

Preface
Overview maps
Map key

Introduction

What are the Corbetts?
Geology
Human history in the Highlands
The natural environment
Walking the Corbetts
When to go
The terrain
Weather
Access
Mountain bothies
Navigation
Safety
Areas in this guide
Using this guide

1 The Southern Uplands

Route 1    Merrick
Route 2    Shalloch on Minnoch
Route 3    Corserine
Route 4    Cairnsmore of Carsphairn
Route 5    Hart Fell
Route 6    White Coomb
Route 7    Broad Law

2 Arran and Jura

Route 8    Goatfell
Route 9    Beinn Tarsuinn, Caisteal Abhail and Cir Mhor
Route 10    Beinn an Oir

3 West of Loch Lomond (Arrochar Alps)

Route 11    Beinn Bheula
Route 12    Ben Donich and The Brack
Route 13    The Cobbler
Route 14    Beinn Luibhean
Route 15    Beinn an Lochain
Route 16    Stob Coire Creagach (Binnein an Fhidhleir)
Route 17    Meall an Fhudair

4 East of Loch Lomond (The Trossachs)

Route 18    Beinn a’ Choin
Route 19    Ben Ledi and Benvane
Route 20    Beinn Each
Route 21    Stob a’ Choin
Route 22    Stob Fear-tomhais
Route 23    Meall an t-Seallaidh and Creag MacRanaich
Route 24    Meall na Fearna
Route 25    Creag Uchdag
Route 26    Auchnafree Hill

5 South-West Grampians

Route 27    Beinn a’ Bhuiridh
Route 28    Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh
Route 29    Beinn Udlaidh and Beinn Bhreac-liath
Route 30    Beinn Chuirn
Route 31    Beinn Odhar , Beinn Chaorach , Cam Chreag , Beinn nam Fuaran and Beinn a’ Chaisteil

6 The Southern Grampians

Route 32    Beinn nan Imirean
Route 33    Meall nan Subh
Route 34    Sron a’ Choire Chnapanich and Meall Buidhe
Route 35    Beinn nan Oighreag
Route 36    Meall nam Maigheach
Route 37    Cam Chreag
Route 38    Beinn Dearg
Route 39    Creagan na Beinne

7 The Western Grampians

Route 40    Creach Bheinn
Route 41    Fraochaidh
Route 42    Meall Lighiche
Route 43    Beinn Trilleachan
Route 44    Stob Dubh
Route 45    Beinn Maol Chaluim
Route 46    Beinn Mhic Chasgaig
Route 47    Beinn a’ Chrulaiste
Route 48    Garbh Bheinn
Route 49    Mam na Gualainn
Route 50    Glas Bheinn

8 The Central Grampians

Route 51    Leum Uilleim
Route 52    Meall na Meoig of Beinn Pharlagain
Route 53    Stob an Aonaich Mhoir
Route 54    Beinn a’ Chuallaich
Route 55    Meall Tairneachan and Farragon Hill
Route 56    Ben Vrackie
Route 57    Ben Vuirich
Route 58    Beinn Mheadhonach
Route 59    Beinn Bhreac
Route 60    An Dun and Maol Creag an Loch (A’ Chaoirnich)
Route 61    Meall na Leitreach
Route 62    Beinn Mholach
Route 63    The Sow of Atholl
Route 64    The Fara

9 Badenoch

Route 65    Sgurr Innse and Cruach Innse
Route 66    Beinn Iaruinn
Route 67    Carn Dearg (Glen Roy)
Route 68    Carn Dearg (N of Gleann Eachach) and Carn Dearg (S of Gleann Eachach)
Route 69    Carn a’ Chuillinn
Route 70    Gairbeinn
Route 71    Meall na h-Aisre
Route 72    Carn an Fhreiceadain
Route 73    Meallach Mhor
Route 74    Leathad an Taobhain and Carn Dearg Mor

10 The Southern Cairngorms

Route 75    Mount Battock
Route 76    Ben Tirran
Route 77    Monamenach
Route 78    Ben Gulabin
Route 79    Creag nan Gabhar
Route 80    Morrone
Route 81    Sgor Mor
Route 82    Carn na Drochaide
Route 83    Carn Liath and Culardoch
Route 84    Conachcraig
Route 85    Morven

11 The Northern Cairngorms

Route 86    Brown Cow Hill
Route 87    Carn Ealasaid
Route 88    Carn Mor
Route 89    Corryhabbie Hill
Route 90    Ben Rinnes
Route 91    Geal Charn
Route 92    Meall a’Bhuachaille
Route 93    Creag Mhor
Route 94    Geal-charn Mor
Route 95    Carn na Saobhaidhe

Appendix A    Alphabetical list of the Corbetts
Appendix B    Useful information

Seasons

The Corbetts can be climbed at any time of year, but this guide assumes readers are climbing when the hills are free of snow.

Centres

Southern Uplands, Southern Highlands, Cairngorms, Jura and Arran

Difficulty

Many of the Corbetts are rarely climbed which means that often the only paths are animal tracks. This does mean that the going can be relatively tough and navigation can be demanding in mist. Very few of the Corbetts in this volume involve any scrambling, but many involve ascents and descents on steep slopes.

Must See

112 highlights in 95 routes, including Merrick, The Cobbler, Goatfell, Morven and Ben Vrackie

Navigation

The 1:100,000 maps in this guide are good for planning purposes and will give you a general idea of the route, but they don’t give enough detail for accurate navigation in difficult conditions. For this reason it is essential that you carry the relevant maps.

The Ordnance Survey (OS) 1:50,000 maps, available in paper form or for GPS devices, are very good and should be all you need to follow the recommended routes. In popular areas updated OS 1:25,000 maps are available but not really necessary. Probably the best maps are the Harvey maps (mainly 1:40,000) but they don’t have full coverage of the Scottish Highlands.

The contour lines on all of these maps are remarkably accurate and should be seen as your main navigational tool. Inexperienced walkers going out in good visibility should learn to relate contours to the ground so they are better prepared if they get caught out in mist.

You should always carry a good compass (those produced for orienteering by Silva and Suunto are probably the best). In good visibility it should be sufficient to use the compass to orientate the map, so that north on the map lines up with north on the ground. At present, magnetic north is near enough to grid north not to have to adjust for magnetic variation. Learn to take bearings from a map and follow them using the compass in clear conditions, before you find yourself having to navigate in mist.

The most difficult thing in navigation is knowing how far you have travelled, which can be important when navigating in mist on Scottish hills. In extreme conditions it may be necessary to pace-count to measure distance – practise this skill in good conditions, so that you are prepared.

Probably the most common navigational error is to head in the wrong direction when leaving a mountain summit. It is a good habit to always check your compass when leaving a mountain summit, even in clear conditions.

GPS

If you are experienced at using map and compass, a GPS device is not essential for navigating the Corbetts. However, even experienced mountain navigators will find it can make navigation easier in mist and the less experienced might find that using a GPS device allows them to navigate safely in poor visibility.

July 2016

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