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Overview
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50 great mountain walks in Scotland. Some of the routes described in this larger format book are well known classic challenges such as the Lochaber Traverse, the Mamores and Cairngorms 4000-ers while others approach a favourite mountain from a new angle or combine several in a testing way. Each one can be crammed into a single, long day or backpacked over two to spend a little longer in this rugged and addictive landscape.
The collection spans Scotland, right across its magnificent upland areas and dramatic peaks. Routes range from 12 to 25 miles and many would make a good two-day adventure. Some can be approached by kayak or mountain bike. Over 270 ranges and summits feature in settings as varied as the snowbound Cairngorm plateaus and the land-sea jigsaw of the Hebrides, where rugged peaks rise from clear water. Few walking destinations are better suited to routes at the longer, tougher end of the scale.
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Table of Contents
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CONTENTS
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
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Maps
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Maps and guidebooks
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.
Ben Loyal from a tarp bivi on Ben Hope (Walk 1)
Dramatic – and unavoidable – scrambling on the east ridge of Lurg Mhòr (Walk 14)
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Updates
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September 2020
Walk 40
Walk 40 Cairngorms 4000ers
The final line of the route description could now read:
Cross a footbridge and take the path uphill to reach the ski centre access road: This is followed back up to the car park (the road-free alternative path along the Allt Mor is currently closed due to landslide).
April 2015
Updates
Walk 20
The ferry service over to Barrisdale is no longer running but it might still be possible to arrange a private boat in Arnisdale for this short run.
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Reviews
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This book describes mountain expeditions in Scotland that offer a degree of challenge
Dan Bailey first appeared on the publishing scene in 2006 with Scotland’s Mountain Ridges. This appealing and attractive guidebook (more like a medium format book), which is well illustrated with OS-style maps and good colour illustrations, brings together the finest ridge climbs and scrambles across the Highlands. Quite deservedly, the book was well received, and building on this success Dan has written The Ridges of England, Wales and Ireland and now Great Mountain Days on Scotland, all based on the same format, and published by Cicerone.
Subtitled 50 Classic Hillwalking Challenges, this book describes mountain expeditions in Scotland that offer a degree of challenge due to their length or amount of ascent and descent. All the well-known outings are here such as the Lochaber Traverse, Fisherfield Six and Cairngorm 4000ers, but there are also a number of routes that Dan has devised himself such as the The Sgurr na Ciche Range in Knoydart. Rather than tackle this ‘Rough Bounds round’ via Glen Dessary, he describes a longer itinerary via Loch Quoich. This makes it easier to include Ben Aden (described as the ‘the roughest (and best) of all Corbetts’) but it also ‘offers an aesthetic advantage, too, as the skyline to be traversed is visible for most of the approach.’
For the most part these are lengthy expeditions that can be accomplished in a day in summer with fell running shoes, but in winter they will be demanding two-day expeditions. Dan favours this more relaxed approach even in summer, and in the Introduction he states that he considered Great Mountain Days and Wild Nights Out as an alternative title for the book. Beautifully produced, Great Mountain Days in Scotland can be considered the modern day equivalent of the Big Walks, first published by Ken Wilson and the Diadem Press in the 1908s.
Although not immediately obvious, the content of this book has a strong cross over with Scottish winter climbing, as even the most hardened mixed climber will likely spend time walking in the Scottish hills, whether it be to check out alternative venues or get fit for the coming season. Certainly when next autumn sets in, and the rock boots are put away and the hills beckon, I’ll be turning to Dan Bailey’s latest volume for inspiration.
Simon Richardson, Scottish Winter
‘… Their new Great Mountain Days in Scotland, by Dan Bailey, is more ambitious in scale and scope, and demands similar ambitions from its readers. Over three-quarters of the routes are 10 hours long or more, many over 12 hours; for some readers this book will be mostly about dreams rather than realities – but what dreams!
Bailey has conjured up from his great knowledge and love of the Scottish hills a truly magnificent selection from amongst the finest mountain days (and nights – some of the routes can be extended over more than one day) that Scotland has to offer.
Like his earlier companion books for Cicerone on the mountain ridges for Scotland, Wales and England, it is illustrated by his own photographs of outstanding quality in a size and format that allows them to have their full impact.
…The author does recognise ordinary human frailty in suggesting possible shortcuts and some alternative means or lines of access; and there is enough practical advice as well as inspiration here for everyone to find something in it that can be turned from dream to reality.’
Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society, Summer Newsletter 2012
‘Inspiration and adventure come thick and fast in this jauntily-written guide to 50 of the best day (and multi-day) mountain walks in Scotland.
…It’s a title to make room for on even the busiest of outdoor book shelves.’
Scotland Outdoors , Autumn 2012
…it is refreshing that, unlike some guides, it is not obsessed with ticking every Munro or Corbett summit but rather focuses on what I would call a mountaineer’s natural line or journey.
All in all, a very useful resource for anybody seeking ideas or planning their next big day in the Scottish mountains.
Mountain Rescue, October 2012
'I now have yet another priceless gem to add to my Scottish repertoire: a fascinating Cicerone guidebook by Londoner Dan Bailey.
...Each walk is gloriously illustrated with superb photographs and custom-drawn maps based on OS data.
...Whether you are looking to explore Scotland's mountains for the first time, or after 'compleating' a round of Munros, this book should keep you busy on your feet by helping fill many blank spaces left on your Scottish canvas.'
Adrian Hendroff, Irish Mountain Log, Summer 2013
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