in marshy areas. Peat bogs grow only at the rate of about 1mm per year.
For more information see www.scottishgeology.com or www.northwest-highlands-geopark.org.uk.
Walking the Corbetts
Walkers on the 801m subsidiary summit of Baosbheinn (Route 63)
The walks in this guide have not been designed for the peak-bagger, but primarily for the walker who wants an interesting day out on some of the less well-known but most spectacular peaks in Scotland.
Some people think the Corbetts are something to do in your declining years after you have ‘compleated’ the Munros. If you take this attitude you will miss out on many of the most spectacular and rewarding mountains in Scotland. It is true that as you get older you may appreciate the shorter walks offered by some of the Corbetts, but many of the Corbetts are very remote from road access and will still give a demanding hike. What is more, between many of the peaks listed as Munros, there is little drop, so you can often climb several in one day. By contrast, the requirement for a 500ft drop on all sides between listed Corbetts means that there are few occasions where Corbetts can be linked together. It is also surprising how few Corbetts can sensibly be combined with climbing a Munro.
This two-volume guide suggests 185 day-hikes to climb the 221 Corbetts. All the routes were walked by the author when preparing this guide. Suggestions are also made for alternative routes, but these have not always been checked by the author. This volume covers 109 Corbetts in 90 routes.
There are some areas, such as Knoydart, where the Corbetts are so remote that walking them in a day will be too much for the average walker and backpacking possibilities are considered.
When to Go
Gleann Chorainn, Bac an Eich, Strathconon (Route 49)
You will find people hiking in the Scottish Highlands throughout the year but this guidebook assumes that the Corbetts are being walked when they are free of snow. The mountains can be at their best in the winter, but weather and snow and ice conditions mean this won’t be the time for the inexperienced walker. For the experienced walker, winter in the Scottish Highlands can be magnificent. In the middle of winter there will be less than eight hours of daylight and climbing Corbetts could be a better option than climbing the Munros.
The spring in Scotland is often drier and sunnier than the summer and many consider April and May to be the best months for being in the Highlands. June, July and August are the warmest months, with the added advantage of the long daylight hours. The biggest problem with the Scottish Highlands in summer are the swarms of midges that can torment the walker, especially in the early morning and on still evenings. This is not too much of a problem for the day-hiker, but it means that this isn’t the ideal time of year for backpacking and wilderness camping.
September and October are generally relatively dry and you won’t have too much problem with midges. A combination of autumn storms and short daylight in November and December means that you are likely to be on your own in the mountains.
The Terrain
Many newcomers to Scotland underestimate the conditions they will encounter when walking in the Scottish mountains. The mountains in this guidebook may be under 1000m high, but you will usually be starting your walk from near sea level and you will spend most of the time above the tree-line, which means you will get spectacular views but will be exposed to wind, rain and sun.
Hikers from Europe and the US may be accustomed to walking on well-maintained paths and trails. Climbing the Corbetts you will frequently find the only paths are sheep or deer tracks. There are usually good tracks in the glens, maintained by the owners of the shooting estates, but higher up it is only on the most popular Corbetts that you will find well-maintained paths. Deep heather or boggy grass can make for hard walking on the approach to the mountain and steep rocky slopes protect many of the ridges. Unless there are lots of crags, the going is usually relatively easy on the ridges as a combination of wind and Arctic conditions in winter keeps the vegetation down to a minimum, although on some peaks you will have to cope with peat hags or boulderfields. Most of the peaks in the north-west are rocky and easy scrambling is required on a few of them. However, in good visibility it is possible to avoid the crags on most of the Corbetts.
Weather
Storm approaching the Bealach Bhearnais, Glen Carron (Route 53)
The main feature of the Scottish weather is its changeability and you should be prepared for anything. Sometimes it can seem as if you get all four seasons in one day. Don’t be surprised if you set out on a warm summer’s day and find it cold and windy on the summit ridge.
The north-west of Scotland has a reputation as the wettest part of Britain, with the prevailing wind bringing cloud and storms in from the Atlantic Ocean, and showery weather is common, but you may be lucky enough to get long periods of sunny weather. For instance in 2007 and 2012, when England suffered two of the wettest summers on record, north-west Scotland was largely dry and sunny and even approaching drought conditions.
There can be rain any month of the year, even in February when you may find it raining rather than snowing at 3000ft! Although there may be deep snow on the Corbetts in winter, the wind will tend blow the bulk of the snow off the peaks into the glens. Since the weather in Scotland is relatively mild for such a northerly country, the snow can melt very quickly in the glens and even on the peaks. If there is significant snow, only those with experience of winter mountaineering should attempt the steeper peaks because of the risk of cornices above the gullies and avalanche on the slopes.
It is the wind that is the most dangerous aspect of Scottish weather. If it is windy down in the glens, it could be too windy to stand up on an exposed peak. Even in summer, with the temperature well above freezing, a combination of wind and rain can lead to hypothermia unless you are properly equipped. In winter, wind can cause spindrift in the snow, creating a whiteout, even if it isn’t actually snowing. Apart from the risks of hypothermia and the difficulty of walking into a blizzard, this will also make navigation very difficult.
Mist is a feature of the weather that can cause problems for the inexperienced. If you hit a spell of cloudy weather your options can be very limited if you aren’t prepared for walking in the mist. Many of the Corbetts are rarely climbed and paths haven’t developed, so navigation in mist can be very demanding.
Access
Scotland has a system of law based as much on common law as statute law, and trespass has never been a criminal offence in Scotland. Although in the 19th century landowners were very protective of their rights of privacy, access for walkers and climbers gradually became accepted through the 20th century and free access to the mountains became enshrined in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. This act gives some of the best access rights in the world and the public have access to most land (including hills, woods and pastureland) for recreation, provided they act responsibly (see box).
THE SCOTTISH OUTDOOR ACCESS CODE
The Highlands are the home of Scotland’s diverse wildlife and enjoyed by the people who live and work there as well as visitors. You can exercise access rights responsibly if you:
Respect
