using a map and compass in poor visibility and an understanding of the mountain environment are all necessary qualities for anyone attempting to climb a Munro, and it is assumed that anyone using this guide will have these minimum skills.
The Black Cullin from Bla Bheinn (Sgurr nan Gillean distant right) (Route 47)
In certain walks, additional skills are required for activities such as scrambling on rock, dealing with exposure or crossing rivers. Notes on ‘difficulty’ appear in the preface to such walks. However, the absence of any mention of specific problems does not imply that a walk is necessarily ‘easy’ or to be taken lightly. The usual grading system for scrambling has been used, that is from grade 1 for relatively simple scrambles to grade 3 for relatively hard ones.
There are certain ranges of Scottish mountains that pose special difficulties or dangers for the walker or climber and I have written special introductions for the Munros on the Isle of Skye, and for those in the Cairngorms, to highlight these dangers. These area observations (which both occur in Volume 2) precede the relevant routes and should be read before attempting any of the walks in these areas.
The following books may be useful for developing mountain skills:
Terry Adby and Stuart Johnston, The Hillwalker’s Guide to Mountaineering (Cicerone Press, 2003)
Eric Langmuir, Mountaincraft and Leadership (Scottish Sports Council - SportScotland, 1995).
Times
Approximate route times are given in the information box for each route. These have been worked out using an adapted version of Naismith’s rule, combined with common sense and my own experience of the character of the route. Some walkers will consistently achieve faster times; others will be slower. It really doesn’t matter which, except on very long routes where you may run the risk of benightment if you take too long. Above all, every effort has been made to be consistent so that each walker can get used to the values given in relation to their own speed. Bear in mind that the times given do not include elements for stoppages, lunch breaks, etc, which should be added on.
Parking and Starting the Walk
Details are given in the walk information box about the best places to park for each walk and how to access the hill from these points. It should be borne in mind, however, that approved places for parking are more liable to change than other aspects of a route, and you should be prepared for possible local changes. In a similar vein getting from the road onto the hill frequently takes walkers through a fringe of forest or through farms or other habitation where the preferred line of access may change from time to time. Please ensure that you follow local signs.
Accommodation and Campsites
The nearest youth hostel is given in the information box and, where appropriate, the nearest Independent Hostel. It should be noted, however, that there are some routes, for example in Glen Clova and Glen Esk, where the nearest hostel is a very considerable distance away. For most routes the box also gives the nearest centre where hotels or bed and breakfast accommodation can be found. Occasionally a specific hotel is named if it is the only accommodation in the immediate vicinity of the route.
An indication of where the nearest campsites are has also been given for each route. Unfortunately campsites seem to come and go with some rapidity. ‘Wild camping’ is accepted in remote areas well away from the road, so long as the usual rules about rubbish and waste disposal are observed; but the practice of roadside camping - which is currently widespread - is strongly frowned on by landowners, local councils, the police and others.
Access
The Land Reform Act (Scotland), which was passed by the Scottish parliament in 2003, greatly clarifies the issue of access to Scottish mountains, most of which are privately owned. Whilst it bestows a general right of access to the walker, it does not change the need for considerate behaviour in terms of closing gates, protecting stone dykes, taking home litter and respecting both the livestock and wildlife that live in the hills. Nor does it change the need to avoid conflict with other users. In fact, these responsibilities have been built into the bill in the form of a Code of Access, along with the requirement that walkers shoulder responsibility for their own safety. Details can currently be viewed on www.snh.org.uk.
Bla Bheinn from Loch Cill Chriosd (Route 54)
There are critical times in the life of upland estates when particular care should be taken. These include the lambing season from March to early summer, and the stalking season - which for stags is from July to October (the latter part of this period is the most critical time for many estates) and for hinds is from late October to mid-February. The shooting season for grouse runs from 12th August to mid-December.
Certain estates in the recent past have not welcomed walkers at all, particularly during the stalking season, and there have been one or two well-publicized battles over access. Dogs can be a serious nuisance. The Access Code gives clear guidelines on keeping dogs under proper control. Fortunately the vast majority of estates now have an enlightened view about public access and many subscribe to the hillphones scheme (see box) or put up notices and maps at the start of walks to assist walkers. Some estates have even constructed car parks specifically for the use of hillwalkers.
Hillphones scheme
This scheme provides hillwalkers in a number of areas in upland Scotland with daily information about deer-stalking activities. Recorded messages indicate where stalking is taking place and which walking routes will be unlikely to affect stalking, and give a forecast of stalking activity over the next few days. The messages are generally updated by 8am each day and are charged at normal call rates. Walks in areas covered by the scheme have the hillphones number in the ‘Access’ section of the box at the start of each route. For further information contact www.hillphones.info
Whilst some estates like walkers to ring the factor’s office or head stalker to discuss their routes before venturing onto the hill during the stag-stalking season, most are happy for walkers to come even at this time of year, providing they don’t interfere with stalking. Generally speaking, walkers would be advised to keep to ridges and high ground rather than to move through corries when stalking is taking place. There is less likely to be a conflict at weekends than midweek. On Sundays no shooting at all takes place. If in any doubt try ringing the relevant contact number for advice, but bear in mind that estate offices are not always manned throughout the day.
Co-operation isn’t always straightforward: stalkers - the gillies - often don’t know in which area they will be working until the morning of the day in question, and contacting them at that time may not be possible. There should rarely be access problems for most of the routes described provided you act responsibly and try to avoid conflict with other countryside users. Every effort has been made in this guide to give up-to-date contacts for every walk (see ‘Access’ in the box at the start of each walk), but it should be remembered that, just like other sorts of property, estates do sometimes change hands. For smaller estates where the contact may be a stalker’s home number, both the person and the phone number can change fairly often.
A number of routes are accessed by crossing railway lines, and at the time of writing Network Rail are proposing to close some 600 unattended railway crossings to the public on the grounds of safety. There have occasionally been accidents involving walkers crossing railway lines, and walkers should make sure that they cross only at designated places or have the necessary permission to cross from Network Rail. Future Munroists should be
