Munros in Scotland

There are over 500 separate mountain tops above 3000ft in the Scottish Highlands. Of these, 284 are currently accorded separate mountain status in a list maintained by the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) The list was first drawn up by Sir Hugh Munro, a Scottish aristocrat and early member of the SMC.

Using early mapping, a primitive altimeter and his own judgement, Munro catalogued a list of all the separate tops above 3000ft and suggested those that justified separate mountain status. Apart from the height, no other objective criteria was applied. Over the years, much improved surveying and mapping, and differing subjective assessment, have resulted in several amendments to the list. The last revision was completed in 1997 and resulted in the present total of 284.

By common consent, the finest mainland Munros are generally regarded to be An Teallach and Liathach, both of which lie in Wester Ross in the NW Highlands. Both mountains comprise long castellated ridges, largely of Torridonian sandstone, some of the oldest rocks on Earth. The 12 peaks of the Black Cuillin on Skye differ from the mainland mountains in appearance, composition and technical difficulty. Of these, Sgurr nan Gillean is perhaps the most distinctive and photogenic peak. Another Cuillin peak: Sgurr Dearg, "the Inaccessable Pinnacle", is the only Munro summit that requires genuine rock climbing skills and ropework to reach the summit.