The Munros: A History

by Andrew Dempster

The mountains provide the spiritual nourishment so essential to a truer understanding of the hills and, ultimately, ourselves.

Munro bagging is a headily addictive pursuit, with the holy-grail of ‘compleation’ the ultimate aim, currently achieved by around 7,000 Munroists.

It all began in 1891 when Sir Hugh Munro’s Tables of 3,000-foot Scottish mountains appeared in The Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal. Since then, this innocent compilation of hills has become a hallowed hit-list.

Andrew Dempster traces the meandering course of this cult activity, which has gone from trickle to torrent in the space of a century. From early map-makers to current record- breakers, from the why and the wry to wildness and well-being, The Munros: A History explores the compulsions and philosophies underpinning the Munro phenomenon.

Paperback

First published September 15, 2021

Reviews

[Nathan Fisher]

A readable, comprehensive and informed book covering all aspects of the Munros. The history of the "bagging" phenomenon, the creation of the list, notable Munroists (the first, the fastest, the most rounds etc.), profiles of a selection of notable mountains, and the extolling of Munro bagging as a pastime. Plus more. It's a nice book, not as dry as you might expect, and the author's passion for these hills really comes through in his good-humoured writing.