Yes, quite possibly or maybe one of these!


Some years ago I started a thread on this site with suggestions of books to read which may help with Challenge route planning, background information on the area of the Highlands through which Challengers pass and other aspects of walking in remote country. With a hundred or so new Challengers each year I thought that this information may again be useful. Feel free to ignore it if you already know it all! Also if you have other suggestions (books that is) please feel free to add them.
Some are already in the notes to Challengers.

The following are books which may help Challengers with their route planning
The Munros, Scottish Mountaineering Trust, ISBN 0 907521 13 4
The Corbetts and other Scottish Hills, Scottish Mountaineering Trust,
ISBN 0-907521-29-0.

I’ll add,
Hamish’s Mountain Walk, Hamish Brown, ISBN 0 575 02362 7.
Climbing the Corbetts, Hamish Brown, ISBN 0-575-04378-4.
Classic Walks in Scotland, C. McNeish & R. Smith, ISBN 0-946609-51-9.
West Highland Walks vol 1, Hamish MacInnes, ISBN 0-340-35971-4.
West Highland Walks vol 3, Hamish MacInnes, ISBN 0 340 26912 X.
The Drove Roads of Scotland, A.R.B. Haldane, ISBN 1 874744 76 9.
Great Walks, Scotland, Brown, McOwan & Mearns, ISBN 0-7063-6749-9.
Exploring Scottish Hill Tracks, Ralph Storer, ISBN 0-71539806-7.
Coast-to-coasting: John Gillham & Ronald Turnbull. ISBN 0 7153 0955 2.

Across Scotland on Foot: Ronald Turnbull. ISBN 0 9515 996 4 X.
Classic Walks: Ken Wilson & Richard Gilbert. ISBN 0 906371 11 2.

Wild Walks: Ken Wilson & Richard Gilbert. ISBN1 898573 20 4.
The Scottish Glens series -
Book 1 - The Cairngorm Glens ISBN 1-85284-086-2 
Book 2 - The Atholl Glens ISBN 1-85284-121-4
Book 3 - The Glens of Rannoch ISBN 1-85284-170-2
Book 4 - The Glens of Trossach ISBN 1-85284-199-0
Book 5 - The Glens of Argyll ISBN 1-85284-226-1
Book 6 - The Great Glen ISBN 1-85284-236-9
Book 7 - The Angus Glens ISBN 1-85284-248-2
Book 8 - Knoydart & Morvern ISBN 1-85284-282-2
Book 9 - The Glens of Ross-shire ISBN 1-85284-296-2.

The Central Highlands - 6 Long Distance Walks ISBN 1-85284-267-9

Seton Gordon Highways and Byways in the Central Highlands ISBN 1-874744-33-5
Walking the watershed' from Dave Hewitt (ISBN0952268019)
Great British Ridge Walks, Bill Birkett( David Charles)
Exploring Scottish Hill Tracks. Ralph Storer isbn 0-7153-9806-7
"Scotland" by Chris Townsend: ISBN: 9781852844424
Irvine Butterfield's 'The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland, Vol. 1 The Munros and Tops and other 3,000ft Peaks' (ISBN 1-898573-63-8)
Ralph Storer Vol 1: Southern Highlands - ISBN 1-906307-57-1
Vol 2: Central Highlands South including Glen Coe - ISBN 1-906817-20-0
Vol 3: Central Highlands North including Ben Nevis - ISBN 1-906817-56-1'A Walk From Cape Wrath to Edale'. Ken Proudler (Challenger) available from Amazon Books as a Kindle download.


The following are books which may be helpful to those new to backpacking and the Scottish mountain environment.
Mountaincraft & Leadership, Eric Langmuir, ISBN 1 85060 295 6.
First Aid Manual, ISBN 0-7513-0399-2.
Beyond Backpacking, Ray Jardine, ISBN 0-9632359-3-1.
Hostile Habitats, Scottish Mountaineering Trust, ISBN 0 907521 93 2
"Scotland" by Chris Townsend: ISBN: 9781852844424
Scottish Hill Names: Their Origin and Meaning [Hardcover]

This is just a jolly good read and one of my favorite books!
Kidnapped, R.L.Stevenson.

Sorry about the thread ! It was Jean Turner who was telling me about the guide (just remembered her name) She did mention it did give all the routes up I guess the munro's and corbett's. It wasn't an author I recognised. I think she's a regular TGO'er so I guess she may well answer my question! Thanks for the replies I shall look up the information, cheers Tim

Hi Tim, Jean here, I wondered if I was the "lady" in question (don't normally look very ladylike on the Challenge......)

Almost certainly the Ralph Storer set of books, two of which appear on Peter's bibliography: series name "The Ultimate Guide to the Munros".

Trouble is, because he describes every feasible route up every Munro, he's producing multiple volumes over a very long time, and has just reached Vol.4 Part 1 in the Cairngorms - further delayed, I suspect, by last summer's rotten weather. I'm an impatient animal, and quite experienced in the Scottish hills, so am now depending on finding out for myself which (pathless) west-east routes are feasible if they appear so on the map. Also, last year I came down easily by one route he had not described as a possible.

Still, they make excellent reading/browsing, especially when normal life is getting in the way and you're feeling a bit hill-deprived.

Hope to see you in May!

Hi Jean,
Glad you seen the post! I remember you did mention the guide book so I thought I should get hold of a copy or two. I'm not on the challenge this year and it maybe another few years yet before I apply again. I'm off to Greenland in August for the Arctic Circle Trail for a couple of weeks and next year I hope to have a week on one or two of the Scottish isles. I've not enough annual leave and too many options! Hope you have a wonderful crossing this year and hope to see you sometime on the TGO again. Safe journey, Tim

Thank you, Tim, and I'm sorry you won't be there.....perhaps he'll have time to finish writing the series before you join us again!

In the meantime, I'm green with envy. You don't need an Expedition Medic for Greenland, I suppose?????? Ah well, it was worth a try.

If you're coming to the Scottish Isles, do let me know. My husband comes from the Outer Hebrides, and his retirement project has been restoring an old thatched cottage which was in his family for generations and which is now very comfortable inside (well in summer anyway - we haven't tried in winter yet!) I've put my e-address in the slot at the top - not sure if that still works or not but I hope so.

I'm off to Mallaig tomorrow - can't wait.