Discover the beauty of the Scottish Peaks with the list that inspired many to reach new heights
A mountain is often used to describe life’s challenges and the summit is the reward for completing them. The question after that though is why stop at one mountain?
In 1891, Sir Hugh Munro created the Munro list, a collection of 282 Scottish Peaks above 3000 ft. To bag a Munro you have to reach the summit. The fun doesn’t end there though, to become a ‘Compleater’, you have to bag them all.
The fastest ‘Compleater’ of a self-propelled Munro round is Jamie Aarons. Originally from California, Jamie moved to Scotland in 2005 and has previously completed two Munro rounds. Her record-breaking attempt took her just 31 days, 10 hours and 27 minutes.
When she isn’t bagging Munros, Jamie is a Social Work Advisor for the Scottish Government.
“I’m very passionate about my work and I feel very fulfilled by it, but I also know that my physical and mental health are boosted by being outside. It was a privilege to have a month off to spend outside in an environment that I love, with people who I love.”
Jamie had just a week off before the challenge for last-minute preparations. After finishing her challenge on Monday 26th June. She had a week of recovery and returned to work the following Monday.
Despite the urgency of her attempt, Jamie wanted it to be fun and encouraged people, some complete strangers beforehand, to join her.
“People sacrificed a lot to help me, childcare, family commitments, other people taking time off work. I didn’t want to be a misery guts for a month. I wanted it to be as positive an experience as possible.
“They are now some of my closest friends and people who met through the rounds have solidified long-lasting friendships.
“I’m most proud of that legacy. This community of adventurous people who wanted to support someone’s goal.”
In and amongst the fun were unexpected challenges. Her attempt coincided with Scotland’s hottest June on record with the Met Office claiming parts of the Highlands saw temperatures over three degrees above the usual average.
“It was an absolute dry heatwave. I got incredibly sunburnt and the water sources that would usually have been available for us to top up our water were bone dry.
“We had to carry a lot more water and a lot more weight or we had to be creative with where we sourced water from.”
While the heatwave brought extreme temperatures, the sunnier weather and the amount of time she spent in the Munros brought out their scenic nature.
“The sunrise, sunsets, temperature inversions, sundogs (light patches that form on one or both sides of the sun at 22-degree angles), which I’d never heard of before let alone seen. You can see amazing things when you put yourself out there.”
A crowd congratulated Jamie at her final summit and despite feeling relief in the pub after, she looks back on the challenge fondly.
“There was never a point where I questioned if I was going to finish but getting to that last hill. I gained the confidence not only to finish but also that I was going to break the record.
“I had an overwhelming sense of gratitude and hung back from this big pack of people who were joining me that afternoon and I got quite emotional and it wasn’t the emotion that I was going to finish.
“It was this emotion that all these people had given so much to see me through this arbitrary selfish goal and it was overwhelming.
“I also miss that my job for a month was to be outside and keep putting one foot in front of the other.”
Jamie’s advice for beginners trying the Munros for themselves is:
“You want to be with someone that has experience and skill in variable conditions or you could hire a guide but it’s your map, compass and your knowledge of how to use them.
“My top tip is that it’s never the wrong decision to turn around if you think it’s the right thing at that time.”
Three years before Jamie’s successful attempt, the fastest Munro round was completed by running coach and former Marine, Donnie Campbell who completed his round in 31 days and 23 hours smashing the previous record by over a week.
Donnie’s athletic experience helped him having previously completed 14 consecutive ultra-marathons across 14 days in Africa and running up Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya.
Donnie completed his attempt throughout August 2020, while Scotland, like most of the UK, were coming out of COVID lockdowns.
“A lot of my training at the start of 2020 was running up and down my local hills”, he says.
“I spent most of the lockdown doing that and when the restrictions lifted, I managed to do some Munros, some longer cycles. Most of my training was done locally.”
Most of the Munros can be completed with hillwalking experience but some of the mountains like the Isle of Skye’s Cuillins require additional equipment.
“The Cuillins are more alpine. You have to have a bit of rock-climbing experience.
“There may be a wee bit more rope work at first, fortunately, a guide called John Smith who runs Skye Adventures guided me across the ridge.
“There’s so many paths in the Cuillins that go into a dead end. I’d have had to really focus if I was by myself, someone setting up the rope work and the abseils meant it was easier for me on that day. The Cuillins are a different breed.”
By 5.02 am on 2nd September, Donnie had completed his round after long days of running and cycling.
“It was nice to finish but also quite sad because it was a nice way to end the summer. I was quite fatigued but when something’s been the focus of your life for the past 12 to 18 months to have completed it was a great feeling but also quite sad as that chapter was closing.
“Then you’ve got to start your day job and go back to general life, not running hills every day.”
Donnie’s experience helped him to smash the record but his advice for beginners is:
“Start with easier hills or join your local hillwalking or mountaineering club.
“Girls in Hills is a good one for women getting into hillwalking who might be intimidated joining a course that is male and female.”
Another useful source for advice on hillwalking is Walk Highlands. A website for people visiting the Scottish Highlands offering tips on safety, navigation and guides to lists like the Munros.
Walk-Highlands co-founder Paul Webster loves the outdoors and thinks the Munro list can motivate people to get outdoors.
“I think it’s the right level of challenge for some people. I think it would be too easy if there were less of them. If there were more of them, for most people with a job, it would start to look impossible but it seems to hit a sweet spot.
“If you’re doing something like the Munros it’s going to inspire you to go everywhere and see different parts of Scotland.”
Some Munros are easier than others for beginners looking to complete their first ascent.
Paul says: “It’s good to start on one where there are a lot of people and a clear path.
“In summer conditions Ben Lomond is a really good choice. Another possible one is Schiehallion for a first Munro in Perthshire that’s fairly straightforward in good weather conditions or Ben Lawers.”
After choosing a Munro to start with it is important to improve your navigation skills.
“If you are using GPS on your phone or a GPS device for mapping, it’s really good to download the maps beforehand then, it doesn’t matter if you’re going to have signal. The GPS function will still work and will show your position on the map.
“It is always good to carry a paper map and compass in case your phone battery runs out.”
For help with maps, Mountaineering Scotland offer half-day courses for beginners to learn map reading and before tackling a Munro, you could try map navigation in your local area first.
Additionally, what you wear while hillwalking in the everchanging highland weather is important.
“The key piece of kit is a waterproof jacket. It’s likely going to rain even if it’s not in the forecast and a waterproof usually doubles as a windproof. The windspeeds up high are much greater than anything you might get on the lower ground.
“In summer for footwear, I don’t think it’s completely essential to have boots something very comfy that is going to give you some grip is essential. It is good to avoid cotton clothing because if it gets wet and the wind goes against it, it chills your body. It’s good to avoid jeans. Layering is important so you’ve got some flexibility in what you’re wearing.”
In addition to safety, it is important to be respectful of the Highlands.
“The key thing in the outdoors is to leave no trace, things should still be the same as if you hadn’t been there. You can’t help a footprint on the path but beyond that leave everything behind as you found it.
“If you are camping out in the wilds, do your cooking on a stove instead of a fire because it’s impossible to not make a trace when you’re lighting a fire except in very specific circumstances.”
So, if you feel inspired to bag a Munro or all 282 remember to follow the experts’ advice and for more information check out https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk and https://www.mountaineering.scot.
