Hillwalking in Scotland

This is our main activity as our name implies.

Scottish hillwalking ranges from gentle ambles in the Campsie Fells to arduous traverses in the Cairngorms or NW Highlands. In summer you could be wearing little more than sun-cream and shorts, in winter you could encounter snow, ice, and sub-zero gales. And in Scotland, summer and winter can happen any time of the year!

Our mountains are low by Alpine standards, but the start is often near sea level, and many are far from the road. Mostly they are rough open ground - grass, heather, and rock - but below about 450m there is extensive commercial forestry in many areas. There are few good paths and no marked trails on the high ground, so every party must be competent in navigation. Expect to meet lots of bog, to jump (or sometimes wade) across streams, and to find snow roughly November-April. In winter conditions an ice-axe (and the ability to use it) will be needed, and crampons should be carried too. You may not intend to cross ice but if your descent route is over ice or with steep hard snow you will need them. As with winter climbing, you should be aware of possible avalanche hazard.

For many, Scottish hillwalking means collecting Munros, those mountains higher than the magic 3000ft (914m) mark. Quite a number of club members have completed the list. Size does matter but so does quality. Wonderful as many of the Munros are, there are many smaller hills which are more satisfying than the duller Munros. These are called Corbetts, Donalds, Grahams etc. Many of these are in the South of Scotland rather than the Highlands - a neglected area where the hills are never busy, as the more popular Munros often are. Our bus trips give you the chance to collect good hills of all sizes.

Glencoe, only about 2 hours from Paisley, is a popular rock-climbing area. The hill-walking is steep and can involve scrambling in exposed situations. This is enjoyable in itself and may encourage you to try more serious rock-climbing.

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