It's Time To Give Back
The Scots Magazine|September 2023
The ambitious campaign aiming to restore our much-loved pathways
Cameron McNeish
It's Time To Give Back

NAN SHEPHERD published her little book about the Cairngorms, The Living Mountain, in 1977 although she had actually written it years earlier, during the '40s and '50s. One quote from the book that may be sacrilege to the modern hill-bagger is this: "To aim for the highest point is not the only way to climb a mountain. We must abandon the summit as the organising principle of mountains."

Comparatively few people were climbing Scotland's hills and mountains in Nan Shepherd's day, and very few of them were Munro-baggers. Our earlier hill-goers were predominantly climbers and the others were generally botanists, geologists or ornithologists. Climbing the three-thousanders is a comparatively modern obsession.

When Shepherd finished writing The Living Mountain in 1955 only 24 people had climbed all the Munros, according to the Scottish Mountaineering Club's list of "compleaters". By the time it was published 22 years later, only 160 folk had registered with the Scottish Mountaineering Club as compleaters and when I completed my first round of Munros in 1991 I was listed as No.913. The end of that year saw the first thousand Munro compleaters, 90 years after the Rev AE Robertson's very first recorded round.

Fast forward 32 years to the present day and the list has exploded to somewhere in the region of 7,500-8,000 - and I think that gives us a perspective on the growth in the number of people walking, running and biking on the Scottish mountains. It's perhaps not surprising that our mountain footpaths, many of which were originally built for only a handful of stalking parties a year, are suffering from overuse, and such overuse can have severe consequences for the wider environment.

Bu hikaye The Scots Magazine dergisinin September 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye The Scots Magazine dergisinin September 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

THE SCOTS MAGAZINE DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
A Scot Going Places
The Scots Magazine

A Scot Going Places

Ayrshire lad Hugh Allan built a transport and finance empire in his adopted home of Montreal, and survived a political scandal

time-read
4 dak  |
June 2024
Into The Woods
The Scots Magazine

Into The Woods

Maverick Gary Munday is scaling new heights in conservation

time-read
4 dak  |
June 2024
Beavers By Moonlight
The Scots Magazine

Beavers By Moonlight

Once away from the shadow of the hill, Jim's infinite patience is rewarded with the memorable moment he has been waiting for

time-read
5 dak  |
June 2024
The World At Her Feet
The Scots Magazine

The World At Her Feet

With no women’s game at home, Rose Reilly helped Italy win the World Cup

time-read
3 dak  |
June 2024
FOCUS ON Aberdeenshire
The Scots Magazine

FOCUS ON Aberdeenshire

Discover rugged beauty, hidden history, a load of lighthouses then enjoy an outdoor swim and make your own chocolate

time-read
10+ dak  |
June 2024
Roots Of A Rock Star
The Scots Magazine

Roots Of A Rock Star

Best-selling Scots band Texas may share a name with the US state but for lead singer Sharleen Spiteri, all roads lead to Glasgow

time-read
6 dak  |
June 2024
An Open Book
The Scots Magazine

An Open Book

As it marks its 20th year, the warm and welcoming Borders Book Festival continues to showcase a dazzling roster of literary talent

time-read
3 dak  |
June 2024
It's Time To Give Back
The Scots Magazine

It's Time To Give Back

The ambitious campaign aiming to restore our much-loved pathways

time-read
6 dak  |
September 2023
A Sense Of Closure
The Scots Magazine

A Sense Of Closure

A trip to heavenly Tiree sees a return to the wild with true emotional purpose - and a vulnerable squirrel kit in tow

time-read
5 dak  |
September 2023
Blended By Bees
The Scots Magazine

Blended By Bees

Perthshire flora adds delicate nuances to this honey liqueur-while offering a beleaguered species a helping hand

time-read
3 dak  |
September 2023