MOUNTAIN LOG BOOKS 118 A GREAT GUIDEBOOK THAT COULD MAKE IT EASIER TO COMPLEAT THE MUNROS Margaret Tees Peak bagging Munros: The Definitive Guide Volume 1: Highlands & Southern Cairngorms By Nicola Hardy Vertebrate Publishing Ltd (2025), 352pp, £17.13 (ppbk) Mountaineering guidebooks continue their relentless advance, each new publication raising the bar – and ones on the Munros are no exception. Nicola Hardy (Munroist #6765) delivers a glossy, comprehensive guide covering 141 Munros across the Highlands and Southern Cairngorms – half the list, with a second volume to follow. After the introduction and acknowledgments, there is an explanation of the colour coding, and the usual safety section, but surprisingly, nothing on flora and fauna or any environmental topics. Each route provides timing and transport options from the chosen hub (eg Glencoe), starting point, walk timings, colour-coded gradings, escape route (if any) and even where to go for refreshments. The book is comprehensive, with clear maps and inspirational photos, but is not a pocket guide for sure. As a fellow completist (#3135) who long considered the two Scottish Mountaineering Club hardbacks the definitive Scottish mountain bibles, this guide has been something of a revelation. I’ll admit to feeling slightly aggrieved that such a polished publication might make ticking off the Munros list easier going forward ... though, on second thoughts, probably not! Margaret Tees is a hillwalker, mountaineer, and a member of Northwest Walking and Mountaineering Club and of Colmcille Climbers.
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