Munro

For other uses, see Munro (disambiguation).

Deteriorating weather conditions on The Saddle in winter

A Munro is a Scottish mountain with a height over 3,000 feet (914.4 metres). They are named after Sir Hugh Munro (1856–1919), who produced the first attempt at a catalogue of such hills, known as Munro's Tables, in 1891.

Munro did not set any measure of relative height by which a peak qualified as a separate mountain, and much debate has since taken place over how distinct two hills must be if they are to be considered as two separate Munros.

Despite their modest height, walking and climbing in the Scottish mountains may be made dangerous by their latitude and exposure to Atlantic weather systems. Even in summer, conditions can be very bad; thick fog, strong winds, driving rain and freezing summit temperatures are not unusual.

Winter ascents of certain Munros are widely accepted to provide among the most challenging ice climbs in Europe. Some walkers are unprepared for the often extreme weather conditions on the exposed tops and many fatalities are recorded every year, often resulting from slips on wet rock or ice.

Other websites

• Scottish Mountaineering Club official Munros page Archived 2009-04-27 at the Wayback Machine, including completionists.
• MunroMagic – details and route descriptions for all Munros. (Some content requires registration.)
• The Munros and Tops 1891-1997 Archived 2008-01-18 at the Wayback Machine - Spreadsheet showing changes in successive versions of Munro's Tables.