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Munro Bagging
Hollytree > Explore > Ben Nevis

Ben Nevis and Munro Bagging

The Munros

Ben Nevis is Britains highest mountain and is located just the other side of Fort William around 14 miles from the Hoel. Scotland's highest mountains are known as Munros, named after Sir Hugh T. Munro who in 1891 surveyed all the country's mountains above 3000 feet (914.4 metres) and produced his Tables which catalogued 236 peaks that he deemed to be individual mountains. Over the years and with advances in surveying methods, there have been several revisions to Munro's original listing, the latest being in 1997. Currently, there are 284 Munros and a further 511 'Tops' (those peaks above 3000 feet which are part of a range or ridge but which are judged not to be a separate mountain). Climbing all the Munros, or Munro-bagging as it's usually called, is a very popular pursuit amongst the climbing and hillwalking fraternity. The first recorded Munro-bagger to climb all the 3000-feet peaks was the Rev. A. E. Robertson in 1901.

The Top Ten Munros are:

1. Ben Nevis 4409 ft 1344 m Ben Nevis Range
2. Ben Macdui 4295 ft 1309 m Cairngorm range
3. Braeriach 4252 ft 1296 m Cairngorm range
4. Cairn Toul 4236 ft 1291 m Cairngorm range
5. Sgor an Lochain Uaine 4236 ft 1258 m Cairngorm range
6. Cairngorm 4081 ft 1244 m Cairngorm range
7. Aonach Beag 4049 ft 1234 m Nevis & Grey Corries range
8. Aonach Mor 4006 ft 1221 m Nevis & Grey Corries range
9. Carn Mor Dearg 4003 ft 1220 m Ben Nevis range
10. Ben Lawers 3983 ft 1214 m Ben Lawers range

The Corbetts

The Corbetts is the collective name given to the 221 distinct mountains in Scotland which are between 2500 (762 m) feet and 2999 (914 m) feet, and which have a re-ascent of 500 feet on all sides. They are named after John Rooke Corbett who in 1930 became the first person to climb all the 2000-feet-high peaks in Scotland. (He was also only the second person ever to complete all the Munros and Tops and the fourth to complete only the Munros). Like Munro-bagging, Corbett-bagging is a very popular pursuit. It has its own dedicated followers who claim that, in general, the Corbetts provide a better day's walking than the higher peaks.

The Top Ten Corbetts are:

1. Beinn Dearg 2999 ft 914 m Glen Tromie to Glen Tilt
2. Foinaven 2999 ft 914 m Coigach and Cape Wrath
3. Sgurr 'Choire-bheithe 2995 ft 913 m Glen Etive to Glen Lochy
4. Beinn 'Bhreac 2992 ft 912 m Loch Rannoch to Glen Lyon
5. Leathad an Taobhain 2992 ft 912 m Loch Rannoch to Glen Lyon
6. The Fara 2989 ft 911 m Inveraray to Crianlarich
7. Beinn Dearg Mor 2986 ft 910 m Pitlochry to Braemar and Blairgowrie
8. Meall Buidhe 2986 ft 910 m Strathyre to Strathallan
9. Beinn nan Oighreag 2982 ft 909 m Strathyre to Strathallan
10. Leum Uilleim 2982 ft 909 m Inveraray to Crianlarich

The Grahams

The Grahams are those mountains in Scotland with heights between 2000 m (610 m) and 2499 m (761 m). Originally known as Elsies ('LCs' or Lower Corbetts), the 224 peaks were renamed in memory of Fiona Torbet (nee Graham) who published her own list of these peaks in the early 1990s.

The Top Ten Grahams are:

1. Beinn Talaidh 2497 ft 761 m Mull
2. Cnoc Coinnich 2497 ft 761 m Loch Goil to Long Long
3. Sgurr 'Chaorainn 2497 ft 761 m Strontian, Lochaber
4. Beinn 'Chapull 2490 ft 759 m Inverinan Forest, Argyll
5. Carn an Tionail 2490 ft 759 m Carn Dearg, Sutherland
6. Shee of Ardtalnaig 2490 ft 759 m Loch Tay, Perthshire
7. Beinn Shiantaidh 2484 ft 757 m Jura
8. Creag Dubh 2480 ft 756 m Monadhliath range
9. Cook's Cairn 2477 ft 755 m Blackwater Forest, Moray
10. The Stob 2470 ft 753 m Braes of Balquhidder