Hillwalking in Scotland
Scotland offers some of the finest hillwalking in Europe. From the sub-arctic plateau of the Cairngorms to the dramatic sea cliffs of the Cuillin ridge on Skye, the variety of terrain is extraordinary. The Scottish Highlands contain all of Britain's mountains over 4,000 feet and the vast majority of its wild land. The right of responsible access enshrined in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 means walkers can explore freely across open hill ground throughout the year.
Mountain Regions
Scotland's mountain landscape divides naturally into distinct regions, each with its own character:
- The Cairngorms — Britain's highest and most extensive mountain plateau, with arctic-alpine terrain above 1,000 metres. Home to four of the five highest mountains in the UK.
- Torridon and Wester Ross — ancient sandstone peaks rising dramatically from sea level. Liathach, Beinn Eighe and Beinn Alligin form one of the finest mountain groups in Britain.
- Glen Coe and Glen Etive — iconic valley scenery with steep-sided peaks including Buachaille Etive Mor and the Aonach Eagach ridge, the narrowest ridge on the Scottish mainland.
- Knoydart and the Rough Bounds — the most remote mountain area in mainland Britain, accessible only by boat or on foot.
- The Southern Highlands — Ben Lawers, Ben More and the Trossachs offer excellent walking within easy reach of the Central Belt.
Scottish Hill Classifications
Scottish hills are organised into well-known classifications, each with its own following of dedicated hillwalkers:
- Munros — 282 mountains over 3,000 feet (914m)
- Corbetts — 222 mountains between 2,500 and 3,000 feet with 500 feet of re-ascent
- Grahams — 224 hills between 2,000 and 2,500 feet with 150 metres of re-ascent
- Donalds — 89 Lowland hills over 2,000 feet south of the Highland Boundary Fault
All of these summits are marked on our map, making it straightforward to plan routes that take in specific peaks or combine several summits into a single day walk.
Route Planning Tools
Our route planner displays 10-metre contour lines derived from SRTM satellite elevation data, overlaid on an OpenStreetMap base map styled to resemble Ordnance Survey mapping. Click to place waypoints and the elevation profile updates in real time, showing total distance, ascent and descent. When your route is ready, export it as a GPX file to use with a GPS device or smartphone navigation app on the hill.
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