Munro

A Munro is a Scottish hill with a height over 3000ft (914m). They are named after Sir Hugh Munro[?], who published the first exhaustive list of such hills, known as Munro's Tables, in 1891. Other classifications of Scottish hills exist, including the Corbetts[?], the Grahams[?] and (in the south of the country), the Donalds[?]. However, the Munros are unique in that they lack a rigid set of criteria for inclusion. Since the list's initial publication, much debate has taken place over how distinct two hills must be if they are to be considered as two separate Munros. The decisions of the editors of the Tables have often been criticised for being subjective and erratic, with some hills being removed from the Tables in one revision, only to be graced with Munro status again in the next.

Despite their relatively low height, it is widely accepted that winter ascents of certain Munros can provide among the most challenging ice climbs[?] in Europe. Sadly, 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.

Some hillwalkers climb Munros with an eye to climbing every single one -- a practice casually known as "Munro-bagging". Having climbed all of them, a walker is entitled to be called a Munroist.

Famous Munros include:

• Ben Nevis
• Cairn Gorm[?] and Ben Macdui[?], in the Cairngorms[?]
• Sgurr Alasdair[?] and the Inaccessible Pinnacle[?] (Sgurr Dearg), in the Cuillins[?]