Scotland Mountaineering

High Endeavours: The Life and Legend of Robin Smith A long-overdue appraisal of the life and tragic death of a legend Snapped from life on an expedition to the Pamirs in 1962, Robin Smith was one of the most daring and legendary climbers ever to have tackled a mountain. And he was just 23. This definitive biography draws on contributions from more than fifty people who knew this charismatic and complex young man, as well as diary extracts from Smith himself. A friend and inspiration to many climbers worldwide, including fellow Scot Dougal Haston, High Endeavours is a fitting and long-overdue tribute to one of Britain's most revered mountaineers, and one of the finest books ever written on the allure of the mountainside. Scotland Mountaineering.

Scotland's Mountain Ridges Ridges are epic. Graceful carved walkways slung between summits, twisted spines of stone - these can be the most beautiful of mountain landforms. With elegant lines and giddy exposure, ridge climbs emit a powerful siren call, drawing us out onto the rocks. Life on the edge has a special quality, born of the contrast of empty space all around, and intricate detail in close-up. The crests are strangely irresistible. Scotland's ridges are among the finest mountaineering lines in the country, every one a unique adventure. The variety of these routes reflects the breadth of the mountain experience: a rich mix of summer scrambles, technical rock and challenging winter climbs. This book covers both the popular classics and some obscure gems, aiming to celebrate these thrilling climbs as much as to document them. The chosen selection spans the grade range, with routes to suit all levels of ability. Whether an earthbound hillwalker or an accomplished climber, Scotland's ridges cannot fail to stir your imagination.

Hell of a Journey: On Foot Through the... the Scottish Mountains in Winter. The broad flank of Beinn Bheoil yielded slowly. The snow, consistently deep, demanded patience and unreasonable reserves of energy. I accepted from the outset that progress today would be hard-won and painstakingly slow, that I was terribly alone, and that if conditions worsened would have no hesitation about turning back. But despite this, despite all the effort and uncertainty, it was exhilarating. Everything seemed on the move. Wind-blown snow and ice slammed at me from behind, hissing past and across the slope in front. Waves of sunshine flashed by like strobe lighting, dazzling and slightly disorientating. And then one of the sights of the winter: from thinning cloud Ben Alder emerged fresh and gleaming, snow streaming from her Leachas ridges and high plateau, merging with mushroom clouds above, the drama played out beneath a serene blue sky. The sudden beauty allowed me to forget the tedium of the ascent; and I thought that perhaps this was 'it', the essence of winter, a day stolen from the high Arctic and smuggled south to the Highlands. It was what I had come for. Scotland Mountaineering.

Of Big Hills and Wee Men (Walk with... Luath) In this book, Peter Kemp traces his life from his early years in urban Glasgow to his adventures in the Scottish mountains. 'Of Big Hills and Wee Men' sees Peter Kemp recount his tales of the mountains and of life growing up in Govan, tackling those two traditional images of Scotland - the shipyards and the glens. Scotland Mountaineering.

Among Mountains Telling of the author's lifetime among mountains, this book's themes are the wildlife, the vanished people and the conservation of mountains for their own sake. Jim Crumley presents the argument that there is so much more to the experience of being among mountains than mere mountaineering. Jim Crumley is the author of "A High and Lonely Place", "Glencoe - Monarch of Glens" (with photographer Colin Baxter) and "Waters of the Wild Swan".

The Munros and Tops: A Record-setting... Walk in the Scottish Highlands. When Chris Townsend reached the summit of Ben Hope in Sutherland, he walked his way into the record books. After 118 days in which he had covered more than 1700 miles and climbed over 575,000 feet, he had completed the first single continuous journey of all 277 Munros and 240 Tops in the Scottish Highlands. This is the story of that remarkable walk from the start on Ben More on the Isle of Mull through to the finish, the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest 18 times. For the author, the real enjoyment of the walk was not in counting up the summits or the miles but in spending week after week in the hills and living in the wilds. In "The Munros and Tops", Chris Townsend recalls the joys of observing the birds and animals, the trees and flowers, the changing shapes of the hills and the play of light on their slopes. He writes about the complexities of route-finding and the challenge of rugged terrain and of coping with often atrocious weather conditions.

The Evidence of Things Not Seen: A... Mountaineer's Tale. Pioneering climbing in Scotland the 1930s, combat against Rommel's forces, three years in Nazi prison camps, and a near fatal alpine accident marked W.H.Murray's early life. Three exploratory Himalayan ventures followed including the critical 1951 reconnaissance trip that established the route by which Everest was climbed two years later. Thereafter he built a reputation as a writer and environmental polemicist and was deeply involved with the struggle to protect the Highlands from commercial exploitation.

West Highlands (Pocket Mountains) This guide features 40 circular walks in the wild mountain country of the West Highlands of Scotland. The routes in this volume take you from the Rough Bounds of Knoydart and the silver sands of Morar to the ridges of Kintail and the ancient forests of Glen Affric, covering all of the Munros and many other great hills. Scotland Mountaineering.

The Edge: One Hundred Years of Scottish... Climbing. "The Edge" explores both the history of Scottish climbing over the last 100 years and the lives and personalities of the exceptional men who pioneered and set new challenges to mountaineering in Scotland. The primary sites cover Glencoe, Ben Nevis, the Cuillin of Skye, Sutherland, and the Cairngorms. There is also an in-depth look at the modern climbers, namely Dave Cuthbertson, Rab Anderson, and Graeme Ettle, and what sort of people climbers are and why they do it. Diagrammatic elevations illustrate 11 of the routes taken so hill climbers and mountaineers can experience the thrill of climbing for themselves. With over 70 colour and black-and-white photographs, "The Edge" is a fascinating account of the trials of some of the most courageous men in mountaineering history. Scotland Mountaineering.

Beinn Eighe: The Saw-toothed Mountain In 2001, Beinn Eighe celebrates 50 years as Britain's first national nature reserve. Intertwined with the history of the reserve, which features a host of colourful characters dedicated to the conservation of the mountain, is the story of nature conservation in Britain and of the growth of public awareness in this area over the years. As well as an analysis of the pressures that have driven and directed change in out landscape, and of the conservationists' reaction to these pressures, this book is an celebration of one of the most impressive of all Scotland's landscapes. Scotland Mountaineering.

The Wilderness World of Cameron McNeish:... Cameron McNeish is one of Scotland's best-known hillwalkers and broadcasts regularly on national radio and television. He considers himself an "evangelist" for the wild places of the world - mountains, deserts, remote coastlines and forests - anywhere that lies beyond the black stump. Having walked, climbed, ski'd and backpacked throughout the world, he now takes the reader on a journey through the its wild places, from the Cairngorms to Yosemite. The book includes a series of essays on McNeish's native Scotland which define those elements that make wilderness so special and worth protecting. Scotland Mountaineering.

Exploring the Far North West of... Scotland. This is the most comprehensive guide book to the most beautiful and remote corner of Britain. There are plenty of excellent colour photos to whet your appetite in the living room, and detailed and accurate route descriptions and maps for use in the field, and it is small enough to fit inside your map pocket. The outings described are wonderfully varied - from secluded beaches for the family, dramatic waterfall walks or small hills for an afternoon, to more serious days out on larger hills. It is written with great enthusiasm and feeling, a refreshing change from the usual dry instructions in guide books.

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