Statistics

The following is a summary of the trips made, mileage's, heights gained etc.  Of necessity there was some duplication of mountains.  Sometimes a repeat was required as easiest access to another.  Sometimes we were just catching up for someone, and other times it was just for the hell of it.  All are included.
Details are of course as per Nev's records, but Ian and Malcolm were there or thereabouts most of the time.  Bean and Dave Hill put in a number of welcome appearances, with guesting from Jim Pickering.  Dave Southern and Pete Bevan were to appear on the scene just after Munro completion.

  • The Munros were completed in 151 Hill Days.
  • Mileage covered was 1767, and height gain totalled 582.575 feet.
  • Based on 277 Munros that works out at 6.38 miles and 2100ft per Munro.

 

Two views on Stob Coire Raineach, promoted after we finished the Munros. (Climbed 2nd March 1998)

 

 

Which month did we go?

The most favoured month was May with 37 hill days, however "back end" trips covered 61 days, with 14 in September, 23 in October and 24 in November.

February scored high with 21, as did June with 20.

No hill days are recorded for January, March, August or December.

 

 

Which year did we do most?

1981 tops the charts with a total 48 Munros climbed.  1983 is the only other year to beat 40 (with 41).

For distance 1984 takes the prize with 302.5 miles, but then that includes the Ultimate Challenge crossing.  1987 comes next with 205.5, including a mammoth 102.5 in the end of year trip.  This did however include 38.5 on bikes (more for Ian who took his bike that extra mile up Mount Keen.)

All years except 1980 saw 4 trips.

1980 saw 3.1 Munros for every hill day, beaten only by 1981 with 3.2 per hill day.  1986 took 17 days to collect 24, at an average of 1.4 per day.

Longest days (mileage wise)

28 miles.  (Dave Hill. Malcolm).Out on its own is Ben Avon on 22nd May 
     1982 when we covered 28 miles for 2 Munros and 5 tops.  Fortunately 
     the height gain was only 4200ft.  Never have I been so knacked.  This
     was the day we started from the Hill Inn without breakfast.
26.5 miles.  (Ian. Malcolm) 13.5.84. One of the "Challenge" days, from
     Tomdoun to Spean Bridge, taking in 2 Munros and 4100ft (Meall na
     Teanga and partner).
24.5 Miles. Also on the challenge taking in Ben Tirran. (Not strictly a Munro day this).(Ian and Malcolm). 19.5.84.
24 From Dalwhinnie to camp on top of An Fhidlair. Challenge. Ian and Malcolm). 16.5.84.
23 Starav.  11.5.80. (Malcolm) From Glen Etive, ending at the Inverornan by Loch Tulla..
Cairngorm 4000's. 28.6.81 (Malcolm)
21. Spean Bridge to A' Chlachair. 14.5.84. (Malcolm and Ian).
20. Challenge again taking in Mayor to Glen Doll. (Malcolm and Ian). 18.5.84.
19. An Sgarsoch. (Ian and Malcolm). Challenge again.  17.5.84.
19. Beinn Dearg. 28.10.84. (Ian, Malcolm, Bean, Jim).
19. Craig Meagaidh. 19.7.86.  (Ian, Malcolm, Bean).
18.5. Lochnagar  27.6.81 (Malcolm)
18.5  Mam Sodhail  16.10.83. (Ian and Malcolm).
18.5. Meall Chuaich. 2.11.85 (Ian and Malcolm)
18. Beinn Iutharn Mhor. 5.5.85 (Ian, Malcolm, Bean).
18. Seana Braigh 3.11.86. (Ian and Malcolm).

Amazingly Lurg Mor does not appear above, coming in at 17 miles.

Most Height Gain (feet)

  1. A long day on the Skye Ridge (Nan Eag) (Ian). Sept 77.        8250
  2. Mamores. 28.9.80 (Ian. Mal.)        6500
  3. Lurg Mor. 3.11.87. (Ian. Mal).        6450
  4. Stob Ghabar. 10.5.80. (Mal).        6350
  5. Cairngorm 4000's. (Mal).            6350
  6. Whitbread Wilderness. Mhic Fhearchair. (Ian. Mal.)        6150
  7. South Shiel Ridge.  8.6.80.  (Mal).        6100
  8. Sgurr na Lapaich. 22.10.83. (Ian. Mal.)        5900
  9. Ben Lawers. 21.5.83. (Ian. Mal. Bean.)        5750
  10. Ben Attow.  5.11.87. (Ian. Mal).        5600

1987 saw a height gain of 67.950ft, and 4 other years topped 60.000ft

Most productive days

Only six days produced more than 4 Munros.

  1. South Shiel Ridge. 8.6.80            7
  2. Mamores. 28.9.80            6
  3. Glas Maol.  20.6.81.            6
  4. Lochnagar. 27.6.81            5
  5. Cairngorm 4000's. 28.6.81            5
  6. Carn Ban (Monadh Liath). 4.7.82.        5

Another 14 days saw a total of 4 Munros, and included Grey Corries, North Shiel Ridge, East of Cluanie, Feshie, Fannaichs, Cairnwell, Lyon, Alder, Strathfarrer, Mullardoch, Mayer, Ben Dearg, Mamores, & Whitbread Wilderness.

If tops are included then the Cairngorm 4000's scored 5 Munros and 10 tops =15.
Only two other days hit 10.
Lochnagar (5 Munros + 5Tops)
Grey Corries (4 Munros + 6 Tops).

Company on the Hill (Nev's perspective)

The hills were just for us - well, almost.
Malcolm (253) and Ian (213) were almost constant companions.  Three others shared more than 5 Munros, being Geraldine (66), Dave Hill (57), and Jim Pickering (29).  Many a trip, particular in the autumn would result in us not having met a single person during up to 9 days on the hills.  This was a feature which was to continue with the Corbetts, but the impression is that doing the Munros now, 10-20 years later, would present a much busier picture.  This is evidenced at car parks that were once empty, and vehicles at many road ends.  Still it may be interesting to find out how the really wilder areas fare in midweek November.  I guess the hills will still have their quieter moments.

Although no actual record of 'other people' seen was recorded for the Munros, it would not have been a lot different from the Corbetts, with a few exceptions such as Skye, Knoydart, and the popular hills like Ben Lomond.
On the Corbetts the exact figures were;-

  • Hills where we met no one  188
  • Solitary walkers were met on 9 hills
  • We recorded no hill with over 20 walkers
  • 10-20 walkers were met on 6 hills, being Ben Arthur, Ben Vrackie, Ben Rinnes, Clisham, Ben a Bhuiridh, and Beinn Tarsuinn on Arran.
  • We once had 24 consecutive hills to ourselves, not even a shepherd or stalker, and the last Corbett Ben Loyal on 10th November 1999 was the 19th consecutive empty hill.  From June 1996 to November 1999 we did 49 largely remoter Corbetts, seeing a total of only 11 people on 6 hills (including Rhum), and no one on the other 43.

Old Father Time

When we set off in our innocence Ian, Mal and Nev were around 20, 30 and 40 respectively, and on completing the Corbetts it is a sobering thought that we were 40, 50, 60 approx.  What chance finishing the furths, the tops, other hills, and "once was Munros" before 60, 70 and 80.

Bloody Hell!

The mists of time?  Or is it Arran?

Skye Team 1992

Dave & Lynn, Robbie, Mal, Dave Southern