The Munros and Tops: A Record-setting Walk in the Scottish Highlands

I could not agree less with the above review. How can walking 517 Munros and tops ever be called a walk without purpose. It speaks for itself. People who can't see what a challenge and chance to spend a summer in the stunning although sometimes wet Scottish mountains are making comments about their own dulled intellect and lack of vision. Probably doing so from their sofa infront of daytime TV.
Chris Townsend shares his love of all things wild, high mountains, low passes, and just being in the wilds of Scotland. The book contains some stunning pictures too, as he also carried a fair amount of camera equipment during the walk.
I found the book an inspiration to just get out and walk anywhere. Very detailed in route choice and problems encountered during his walk. Spends a fair amount of time discussing his choice of lightweight and specialist equipment used.
Buy it and get your walking books looked out and dusted down.

a must for backpackers and hill walkers (3/3 people found this helpful)

I've read this book twice now and am enthralled with townsends knowledge and love of wild places.After walking a few Munro's myself, i can appreciate how difficult this endeavour was. His easy description of place and setting, put you there beside him through wind sun and snow. This book also inspired me to try a little wild camping, though not on his level! The book is one of three i've read by Townsend and i can heartily recommend the others.The Great Bakpacking adventure, High summer and his Backpacking handbook, a font of outdoor knowledge for aspiring backpackers.

The Munros and Tops (4/5 people found this helpful)

If you are planning a walking trip to any of the Munros and Tops of any length or duration then this book would make a useful addition to your library. Whiclst you'd be hard pressed to use this book as a guide its a story of a walk - Chris does describe in some detail his route. With a good map you should be able to find and foloow any part of the route.
Whilst most of the route is possiable, even Chris needed help at a couple of points. These are described in some detail.
I feel a little rushed. I suspected this is to do with the publishers restrictions on time and length of book.
Munros and Tops is not a book about "climbing" as it says on the back by price. Publishers note, this is a walking book.
The appendices at the back of the book will be most useful. This would give any Munro bagger a good idea of what to take.
Munros and Tops is a good book and well worth reading prior to any walking trip to Scotland. I would also recommend Chris' other book Crossing Arizona, even if you never plan a trip to Arizona. Also check out Chris' Backpackers Handbook.
Chris takes a pretty good photo, for a backpacker!!!, be sure to check the photo pages of Munros and Tops.

A plain read about rather purposeless trip. (3/11 people found this helpful)

To cover all of the Munros in one session is for this reader rather an egotistic challenge. In the same way one can ask why?, so too can one ask why the writing of the book? When enough people do these challenges there will then be no point in the book except as personal witness or private journal. It is not that the writing is bad, rather the plain prose fails to really excite - an inexhaustible naming of mountains and places with speed or effiency being the glue or sting holding the prose together. This is Scotland and the weather is so it seems for the most part appalling with little sense of any compensation for when the sun does actually shine. For anyone planning on going to do likewise this book will not provide anything like the details required. The equipment listing details at the back are though, most useful.

The Munros and Tops: A Record-setting Walk in the Scottish Highlands

Chris Townsend

Reader Reviews:

A Mamoth Walk. (1/1 people found this helpful)

a must for backpackers and hill walkers (3/3 people found this helpful)

The Munros and Tops (4/5 people found this helpful)

A plain read about rather purposeless trip. (3/11 people found this helpful)

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