What Is Hillwalking?
The club organises walking trips, mainly to the mountainous Scottish highlands. We go to destinations all around the Highlands, Islands, Southern Uplands and Northern England. Our trips are a superb way to get out into the truly wild and mountainous parts of Scotland, whilst making lots of friends along the way.
The club runs both day trips and full weekend trips, roughly every two weeks during the semester. Weekend trips are accommodated in youth hostels and bunkhouses rather than camping. That means you’ll be enjoying a warm meal and a shower instead of freezing your toes off in a tent!
We welcome new and experienced walker of all skill levels, students and non-students, and offer a variety of trips to suit the busy schedules of our members. Even if you’ve never done any outdoor walking of any kind, our committee is prepared to help you feel welcome and safe on your first trip this autumn.
Munros, Corbetts, and The Wild Haggis!
The highest mountain in Scotland is Ben Nevis (left), with a summit of 4409ft (1344m). Most walks with the club will climb Munros; Scottish mountains with summits over 3000ft (914m), or Corbetts (2500–3000 feet). These hills are the high points of our walks, but each day could involve walking through forest, bog, or ridge. Scotland has an incredibly diverse and interesting landscape, made even more dynamic by its ever-changing weather. With a ridiculously low population and very little infrastructure, the Highlands can truly feel like a different world.
Scotland also has a rich diversity of flora and fauna, with many rare and charismatic animals – none of which will eat you, except for the dreaded midge which only appears in high summer. Keep an eye out for red deer, ptarmigan and golden eagles, not to mention the infamous wild haggis. The open landscape is, however, not natural. Neither are the conifer plantations that are found in many of the glens. Both are a product of the Highlands’ turbulent history, which you will see writ on the landscape in ruined shielings and abandoned townships.
Whether you’re wanting to see the more natural side of Scotland, get some good exercise, or just have a good time with some wonderful people, we strongly encourage you to join us for a drink at our weekly pub night, and join us on a trip soon after!
Why would I spend my weekend on a hill?
This is a fair question, but there are dozens of good reasons to try hillwalking. First of all, there simply is no better way to see the raw natural beauty of Scotland. Thanks to economies of scale and school subsidies, you won’t be able to get into the Highlands for cheaper than with our club, at least not with proper equipment. And hillwalking is a great time! It’s great all-around exercise, a fun social experience, and it does wonders for your mental health. If you’re on the fence about spending your whole weekend, we run day trips just as often that will have you back in Edinburgh in time for dinner.
Besides, even if you don’t want to be out every weekend, you can still have fun in the club! We host a weekly pub night as well as a variety of events including ceilidhs, pub quizes, and charity events.
