Book reviews

by Craig Weldon Published by Sandstone Press, £8.99 Available as e-book and paperback

SURELY MOST of us who roam the hills have been drawn into a spot of hill-bagging at some stage, whilst many have taken the bait completely and become completely obsessed with ticking peaks off their list. Although Craig Weldon’s book (re-released after its first publication in 2009) primarily covers bagging Munros with some Marilyns and Corbetts thrown in for good measure, it is more concerned with the pros and cons of catching the bagging bug than with the associated experiences, and it doesn’t attempt to act as a route guide for any of the hills climbed.

Both sides of the bagging divide are covered. The frustration of your head telling you to crack on to climb a cluster of peaks simply because they are reasonably close together, when your heart is telling you to linger and savour the moment on the first peak: the bagger’s dilemma. Then there’s the other side of the coin, when what appears a dull route on the map unexpectedly turns into a spectacular day’s walking.

The book takes us from the author’s early trips into the hills, when camping and bothy stays were compulsory, through to his later climbs when the passage of time has made B&Bs seem a much more attractive option. Many of us more mature walkers will be reassured by this natural progression of comfort seeking.

Hillwalking purists might struggle with some of the content, with many routes being undertaken with a stinking hangover, going naked on Beinn nan Aighenan, and taking delight in the best bum slide slope on An Socach. For everybody else though it will be a fond reminder of past experiences (apart from the nudity in midge territory).

Personally, I found some of the walk descriptions a bit too much like personal diary entries to be captivating and entertaining, although I’m sure it will have more meaning to readers more familiar with the hills being climbed than I am. I certainly found myself nodding in agreement with some of the gripes on those hills I do know – such as wandering around boggy terrain trying to locate the highest point on Kinder.

If you are contemplating starting a hill-bagging career or maybe you have already completed a bagging round, Craig Weldon’s experiences might be an insight or a reminder of how walking can be affected by a simple tick-list.