5 MUNRO WALKS FOR BEGINNERS

INOV8 ambassador and Munro-obsessed fast-hiker Nic Hardy shares five recommendations of Munro walks for beginners. Whilst no Munro walk is ‘easy’ these five routes are great options to kickstart your Munro bagging journey which may one day see you scale all of Scotland’s 282 mountains above 3,000ft.

In the wake of finishing a full round of the Munros in 2019, Nic has been busy researching and writing her first guidebook Peak Bagging Munros: Volume 1 which is due for release in June 2025. Thankfully guidebook writers get to spend more time on the trails than they do behind a desk so Nic, wearing her trusty Roclite Mid GTX, spent hours on the trails of the Scottish Highlands last summer and here are a selection of Munro mountain walks that might just inspire your own future hiking adventures.

Ben Lomond is, arguably, the most straight-forward of all 282 Munros. It's also the most southerly so it’s relatively easy to get to from Glasgow which is just over an hour away. These two attributes make it an excellent choice as a peak bagger's first summit. It offers a confidence-building first foray into the world of Munro-bagging, with an excellent path, straight-forward navigation and superb views.

Start the walk at Rowardennan where there is a large chargeable car park and toilet facilities. There’s an overflow car park during busy times. Alternatively, you might also want to consider getting the Cruise Loch Lomond waterbus from Tarbet on the other side of Loch Lomond during the summer months. This adds a nice bit of variety to the outing.

After your first ascent of Ben Lomond, with your appetite sufficiently whetted, you’ll no doubt be keen to return another day to try the more challenging Ptarmigan ridge approach, which requires a bit of a scramble.

Download a GPX file of the route.

In Peak Bagging Munros: Volume 1, the Ben Lomond route can be found in the Arrochar hub chapter.

Meall nan Tarmachan is the smaller neighbour of Ben Lawers, the latter being the tenth highest Munro in the list. By contrast Meall nan Tarmachan is a fun half-day outing on good paths from a high car park near Lochan na Làirige. It’s a straight-forward out-and-back hike to the summit. A beginner route which Mum, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, the kids and your four-legged friends can all enjoy together.

Start the walk in the car park at the foot of the Munro, south of the dam at the end of Lochan na Làirige via a rough track off the main mountain pass. The edges of the path are adorned with willow scrub, alpine lady’s mantle, wild thyme and other floristically diverse plant life.

Once your mountain hiking confidence has increased, you could return for a more intrepid, adrenaline-inducing option scrambling up the gnarly, rocky ridge extending south-west from the summit.

Download a GPX file of the route.

In Peak Bagging Munros: Volume 1, the Meall nan Tarmachan route can be found in the Killin hub chapter.

Mount Keen is an outlier in the east of the Cairngorms National Park; in fact, it is the most easterly Munro in the whole list. Mount Keen is a fine beginner Munro as a wide, well-maintained track leads right from the Glen Esk car park to the summit plateau. As a result, navigation is easier than most other Munro walks. At nearly 18km it is, however, on the long side in comparison to the other recommended walks in this list. That said, 8km of that is almost entirely flat as you walk through Glen Mark to the foot of the Munro, and the rest is gradually ascending by Munro standards. If you have a mountain bike, you could cycle the early part of the walk.

The Queen’s Well, a landmark built in honour of Queen Victoria, adds historical interest to the walk. Start in the Invermark car park in Glen Esk and follow the Water of Mark up to the Queen’s Well. It was built in 1861 to honour Queen Victoria who loved the area. She visited and drank the fresh spring water – although I don’t recommend you do that today as it doesn’t look quite as appetising these days!

Download a GPX file of the route.

In Peak Bagging Munros: Volume 1, the Mount Keen route can be found in the Braemar hub chapter.

It’s wildly remote, yet easily accessible. Beinn na Lap is a bit of a contradiction. Located in the isolated land between Lochs Ossian and Treig, this 935m mountain initially feels far-flung and cut-off; but, on closer inspection, is one of the most uncomplicated Munros out there. The proximity of Corrour train station makes the logistics infinitely easier and, to make a weekend of it, you can even stay overnight in the delightful Loch Ossian Youth Hostel – something I think everyone would benefit from doing at least once in their lifetime. Plus Beinn na Lap is neither high nor technical, which means it’s an excellent candidate for a beginner Munro.

Start the walk from Corrour railway station of Trainspotting film fame (you’ll need to leave your car at one of the stations on the line, like Rannoch railway station, as Corrour is not accessible by public road). Corrour Station House is the only establishment of its kind for miles, but whether you fancy a tangy slice of lemon drizzle and a brew after your hike, or venison casserole with a glass of Malbec, you can experience either one here at the self-dubbed 'UK's remotest restaurant'.

Download a GPX file of the route.

In Peak Bagging Munros: Volume 1, the Beinn na Lap route can be found in the Corrour hub chapter.

Ben More is the only island Munro featured in Volume 1 of Peak Bagging Munros and it requires a ferry from the mainland onto the Isle of Mull. The ferry in itself makes for an enjoyable escapade which helps to make Ben More a popular and memorable route. It will always have a special place in my heart as it was my own first ever Munro - my ‘transition mountain’ when I progressed from bagging Wainwrights in the Lake District to bagging the Munros of Scotland.

The simplest way up Ben More is from the track to Dhiseig, from which you can absorb the unparalleled coastal panorama out to the nearby islands of Ulva and Eorsa, over the Ardnamurchan peninsula on the mainland and, if you’re lucky, beyond to the mountainous Hebridean islands of Skye and Rùm on a very clear day. A real treat.

Start the route from the parking area beside Loch na Keal and return via the route of ascent.

Download a GPX file of the route.

In Peak Bagging Munros: Volume 1, the Ben More route can be found in the Oban hub chapter.