The Scottish Mountaineering Club was formed in Glasgow in 1889, as a result of correspondence in the Glasgow Herald initiated by William W. Naismith. Although other Scottish clubs existed at this time, such as the Cairngorm Club, these had only local membership and limited technical aspirations. By contrast, the founder members of the SMC included a good number who already had Alpine experience and wished to use their skills in their native country.
In the early 1960s the SMC formed a charitable trust, the Scottish Mountaineering Trust. Part funded by revenue from the SMC's guidebooks, the Trust has given support to many projects over the years, including to the National Trust for Scotland and of the John Muir Trust and to footpath maintenance projects generally. The Trust also supports Mountaineering Scotland.
Publisher's website 2018
This fascinating book explains the origin and the meaning of the names of Scotland’s hills, as well as how to pronounce them. It also brings together many of the legends and stories behind particular hill names.
Written by Peter Drummond, it is a thoroughly researched, completely revised and expanded second edition which builds on the success of its predecessor. Many new names are detailed, including a significant increase in the coverage of Borders hill names and old forms of many hill names from 17th and 18th century maps brought to bear in explanations.
The hills of Scotland are a significant part of the landscape and the names of these hills reflect the rich social and cultural history of Scotland over the past 500 years and all who have been there. These names are a legacy of the past and this book opens the door to this fascinating world.
