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Walking Highland Perthshire
paperback: 174 x 117mm also available as ebook at same pricefull colour pictures and sketch maps
Cicerone 2013: £15: ISBN 978 1 85284 673 2
The hills of Highland Perthshire are spacious and soothing. The grassy, pebbly plateaux and rounded ridges are a place to relax after the rigours of Scotland's rocky north and west. But relaxation is relative, when Scottish hills are concerned. They may be soft edged, and noted for their wild flowers, but easy they aren't.
Jolly green giants: those are the hills of Perthshire. And from Schiehallion to Atholl, from Rannoch to Ben Vrackie, there are a lot of them. Long, long slopes of soggy grass drop to peaty cols. Cross five or six chocolate-coloured peat-streams, hop in and out of a hag, and you'll be eager to get back to grips with another of the long grass slopes.
• 42 Munros, 22 Corbetts, plus low-level routes
• Multiple routes for Ben Lawers
• not to mention Beinn a' Ghlo, Ben Alder and the Bridge of Orchy group
• Small hills include Shee of Artdalnaig and Birnam Hill
• All three Atholl passes
extracts, sample route or two, contents listing and some pictures on the Cicerone Press website
reviews
It's astounding how much Cicerone's walking guides pack into a genuinely pocket-sized space. This one has 80 routes, clear maps and instantly noticeable symbols showing level of difficulty and time required – yet there's also a wealth of photographs and quirky facts, including the number of Munros bagged by Queen Victoria (nine). Scotland Outdoors Autumn 2013What a gem of a book. It is a model of accuracy, information, and mapping. It engenders interest in the geology and glaciation which formed our landscape, and the flora and fauna which inhabit it. Add to that judicious details of past and present human use, and you have full interest and fascination in the walks.
The 80 routes are well chosen, well characterised in terms of distance and terrain, and described in considerable, accurate detail. The routes up Munros and Corbetts are not the standard Hill Bagger's routes; these routes augment the hill walker's choices of hill approach, and give an opportunity to increase the walker's enjoyment of the hills. The low level routes are choc a bloc with interesting local details. The many delightful photographs add to the understanding of the routes.
All of this is included in a small volume, fit for the hand, rucksack or pocket, on leaded paper within plasticised covers. It is thus a must for those who love our county. Armchair walkers need not leave the sofa; walkers will enjoy using it before, during and after their walks.
I cannot recommend it highly enough. Hamish McBride (www.highlandperthshirenews.co.uk website )