Is there life after bagging all of the Munros?! What's next?!

As you draw closer to 'compleating' a round of the Scottish Munros, you will probably start wondering “What's next?”.  How do we follow that?

You will probably have very mixed feelings, with the excitement and achievement of having successfully completed a considerable challenge, and nagging doubts about how to fill all those hill days still to come.

Your final Munro will no doubt be tackled with reverence and trepidation. You will, by now, have been thinking “What's next?,” for some time.

Most people will have some ideas about “What's next?”, but here are a few suggestions. Your choice may be affected by your physical and mental state, or by other considerations life has put before you.

Most people will want to continue prowling the big hills for some time yet, albeit with the hope, possibility, and prospect, of new challenges and new scenery.

Do not worry. There is still enough to fill a lifetime! I should know I'm heading for 90 years old and I've been climbing hills since not long after I could walk.

I set out below some of my own thoughts about what may come next. They are not necessarily presented in any particular order, but all are, at this stage, well worthy of serious consideration before serious confrontation!

I've realised now (2026) that there are also great forums online discussing all kinds of topics, so I should really canvas broader opinions than my own. When I do this, I'll publish extra thoughts too. For now, this is where I landed in terms of thoughts in 2025 regarding 'what to tackle' after the Munros...

 1. The Corbetts

This will, to many, be the obvious and immediate choice. With around 220 to go at, and virtually all on new terrain the “Big Tickers” amongst us will find this very attractive.

And you can just carry on underlining in the same old “Munro Book”!

2.   The Munro Tops

All Munro Baggers will be familiar with Munro Tops! The Munro Tops are, for the uninitiated, mountain tops that are deemed part of an individual Munro's mass, but are not the highest point of that mass.

Some may be close to, and others possibly a mile or so away from the main Munro summit. So, they are close to a Munro, and close to being a Munro, but they are not as high as the main summit.

They are not deemed to be separate mountains, but are listed as outlying subsidiary summits.  i.e. “TOPS”

Naturally a “Top” must also exceed 3000ft. There is, obviously, sometimes, some discussion as to whether they are or are not, a separate mountain. The SMC sets itself up as the arbitrator on such matters.

Many “baggers” will have collected a number of these Tops on there rounds. But it is likely that many have not been done. But, they can be regarded as a continuation of what has already been begun. With about 230 such tops this is a worthy additional challenge for a “Bagger”.

Some may argue that doing the Tops is rather like “running all over previous hills just to pick up a few obscure bumps.” But don't be fooled!!

The reason that you didn't do them in the first place was probably because they were “off route”, so finding a new route up will add to the fun.

You can decide for yourself whether a repeat of the main peak is necessary or not. A tidy person will, again, relish the opportunity to fill in all those gaps in the “Munro Tables”.

If you have a new companion, or dog, this may give the incentive of a new challenge to be done together, but be sure they are capable and mountain compatible by having practice walks. And just dream of all those new lines in the book!

Non climbers should be aware that one or two Tops do require rock climbing/serious scrambling skills. So, like the Inn Pin, the need to hire a guide may occasionally be a good idea. Well worth the fee!

3. The “Once Was a Munro”

This is for the purists amongst us. For those who believe that “Sir Hugh Munro's Tables” should be “Sir Hugh Munro's Tables”.

There are around 20 or so hills that were included in Munro's original list but which have now been demoted. These need to be done!

And don't forget to add any new SMC additions since you completed. Alterations to the list have partly been due to re-surveying and partly due to subjective decisions about what constitutes “a separate mountain”.

So, do them, so when you say that you have “done the lot” you will truly mean that you have “done the lot.”

Personally I feel that the Munro's should be the list as originally compiled by Sir Hugh, regardless of their present height and perception. This idea seems out of favour, but.....

it is a sobering thought though that when Sir Hugh presented his findings to the SMC, the belief at that time was that there were only about 30 Scottish Mountains over 3000ft. How wrong can you be !!!

4. The Other Hills

The Corbett book that we used ourselves (SMC Vol 2. 1996) contained, at the back, a short list of about 60 or so “Other Hills”.

These are hills that do not meet the Corbett Criteria of 2500ft, but are considered meritable enough to deserve a mention in the book of Corbetts.

These “Other Hills” are mainly around the fringes of the Highlands, and invite the excuse to visit new islands.

Included are: Stac Pollaidh. Pap of Glencoe. Suilvan. Sgurr of Eigg. If you can't find the list then send me an email. (nev.wiseman@yahoo.co.uk), attention of Normal Neville!

5.   Another, perhaps little considered, challenge, is the Donalds

This is the 90 or so mountains lying in the so called Scottish Lowlands, but really the Southern Uplands (plus the Ochils), roughly between Hadrian's Wall and the Edinburgh/Glasgow divide.

These Donalds also have around 50 other tops! These are more easily accessible for the Sassenachs. I believe that 7 of the Donalds are also Corbetts.

A “Donald” has to attain 2000ft. They are in an under-rated, sparsely populated area, and contain many sparsely populated hills. This area opens up many new opportunities to visit new accommodation and hostelries. Travelling time and height gain may also be somewhat reduced for visitors from south of the border. A bonus for those not getting any younger!

6.   Eat, Sleep, Climb, Repeat!

Hardy souls (or soles!), who just cant get enough of the hard core Munro Pursuit may just prefer to say. “Lets do them all again!! I am happy just to return to the good old favourites.”

7.   Four Nations Option

Others may say: “What about the Irish and Welsh Munro's, not forgetting England's sparse contribution of three”?  There aren't many and a bit of planning may be required to explore perhaps totally new areas.

8.   The Grahams

If you yearn for new territory, and some empty (yes...empty) Scottish hills then the challenge of around 220 Grahams should not be neglected.

Many of these are “People Free” mountains where you often have to blaze your own trail. In itself this would be a new experience for some.

Grahams are hills between 2000ft and 2500ft, having a minimum drop of 500ft to any adjoining Hill. A bonus is that there are around 25 on the Islands. 

But don't be taken in. This is not an easy challenge.

9.   More Scottish Highland Challenges

Then, when you have completed ALL THE ABOVE, an examination of the vast mapping area of the Scottish Highlands will reveal a lifetime of remaining objectives.

There are hundreds of hills less than 2000ft, scores of long, delightfully unexplored ridges, and even smaller, but challenging, challenges.

And if you are definitely for staying in Scotland, then any number of Long Distance walks can be found or invented.

9.   Three Peaks Challenge

Another challenge if you have not already done it is to climb the highest mountain in each of Wales, England and Scotland in a given time span.

For example we once did it around 1968 with a group of 4 Scouts . We set our own challenge:- To get from the top of Ben Nevis to the top of Snowden via Scafell Pike in 48 hours. No Motorways in those days. No epic feat but a rewarding achievement.

Four years later five of us did the same thing as a Sponsored Event, raising the present day (2025) equivalent of £30,000, and losing Blackpool Mayoral Chains on the way. But that's another story, a brief version of which is published on my website www.scottishmunros.com in the introduction to my book Diary of a Munroist. A fuller version of the year as Deputy Mayor can be found on my other website www.normalneville.com

10.   Accessible Scotland

When you have, like me attained all or most of the above then email me and we'll either find an Asylum with a mountain view together (!) or you're probably ready, or have friends who are ready, from a mobility perspective, to be interested in a my 'Accessible Scotland' booklet.

This includes a route taking one of my old climbing friends and his partner around Scotland with his wheelchair. Oh and another wheelchair trip for ex Munroists or Mountaineers... we all get older but we all still love the hills!... around the Lake District. Still an adventure and time to really see some wildlife.

Well done everyone doing anyt Munros!!

Normal Neville

P.S.  My own record

Modest by some standards, I ended up with my team of 3 (plus occasional guest walkers), doing:-

The Munro's (Munroists 604/605/606)

Munro Tops (except 3)

Corbetts

Once was Munro's/Tops

"The Other Hills"

The Donald's

Plus some of the Grahams

This was all from Lancashire over the period 1980 to 2025 when, at heading for 90,  I am lucky to manage one or two new Graham's per year, although I did manage a repeat Munro last year (Carn an Tuirc, the Peak of the Wild Boar).

Make the most of every day. We don't know which will be our last.

Cheers

Normal Neville !!

PPS.

There is a 2021 book by Alan Dawson titled “The 1033 High Hills of Britain” which is well worth a read before, or even after, embarking on, or considering a particular challenge.

If you like this blog please give me a star rating, a comment or a 'heart' below. Or all three would be amazing! If you scroll right down towards the end of the page you will find where you can do this... and see other people's comments. Huge thanks for interacting it will keep me posting!- Normal Neville.