Nick Crane
The BBC are to show their new documentary ‘Munro – Mountain Man’ next Sunday 20th September at 9pm on BBC4.
It tells the story of Sir Hugh Munro, the magnificent mountains that bear his name and the people who have been possessed by them.
Little over 100 years ago, the Scottish mountains standing at more than 3,000 feet were virtually unknown. Today they are familiar terrain to many thousands of climbers, thanks to Hugh Munro’s determination to list the high peaks which now define the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
The birth of the Munro-bagging obsession is a twisting tale of intrigue which presenter Nicholas Crane unravels high on the ridges and pinnacles of some of Scotland’s most spectacular mountains.
Munro, who had already conquered some of the most challenging peaks on continental Europe, relished the chance to become an explorer in his own land, and set out to climb more than 500 summits.
But Nick reveals that Munro was not the only intrepid character on a quest through the Scottish mountains. This trek back in time also leads to the remarkable story of Rev Archie Robertson, a tough and charismatic climber who set off on his own mission to tick off all the mountains on Munro’s list – and found a shortcut which allowed him to complete the task ahead of Munro himself.
Crane, who has been climbing the Scottish mountains since he was a teenager, and has bagged more than 70 Munros, recounts Hugh Munro’s remarkable story and meets the climbing enthusiasts and experts who continue to follow in his footsteps.
His odyssey also takes him back to the Isle of Skye where he attempts to scale one of the most fearsome peaks among the Munros. The programme was shot earlier in the year and the shoot on the Cuillin in particular coincided with some superb weather, so this won’t be one to miss.