Highland Journal

Book excerpt: Jack’s love of hillwalking began with a trip to the North-West Highlands where he and his son, Tom, began to explore the extraordinary mountains of Coigach and Inverpolly. Now this experienced hillwalker and geographer writes Highland Journal, an illustrated memoir looking back on his adventures. Joining the Jolly Boys, an anarchic group of Munro baggers, Jack was initiated into the world of hillwalking. Highland Journal records his adventures, the geology, the natural history and the idiosyncrasies of his climbing companions. With hair-raising moments such as walks in the deep snows of the Highland winter using crampons and ice axe and a mountain rescue on the Cuillin of Skye, readers witness the author’s transition from wide-eyed hillwalking novice to competent mountaineer. Illustrated with Jack’s own drawings and watercolours, Highland Journal also includes distinctive relief maps of each mountain climbed. The book will appeal to hillwalkers and Munro baggers, as well as readers interested in landscape and wildlife and lovers of adventure.