The Hughs Volume 1 by Andrew Dempster sampler

12 introduction
from its craggy, airy summit. Among Hughs blessed with both a fantastic position
and wide-ranging summit views (but rarely climbed) is Ben Hutig in the far north
(Route 88).
Accessibility
Someone once commented that hills under 2,000 feet are for people over 60.
This is unwarranted, given that older folk, some into their 80s, are still capable
of climbing Munros. It is true to say that a good number of Hughs are entry-level
hills, but some require as much effort and commitment as a Munro or Corbett,
especially hills such as Creag Riabhach or the Stack of Glencoul which are situated
in remote, wild areas.
Many mainland Hughs are situated in areas mostly devoid of Munros, Corbetts
and Grahams – a quarter in the Southern Uplands and the East of Scotland,
another quarter straddling the Highland Edge or in the Central Belt. Hughs in
settings not characterised by high mountains, such as Meikle Bin in the Campsies
and West Lomond in Fife, therefore tend to stand out significantly.
Views
Climbing wee hills and enjoying the view is better than climbing big hills in mist.
Big isn’t always beautiful. The view from a smaller hill often has impact and
three-dimensionality, as it is not looking down on other hills and is less dominated
by the horizon.
Probably the best view of the Cuillin ridge on Skye is from a wee hill called
Sgurr na Stri. From this island Hugh, there is an unparalleled vista of the entire
ridge, of Blaven and of the islands of Soay, Rum and Eigg. I have climbed this
rocky eminence on countless occasions, by a variety of routes and never tire of
its magic and charm.
Hughs vs Marilyns and Humps
As the best hills under 2,000ft, the Hughs do not constitute a comprehensive and
all-inclusive list. For that, you must turn to the Marilyns (see Note on Classifications),
or extend the Marilyn 150m drop criterion down to 100m and climb
what are known as the ‘Humps’ – a loose acronym of ‘Hills with 100m of prominence’.
(There are over 1,200 Humps under 2,000ft in Scotland – a list too far in
my opinion. In Great Britain the total number of Humps, regardless of absolute
height, is almost 3,000!)