Scotland could be getting a new Munro

SCOTLAND could be getting a new Munro after modern technology found that a mountain near to Ben Nevis was 6.6 metres higher than originally thought.

Mullach nan Coirean, in the Scottish Highlands. Picture: Andrew Smith / geographic.co.uk/ wiki commons.

The Mullach nan Coirean East Top, located in the Mamore range, was originally recorded as being 910 metres (2,986 ft) tall.

But now mountain experts say it is actually 916.6 metres (3,007ft) high - meaning it hits Munro status by just 7ft.

The discovery could mean that thousands of “completists” - people who have bagged all 282 Munros - will have to hunt out their climbing gear to tackle one more.

The distinctive red granite peak, near Kinlochleven in the Scottish Highlands, has a stunning view of Ben Nevis and doesn’t currently have a spot height on official Ordnance Survey maps.

But now the Munro Society and Ordnance Survey is investigating reports submitted by Alan Dawson of Pedantic Surveys who made the discovery.

According to Scottish Mountaineer magazine, the surveyed height has been validated and shown to be accurate to within 5cm.

They reported that Alan said there is little doubt that it would have been included in Hugh Munro’s list of Scottish hills over 3000 feet high had he known it’s correct height.

A spokesman for the Ordnance Survey yesterday said it could take a number of weeks to confirm whether the Mullach nan Coirean East Top will be given Munro status.

Munro-bagging is popular among climbing enthusiasts who challenge themselves to tackle all 282 Scottish mountains.

In 1891, Sir Hugh Munro, an original member of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, published his ‘Munro Tables’, which identified all summits over 3,000 feet.

His original list featured 538 summits, 282 of which were “Munros,” classified as being of “sufficient separation” from their neighbouring tops.

The concept of “Munro-bagging” was popularised by the publication of Hamish’s Mountain Walk, by Hamish Brown, in 1974.

The book documented Brown’s four-month journey around all the Munros.

The highest peak is Ben Nevis which sits at 4,411 ft (1,345 metres) in height.

And the fastest enthusiast to bag all 282 Munros is believed to be Stephen Pyke who took 39 days, nine hours and six minutes to climb all the qualifying Scottish mountains in 2010.