I am always delighted to hear of someone finishing a Munro round. For many people, it is a long-term project and numerous days and years of determined effort. Recently, I learned of Margaret Somerville, who at the age of 73, had finally realised a dream of reaching her final Munro summit. Here is her story:
Margaret, 73, reaches final summit in Munro round
On May 27, 2026, Margaret joined an elite group of people who have completed all 282 of Scotland’s tallest mountains. She reached the summit of Ben Lomond, her final Munro, surrounded by a group of family and friends.
It had taken Margaret, of Inverness, 25 years to complete her round, having started on Fionn Bheinn, Achnasheen, on April 2, 2002.
Margaret said: “Ben Lomond was very memorable, not so much because it was the last, but to have so many friends and family there was very special. One of our group was in his eighth decade and it was his first Munro.
“We were fortunate because it was the tail end of the May heatwave and the views were wonderful.”
Margaret came to Munro bagging after signing up for a walk through the Lairig Ghru. She started hill walking as part of the training and then continued while training for another Scottish event, the Highland Cross.
By this point, in her late 40s, she had resumed a career after bringing up her three children with husband Donald.
Margaret originally graduated in 1976 at Edinburgh University with a B.Sc in Nursing Studies. She later worked in the medical charity sector and retired in 2018 as director of a national charity.
As Margaret started hill walking, Donald also rediscovered his passion for the Munros.
Margaret said: “Donald realised he had almost bagged 50 per cent of the Munros and recovered the bug he lost during our child rearing years and due to work commitments. He became much more focused on his tally and I happily accompanied him for most of his outings.”
Donald went on to complete a round of Munros and Corbetts and when Margaret’s tally reached 120, she thought she might go on to do them all.
Margaret said: “Our best decade of walking was from 2010 and this was despite Donald having a hip replacement and me breaking a leg in 2017 when I slipped on a wet railway platform.
“Over the years, I’ve had so many memorable great days. A 17-hour day in the Fisherfield in baking heat; the CMD arête towards Ben Nevis; and the In Pinn on the Isle of Skye, which was surprising straight forward with a guide, although I confess I did struggle on the so-called bad step of Am Basteir, also in the Cuillin, on a wet and windy day.”
Margaret has greatly enjoyed the Munro bagging and has no plans to stop hill walking. She had this advice for older people: “I’d say to other 70 year olds – and older – make sure your first hill is done in good weather so that you have beautiful views.
“And always be ready to turn back if the weather worsens, or if you become too tired, as I have done. The hills will always be there.”
She has also noticed a change in the hill-walking demographic over the last couple of decades. She said: “A lot more women seem to be hill walking these days.
“On a recent walk Ben Wyvis, there more female groups than male and I’m sure they also seemed stronger!”