Hugh Munro

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Sir Hugh Thomas Munro (1856–1919) was a Scottish mountaineer who is best known for his list of mountains in Scotland over 3,000 feet (914.4 metres), known as the Munros.

Munro was born in London, but was brought up in Scotland on the family estate of Lindertis near Kirriemuir in Angus. He was an avid hillwalker, and was a founder member of the Scottish Mountaineering Club in 1889. He produced his list of 3,000-foot mountains two years later in 1891. This list caused much surprise in mountaineering circles, as until his list was produced many thought that the number of mountains exceeding this height was around 30, rather than the nearly 300 that he listed. These mountains are now known as Munros and it is a popular hobby to attempt to climb them all.

Hugh Munro never completed his own list. Of his original list he failed to climb one mountain in the Cairngorms (Carn Cloich-Mhuillin), which he was saving to be his last. At the time of his death he had produced a revised version of the list, adding Carn an Fhidhleir, which he had also yet to climb. Sir Hugh is often credited with missing out the Inaccessible Pinnacle of Sgurr Dearg, on the Isle of Skye, a peak which there is no record of his having climbed. However, the "In Pinn" was not included in either of the lists produced during his lifetime, despite being several feet higher than Sgurr Dearg, which was included. The first person to achieve the feat is generally regarded as being the Rev. A. E. Robertson in 1901.

In addition to his mountaineering interests, Munro was well travelled, and made trips to Europe, Asia and Africa during his lifetime.

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