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Climber Laura completes 'full house' of 1,072 peaks around UK

Paul HastieBBC Scotland
News imageLaura Baillie Person taking a selfie on a rocky mountain ridge, wearing a red hiking top and backpack, with rugged stone formations, grassy slopes, and dramatic cloudy skies in the background.Laura Baillie
Laura has become part of the elite group to complete the "full house"

It is a big day for Scottish climber Laura Baillie who has completed the "full house" of the UK's highest peaks.

Reaching the top of Carn na h-Easgainn in the Highlands, the 38-year-old becomes one of an elite group of about 100 people who have stood on all 1,072 summits.

To complete the Scottish Mountaineering Club challenge, hikers must tick off every Munro, Munro Top, Corbett, Graham and Donald in Scotland - as well as every Furth in England, Wales and Ireland too.

At 2,025ft (617m), Laura said she chose Carn na h-Easgainn as a simple final ascent so family and friends could be there to celebrate her achievement.

Even her 89-year-old granny was able to be there on the summit near Tomatin, south of Inverness.

News imageA group of around 20 people pose around a concrete trig point on a grassy hilltop under cloudy skies. Several people hold walking poles and drinks, while one person sits in a folding chair in the foreground. The landscape stretches into the distance behind the group, suggesting a hillwalking or summit gathering.
Friends and family joined Laura at the summit of Carn na h-Easgainn

Laura said: "I left that one for last so that friends and family can join. I left them a super-easy one, it's an estate track all the way up.

"I'd been contacting estate owners and energy companies to find out who owned the land.

"With my gran turning 90 next month, my mum was granted access to drive her all the way to the summit, which is so, so special."

Laura is among the youngest women to complete the challenge, which can involve years of travelling to remote locations across the UK and Ireland.

News imageLaura Baillie Person standing on a rocky mountain trail wearing a teal hiking top, backpack, and orange hiking shoes, holding a trekking pole. Expansive coastal landscape stretches into the distance with green fields, rugged hills, peninsulas, blue ocean, and dramatic low clouds overhead.Laura Baillie
Laura is one of the youngest women to complete the mammoth challenge

What mountains are in the 'full house' climbing challenge?

Scottish Mountaineering Club requires climbers to reach 1,072 summits across six different hill classifications to complete the "full house".

  • Munros(282) - Scottish mountains over 3000ft (914m)
  • Munro tops (226) - Mountains over 3000ft which do not have "sufficient separation" from their neighbouring peaks
  • Corbetts (222) - Scottish peaks higher than 2500ft (762m) but less than 3000ft
  • Grahams (219) - Scottish hills higher than 1968ft (600m) but under 2500ft (762m)
  • Donalds (89) - Hills in the Scottish Lowlands over 2000ft (610m)
  • Furths (34) - Mountains over 3,000ft (914m) in England, Wales and Ireland

Laura's effort involved countless early mornings and weekends away, remote routes, wild camping, and hiking in every kind of weather imaginable.

"The Corbetts are the most difficult," she told BBC Radio Scotland.

"There is a lot of pathless terrain, chest-deep bracken and your just cursing yourself and wondering why you can't just find another hobby.

"The Munros are quite defined pathwise, but you don't have to stick to a path you can make up your own routes as well.

"The more experience you get, the more confidence you have sitting with a map, creating your own routes and joining up hills that maybe other people wouldn't do."

News imageLaura Baillie Person hiking uphill on a narrow mountain trail using trekking poles, surrounded by rolling heather-covered hills and distant snow-capped peaks under a clear blue sky.Laura Baillie
Laura's feat involved countless weekends away following remote routes

Laura isn't a professional athlete. It has been a personal challenge for her alongside her everyday life in Glasgow as a property manager.

She has done it through sheer determination, commitment and a genuine love of Scotland's hills.

"I reckon I probably go out myself about 75 per cent of the time. You're in the most isolated parts of Scotland, you've got no phone reception.

"So I do check in with family and friends, give them my routes at the beginning of the walk, my ETA for when I finish.

"I check in to keep people informed so I don't have mountain rescue out looking for me."

Most skilled climbers

Just over 100 people are now registered with the Scottish Mountaineering Club as having accomplished the Full House feat.

In April last year, nine-year-old Kerry Blue Terrier Betty became the first dog to complete the challenge alongside her owner Shona Marshall.

The Scottish Mountaineering Club dates back to 1889 and its members have included many of Scotland's most skilled climbers.

Climbers must complete at least 50 Munros before they will be considered for membership, and have experience rock climbing and hiking in all weathers and seasons.