Ups and Downs – The Story of Handbook of the Scottish Hills

In 1989 Wafaida published the Handbook of the Scottish Hills, in which Dr Eric Yeaman listed 2,435 Scottish hills that met his set critera:  ‘for the purposes of this Handbook, a hill is defined as an eminence which has an ascent of 100 m all round or, failing that, is at least 5 km (walking distance) from any higher point’.

Yeaman’s 100-metre criterion was revolutionary in that it dispensed with the standard two-pronged approach of minimum height and minimum drop which had previously been used to differentiate hills.  It was the first publication that used relative height only, with no minimum absolute height.

Over subsequent years an update sheet listed an additional 66 hills, 11 deletions and 6 substitutions, one of which was later reversed, with the final total of hills that have become known as Yeamans being 2,490.

Ups and Downs – The Story of Handbook of the Scottish Hills is a complimentary volume to the book that was published thirty-one years ago.  It is not another hill list:  it details the conception, compilation, publishing and marketing of the Handbook, along with the subsequent hill-related correspondence.  Thus, in addition to being an insight into the Handbook, it provides an interesting practical guide for anyone contemplating self-publishing.

Ups and Downs – The Story of Handbook of the Scottish Hills is available from Mapping Mountains Publications, and also, as an e-book from Smashwords.

Download the e-booklet version for use on a PC, laptop, or e-reader.

The booklet can be downloaded by clicking on the link below:

·        Ups and Downs – The Story of Handbook of the Scottish Hills  – e-booklet version