The Scottish Mountaineering Club was formed in Glasgow in 1889, as a result of correspondence in the Glasgow Herald initiated by William W. Naismith. Although other Scottish clubs existed at this time, such as the Cairngorm Club, these had only local membership and limited technical aspirations. By contrast, the founder members of the SMC included a good number who already had Alpine experience and wished to use their skills in their native country.
In the early 1960s the SMC formed a charitable trust, the Scottish Mountaineering Trust. Part funded by revenue from the SMC's guidebooks, the Trust has given support to many projects over the years, including to the National Trust for Scotland and of the John Muir Trust and to footpath maintenance projects generally. The Trust also supports Mountaineering Scotland.
Publisher's website 2018
The heartland of the Scottish mountains, bounded by Rannoch Moor, the Great Glen, and Drumochter Pass. Includes Ben Nevis and the Grey Corries, The Mamores, Glen Coe and Ben Cruachan as well as the Laggan, Drumochter and Monadh Liath hills. Colour illustrations, maps, sections on history, fauna, flora, geology & land use.