Tales from the hills

Hillwalkers and climbers who can put their love for the mountains and mountaineering into words are being invited to take part in Mountaineering Scotland’s annual literary competition.

The Mountaineering Scotland Writing Competition 2018 is looking for the best in new mountain writing, whether fact or fiction, prose or poetry.

 With more and more people taking art in outdoor activities, there should be no shortage of adventurers ready to put their experiences into words and share what makes mountains, or the act of walking or climbing so special to them. And there’s an added incentive this year, with an increase in the prize money on offer.

 First prize in both prose and poetry sections is now £200, along with a pair of weekend tickets for the Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival, worth about £100 each. Second and third prize winners in each section will receive £100 and £50 respectively.

 As well as the cash prizes, winners will see their entries in print in the Scottish Mountaineer, the quarterly Mountaineering Scotland magazine which goes out to its more than 14,000 members.

 Winning entries are also published on the Mountaineering Scotland website.

 Run since 1987, the competition is open to members and non-members alike and regularly attracts entries from all over the UK, with all contributions having some connection with mountains and mountaineering, rock or ice climbing, walking or ski-mountaineering.

 Prose entries should be a maximum of 2,000 words long. Poetry entries should be a maximum of 200 words.

 Entries should be sent by email to the MWC Coordinator, Tommy McManmon, by 31^st August at the latest, at article@mountaineering.scot

 Full details and rules of the competition are available here.