An announcement on the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) website acknowledges the official demotion of Beinn a'Chlaidheimh from the Munro tables. For baggers yet to complete their list life has just got a little easier. There are now only 282 Munros.

The revision follows a survey of the mountain by the Munro Society last year (reported here on UKH) which found that it narrowly missed the 3000-foot (914.4m) threshold. Before conceding the new figure the SMC, custodians of Munro's hallowed Tables, awaited Ordnance Survey confirmation of the revised height.

The mountain stands in the Fisherfield Forest, one of the wildest areas in Scotland, and forms part of the classic Fisherfield Six horseshoe. Fans of lists and figures might care, but others will suggest that though the numbers have changed the hills are as good as they've always been, and that the 'Six' are no less fantastic for including only five official Munros and one nearly-ran.

'And then there were 282' say the SMC.

'Following confirmation that the Ordnance Survey will adopt the height information from last year's survey of Beinn a'Chlaidheimh, The Scottish Mountaineering Club can confirm that, at 2998ft and 7inches or 913.96m, the mountain has had its Munro status rescinded.'

However it's not all bad news for the mountain, which was for many years classed as a Corbett in any case, and now gets to re-join that other great and utterly arbitrary imperial-measurement tick list..

'With respect to the mountain's long service to the hillwalking community - and the fact it is greater than 2500ft but less than 3000ft with a relative height of at least 500ft - The Scottish Mountaineering Club are delighted to confer Corbett status upon this fine hill.'

The Munro's Table and Corbett Table on the SMC website have been updated, and future club publications will also reflect this change.

'We need hardly add' say the SMC 'that anyone who walks the mountains and hills of Scotland out of a love for their ambience, will continue to appreciate this fine mountain regardless of the category [in which] the mountain finds itself placed.'

Quite.