Walkers on Ben Hope, Scotland's most northerly munro. Photo: Bob Smith/grough

Outdoor fans are being invited to take part in a munrobagging challenge with a difference, to mark the centenary of the death of the man who gave his name to the 3,000ft mountains.

Hillwalkers, runners and climbers are being asked to summit one of Scotland’s munros within the next 12 months.

And organisers at the University of Dundee wants hillgoers to take a small bag with them and collect any litter they encounter on their journey.

In return for their efforts, each participant will be featured in an art publication which will document their mountain experience, with the intention of a travelling exhibition to follow.

The Munro Table project will also plant 282 high-altitude indigenous trees for each mountain climbed, in collaboration with Trees for Life. This is intended to help restore the unique wildlife-rich habitat called montane scrub.

The Munro Table project will launch on Tuesday 19 March, 100 years after the death of Sir Hugh Munro, who first detailed the list of Scotland’s peaks over 3,000ft.

Eddie Summerton of the university’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, said: “The diversity of walkers who have signed up so far is fantastic.

“Of course we have some of Scotland’s walking clubs and serious munrobaggers, who have already mapped out their weekends ahead with walks and climbs but we also have folk who are signing up who are returning to the hills for the first time in years, with a child or grandchild to accompany them.

“We’ve heard from a school teacher who is selecting the nearest munro to the school to include the walk in her class project and also a seriously ill walker, determined to participate in this ‘big walk’ to acknowledge their resistance to the illness.

“This year-long celebration of our hills is goes beyond the legacy of Sir Hugh Munro. It recognises the incredible infrastructure of volunteers who keep paths open, the national parks, the environmental charities and the right to roam.

“All of these help make Scotland one of the most spectacular places to walk.”

At the time of writing more than 200 of the total of 282 munros are still available to be chosen from the online list.

Organisers said those interested should be aware of the risks of hiking and hillwalking and should not sign up unless they already have experience in the mountains.

More details are on the Munro Table website.