The Special Collections Reading Room will be closed 10am to 1pm on Wednesday 16 September. It will then reopen until our usual closing time of 7pm.

National Library of Scotland

Sports and recreation

Explore Scotland's sports and recreation, from historic golf stories to thrilling mountaineering adventures, and discover the nation's diverse athletic heritage.

Pioneering mountain women

19th to 20th century women climbers needed grit—not just for peaks, but to defy societal norms that doubted their place in mountaineering.
Mountain peaks

Early moments in Scottish golf

Ten golfing firsts in Scotland, including the first written rules, being outlawed, and surprising stories.
A group of men playing golf on a course with rolling hills and buildings in the background.