Building a Modern Munro Tracking App: A Developer’s Journey from Novice to Creator

As an aspiring web developer seeking new challenges, I’m excited to share my latest side project idea — and I’d love to gather some insights and feedback from the community.

A bit of background: I’ve been working in web development for several years, primarily utilizing low-code and no-code platforms like Squarespace and Webflow. I’m comfortable with HTML and CSS, and I’ve dabbled in JavaScript, creating some custom plugins along the way. However, I feel my skills have plateaued, and I’m eager to push myself further by building something meaningful that I’d actually use.

My passion for exploring the Scottish landscapes has inspired this project. I’m an avid hill-walker, and in Scotland, there’s a popular activity called ‘Munro Bagging’ — the act of climbing and completing the list of Munros, which are peaks over 3,000 feet tall. There are 282 of these mountains, and many enthusiasts track their progress online.

Existing websites like munromap.co.uk and munrobagger.scot serve this purpose but tend to feel outdated and lack modern features. I want to develop a sleek, single-page application that offers a more refined user experience, complete with added features such as social integration to compare lists and plan trips with friends.

Here’s my current plan regarding the tech stack:

• Frontend: Next.js paired with Tailwind CSS — I want clean, SEO-friendly pages for each Munro info location.
• Mapping: Mapbox GL — for interactive and beautiful maps.
• Backend & Authentication: Supabase — for database management, user accounts, and real-time features.
• Hosting & Deployment: Vercel — to facilitate smooth deployment and scaling.

Given my current experience level, am I heading in the right direction? Are there alternatives I should consider, or additional tools that could enhance this project? I recognize this is a significant leap from my existing skills, but I’m eager to learn and grow.

Any advice, feedback, or suggestions would be immensely appreciated. Thanks in advance!