Sgurr nan Gillean From SligachanBlack and blue were the only colours in town last week on the not-so-Misty Isle. Yes, the grass on the lower slopes is slowly turning green, a yellow sun ignited the landscape (literally, as it turned out in some parts) and a blue-green sea shimmered forever all around. However, it was the black gabbro of the Skye Ridge and the unbelievable blue of the Hebridean sky that predominated hour after hour as we scrambled, tip-toed and heaved ourselves over the UK’s finest mountain range.
Bla Bheinn & Loch Slapin
Bla Bheinn
This is always a good one to start with. A straightforward Scottish mountain complete with a short (but interesting) walk-in, towering (but avoidable) cliffs and a great (but great) view of the main Cuillin ridge a few miles to the west. As with all Cuillin summits, the climb starts from sea level from a much needed new car park on the shores of Loch Slapin.
The Skye Ridge From Bla Bheinn
The path follows the north bank of the Allt na Dunaiche and up into grassy Coire Uaigneich before climbing mixed ground up onto the rock-strewn summit of Bla Bheinn (928m; blue hill). Today – as in all the days that followed – the sun shone, the sky quickly dispatching any small cloud that dared to appear and the views just kept coming. We traversed across to the south summit and descended the tricky gravelly path back down into the corrie. There was even time for some sublime sunbathing.
Sgurr nan Gillean
For many, this is Skye’s finest peak and it is hard to argue the point. This graceful soaring rock cone sends down 3 sharp ridges from its perfect summit high above the surrounding glens and in clear view (on a good day) of the strategically-placed Sligachan Hotel. Such an aloof position doesn’t come without a hitch – the long walk-in from the ‘Slig’ can seem interminable, particularly on the descent when the white smudge of the hotel can appear to be getting no closer tired footstep after tired footstep!
Scrambling on Sgurr nan Gillean's South-East Ridge
This is a small price to pay though for attaining such a grand peak which is guaranteed to excite in the higher reaches of whatever ridge you take. For the hillwalker, this will generally be the ‘tourist route’ that follows the excellent path south from the Slig and into Coire Riabhach. The real climbing starts out of this corrie and up onto the mountain’s south-east ridge from where you will hopefully be able to see the whole Cuillin Ridge across wide Harta Corrie. Once again, sun and sky accompanied us as we turned right and climbed up the ever-steepening and narrowing ridge towards the summit.
Am Basteir & Bruach na Frithe From Sgurr nan Gillean
The scrambling is exposed in places and it is not a place for the faint-hearted; but the rewards are great and sooner than expected, the typically small summit cairn (Cuillin summits are too tiny for big cairns!) is yours and you too can by king for the day on Sgurr nan Gillean (964m; peak of the young men). We descended the same way (as you generally do on Gillean) and celebrated with a leisurely sunbathe/foot-soak beside the cooling waters of the Allt Dearg Beag. Eventually, the distant white smudge became the Sligachan hotel became Seamus’ Bar became a sweet pint of the Cuillin brewery’s finest! A grand day!
Marsco
Sgurr nan Eag, Sgurr Dubh Mor, Sgurr Alasdair & Sgurr Mhic Choinnich
Day 3 and it was time to get serious with the Edinburgh bankers and Shauna from Canada all of whom were intent on burning up the miles for Munro glory! These 4 particular Munros, the ‘southern 4’ on the Skye Ridge, can be achieved in one very long day by a strong, fit and dedicated group with good weather and long daylight. We were fortunate to have all of these – in spades!
Sgurr nan Eag Above Coir a' Ghrunnda
We strode manfully out from the Glen Brittle campsite across the grass moors and eventually into the ice-scoured rock amphitheatre of Coir a’ Ghrunnda. Some minor entertainment was provided by the ringing rocks: boulders of peridotite, an igneous rock, that ring with a hollow tinny sound when struck with another rock (not your hand)! Then it was back to work with an ascent of the scree path and a short traverse to the day’s first (and easiest) summit, Sgurr nan Eag (924m; peak of the notches)
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Sgurr Alasdair Above Coir a' Ghrunnda
Photos taken, we re-traced our steps a short way before following the ridge north past the rock tower of the Castle and scrambling up on to Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn (938m; black peak of the two mountains). Here, we diverted from the main ridge to take in our second Munro of the day. This lies tantalisingly off the main ridge, albeit via a tricky descent to the intervening bealach and an even trickier zig-zag ascent of Sgurr Dubh Mor (944m; big black peak). Photos taken, we re-traced our steps (are you getting the picture) and found ourselves once again on Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn. Here, a brief demonstration with compass and gabbro highlighted a 90° swing in the compass needle – interesting but not really a problem for navigation if you hold the compass away from the rock (like you should do)!
We continued north below the deep gash of the Thearlaich-Dubh (TD) Gap and towering gabbro cliffs of Sgurr Alasdair to the Sgumain cave before ‘shinning up’ a convenient chimney (which Richard struggled to say nice things about) and scrambling up to the very top of Skye, the sublime airy summit of Sgurr Alasdair (993m; Alexander's Peak). Heat haze precluded a distant view of far-off St Kilda but we couldn’t complain as the sun continued to reign supreme over far and wide. As we left the summit, a young Polish couple approached us, he full of excitement as he grasped the summit cairn, she full of something else as she held back 100m short of the summit and not very sure at all about continuing. Not for the first time, Mr Hillways came to the rescue and with the help of the others, coaxed, cajoled and escorted her for the final few steps she needed to make her day complete. Think we all learned a few new Polish words that day!
The View South From Sgurr Alasdair
Next up was the intricate roof-top traverse of Sgurr Thearlaich (973m; Charlie's Peak); difficult to get up, difficult to get down; but a real highlight if you have the nerve (and route-finding skills)! This puts you below King’s Chimney that leads up the vertical southern nose of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. There’s no need for mere mortals to get the rope out though as the mountain’s most essential feature, the wonderful highway in the sky that is Collie’s Ledge, provides a fabulous, if unlikely, escape route around the mountain’s western face high above Coire Lagan. The ledge leads all too quickly back on to the ridge line which is followed south to the tiny summit cairn of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich (948m; Mackenzie's Peak). In warm evening sunlight we traversed back north to the top of the An Stac screes which we shuffled down before giving up the mountains for the day and following the well-made path back to Glen Brittle.
All Smiles on Collie's Ridge!
This is probably the biggest single day you can have on the Skye ridge, apart from undertaking the complete traverse. Today, it took us 11 hrs which is typical. It’s a day that needs to be taken at a measured pace and with great care over route finding and foot placement. In many places, the implications of a slip could spoil your whole day, so go carefully, take the right equipment and if in any doubt, employ a guide.
Looking Back at Coire Lagan
MGB - Sgurr a'Mhadaidh, Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh & Sgurr na Banachdich
An easier day than the previous one (not hard to find), but still a solid 8 hrs of exposed rock scrambling and airy ups and downs. We started as is normal for these 3 peaks from the Glen Brittle youth hostel. After some very impressive and typically pretty parking from Jim we followed the good path up into Coire a’ Ghreadaidh. Grassy slopes lead to scree and a stiff climb below the distinctive gash of An Dorus (the door).
We left the sacks and quickly scrambled up our first Munro, and the lowest one on the ridge, Sgurr a’ Mhadaidh (918m; peak of the fox). Back to An Dorus to retrieve the sacks and then it was sweetly up the difficult step on the other side past the Eag Dubh (black notch), around the seemingly impassable Wart and quickly on to the diminutive summit cairn of Sgurr a’ Ghreadaidh (973m; peak of torment).
Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh
From here the fun really starts and one of the country’s most sensational and exposed scrambles leads to the Ghreadaidh’s southern summit before the ridge turns south-west and descends steeply to a rare thing in the Cuillin - a grassy bealach! On the way Richard renewed his acquaintance with a couple he’d met the previous day when helping the lady – with some delicacy - down a difficult step on Sgurr Dubh Mor. From here, we climbed past the Teeth and up and over Sgurr Thormaid (927m; Norman's Peak) before scrambling up the scree to our last peak of the trip, Sgurr na Banachdich (965m; peak of smallpox). A raven circled, encouraged no doubt by our somewhat bedraggled state but we left him to the discarded pistachio nut shells on the summit and descended wearily into Coir’ an Eich for one last sunny trudge back into Glen Brittle.
The Skye Ridge
Tired, exhausted and sweat-soaked we may have been; but the achievement of climbing 7 Cuillin peaks in just 2 days over rocky spires, sharp ridges and the greatest scrambles in the land could not be dented and we walked into the sunset with heads held high and hearts on fire. There was also Jim’s parking to admire.....
Happy Days!
Check out my future plans for similar walks on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm
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