Skye - 2010

The In Pinn Bristling With Climbers.

Another spell on Skye has just finished with some rewarding, but long and hard days on the Cuillin Ridge. The weather has been mixed, but never poor enough to curtail a day’s activity. The company has been second to none as first Mark and Peter, and then Callum, Doreen (from Peebles), Pete, Mark, Irene, Peter and Simon accompanied the good Doctor and myself up the length and breadth of the Misty Isle’s highest peaks.

Bla Bheinn on a Better day!

This mountain marathon started with a damp ascent of Bla Bheinn with Mark where all the views were virtual and the mountain quiet until four wonderful search and rescue border collies accompanied by local guide Tony Hanly arrived on the summit. Bla Bheinn offers a short day (and there aren’t many of those to be had around here) and is a good choice if the weather is not so good. But do try and climb it at least once on a good day as its isolated position away from the main ridge makes it a superlative viewpoint.

The second day gave us warm sunshine and we toiled up the Great Stone Shoot in Coire Lagan and up on to the spectacular summit cone of Skye’s highest point: Sgurr Alasdair. The visibility was not quite good enough to give us a view of St Kilda but we weren’t complaining and were just content that the rock was dry for our airy traverse of Sgurr Thearlich and Collie’s Ledge to our second Munro of the day: Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. This all went smoothly and Mark even agreed to pose at the end of a tight rope for a photo with the depths of Coire Lagan far below him (as he knew only too well)!

Mark, (Very) High Above Coire Lagan!

The third day, with Peter joining us, was a much less successful day in Coir a’Ghrunnda with low cloud, burns in spate and Mark’s troublesome knee all combining to give us a view-less and Munro-less day!

Sgurr a'Mhadaidh With Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh Behind.

Meeting up with the Doctor and our ever-growing band of budding alpinists saw an unusually long straggle of 9 ascending An Dorus (the door) for a stunning day on 2 ropes of the central peaks of Sgurr a'Mhadaidh, Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh and Sgurr na Banachdich. Pete declared he didn’t know such concentration existed as we snaked our cautious but exhilarating way along the sharpest arête in Britain around those familiar Cuillin landmarks that punctuate progress along the ridge: the black gash, the wart and the three teeth. We cuddled many a Cuillin that day!

Not Now Keith; I'm Concentrating!

From the final summit a long and tortuous descent down the scree and shale of Coire an Eich led us back to the Glen Brittle Youth Hostel and the sight of a large golden eagle (possibly a sea eagle) soaring above us in search of an evening meal. Thankfully, there was still sufficient life in our party (just) to suggest we had nothing to offer!

Poser on the Ridge - You Get a Lot of These!

Tuesday saw a return to Coire Lagan but not, thankfully, the Great Stone Shoot (an horrendous ascent route now). A reasonable climb up the edge of the An Stac screes placed us on the ridge for a there-and-back ascent of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and then, in gathering gloom and a bitter crosswind, a quick shin up the Inaccessible Pinnacle.

Cold? It's Just a State of Mind!

Everyone did really well and seemed to take this precariously perched flake of rock in their stride (and occasionally, straddle). Even the abseils went smoothly so well done everyone – firstly for climbing the Pinn and secondly for not catching hypothermia! A slow and complicated descent down Coire na Banachdich ensured another 10-hour day – you don’t get much time to write postcards or watch the footie when you’re climbing the Cuillin!

Doreen (from Peebles) Struts Her Stuff on the In Pinn!

And now for something different…. Oh no I forgot, and now for another 10-hour day in the cloud! This time it was the long, long trudge from the Glen Brittle campsite (the toilets are no longer public by the way!) and around into Coir a’Ghrunnda. The views were as non-existent as before but at least the water levels in the burns had receded and posed no problems. Shaley paths and seaside scrambling in the murk gave us Sgurr nan Eag and Sgurr Dubh Mor and a chance encounter with a lone walker who required rescuing that night by the Skye Mountain Rescue Team! Navigation in poor visibility remains the Cuillin’s greatest challenge (other than falling off them of course) and should not be underestimated. For such a sharp, well-defined ridge, finding your way about in thick cloud is surprisingly difficult. The last part of the day was spent traversing beneath the Thearlich-Dubh (T-D) Gap and up onto a very tricky and greasy Sgurr Alasdair. Skilful cricket skills enabled Peter to catch Irene at second slip at a delicate moment of the climb in a particularly greasy gulley and it was a relief all round to reach the summit! No view at all this time, let alone of St Kilda. It was not a place to linger today so it was down the Great Stone Shoot (in 30 mins; well done team!) and back down Coire Lagan in another 10-hr plus Cuillin Fest! No postcards; no footie – again!

Another Misty Summit!

We finished the week with ascents of the 3 northern peaks seen to such advantage from the Sligachan Hotel: Sgurr nan Gillean, Am Basteir and Bruach na Frithe (yes I know you can’t actually see the last one from Sligachan but you can use your imagination)! The ascent into Coire a’ Bhasteir provided a welcome change from Glen Brittle but the tops were mostly enshrouded in cloud as we hauled our weary selves below Am Basteir and it’s sinister Tooth up onto Bruach na Frithe. Regrettably, Irene’s knee was causing just too much pain to continue so I gallantly forsook an ascent of the last 2 peaks and accompanied her off the mountain whilst the remainder of the group followed the Doctor up and down Am Basteir’s east ridge and up and down Sgurr nan Gillean’s west ridge. This day proved to be the longest yet – 11 hrs!

The Doctor Leading From the Rear(s)!

Throughout the week the team’s spirits remained high despite many new experiences and unusual positions that many were probably not expecting. The humour flowed in line with the adrenalin and Doreen (from Peebles) was good enough to let me know what she thought of the life-cycle of the Common Lousewort…… Callum has very few Munros left to do, Pete has discovered new depths of concentration and I will be forever indebted to Simon for his invaluable insight into the formation of baked and chilled margins, isostatic rebound and sliken lines!

And now to Knoydart...

All Scrubbed Up at the Slig!

Check out my future plans for similar walks on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm

Return to Skye - Black Cuillin

Cuillin Ridge - Southern Section

Early June saw good weather this year in the NW Highlands and on Skye. Fair weather and a brisk wind dried out the Cuillin Ridge and made for excellent walking, scrambling and climbing conditions. Dr Darren was kept busy with a steady stream of clients and I went along to see the great man at work guiding Frank over the southern part of the Ridge on a day encompassing 4 Munros and an infamous rock climbing obstacle!

Starting from the Glen Brittle campsite on a gorgeous morning, we had only been walking about 15 minutes when Darren declared a snake in the grass – an adder! Sure enough, there at our feet silently weaving its sinuous way across the path and into the grass was a living breathing example of Britain’s only poisonous snake! Having failed to persuade the good Doctor to pick the thing up so we could get a decent photo, it was left to Frank and I to snap away as it made its escape. Our best effort is here:

Adder! (you'll have to use your zoom to see it)!

After all this excitement the rest of the walk up and into Coir’ a’ Ghrunnda had only the Doctor’s erudite observations on dubious geological titbits or even more dubious looking climbs to entertain us. Frank and I did our best to look interested whilst dreaming silently of joining the Ramblers Association! Fortunately, those strange thoughts soon passed and before we could tie a map-case around our necks we found ourselves imparting some route-finding advice to some (very pretty) European neighbours who were unsure of the best way through the rock landscape. Then it was up to the lochan high in the corrie, pausing at the ‘ringing rocks’, a hollow sounding igneous rock which lets out a surprising musical ‘ting’ when tapped. A short, steep climb took us up on to the ridge itself and a short walk led to the first Munro: Sgurr nan Eag (Notched Peak, 924m).

After surveying the wide expanse of sunlit sea and islands to the south and west, not to mention the distant peaks of Knoydart and Kintail, we commenced our hours of joyful scrambling up and down and along this finest of all British mountain ridges. Copious use of the hands and arm muscles do take some of the strain off your legs but it is still hard and thirsty work and the rough rock (great for grip) takes its toll on soft hands and fingertips. Cuillin Finger can stay with you for days if you aren’t a regular member of a chain gang! Retracing our steps and continuing along the ridge, we contoured around the rock tower of Caisteal and climbed steadily up to the musically sounding Sgurr Dubh na Da Bheinn (sounds like Sgurr Doo na Darven; Black Peak of the Two Mountains, 938m). Here we had to leave the main ridge for a short detour to capture the second Munro of the day: Sgurr Dubh Mor (Big Black Peak,944m). The latter is only 6m higher than its sibling on the main ridge but its best not to dwell on such statistics as you spend the best part of an hour clambering down from the ridge and up a series of complicated terraces and gulleys to capture the Munro – before going all the way back again!

Last Smile Before the TD Gap!

This minor inconvenience, however, was nothing compared to the fiendish Doctor’s next treat. A little way north of Sgurr Dubh na Da Bheinn, and without any prior warning whatsoever, one’s confident progress along the ridge is abruptly halted by a deep gash of what looks suspiciously like fresh air in front of you. This is the infamous Thearlaich-Dubh Gap (usually referred to as the TD Gap).

The south side of this ‘challenge’ (you can guess who called it that) is a 30’ vertical wall whilst the northern side stretches to 80’ and is just as vertical! I looked at Frank, Frank looked at me; nobody looked at the Doctor! It didn’t matter, he was quite intent on forcing us to take up religion (it didn’t last) as he set up his belay to lower us down into this horrendous looking defile. Once down, the way up the other side looked just as improbable (sorry, impossible) as it had done from the top of the southern wall. The next 45 mins was a bit of a blur but largely consisted of me sitting in this cold, damp and very dismal wind tunnel as McAulay hustled his way up the smooth-sided chimney groove that represents the escape route out of this charmless spot.

Climbing Out of the TD Gap

It’s not a pretty climb even by an expert (none of those around from what I could see) but eventually his nibs announced success. Having set up a belay, he then coaxed, cajoled, tempted and otherwise bullied poor Frank up the same polished rock whilst I slowly succumbed to hypothermia. Regrettably, I was still alive – just – when it was my turn to scamper up after them! I’m not sure if scamper accurately describes the Gault patent method of chimney groove climbing technique. Sufficient to say that after a series of huffs, puffs and fairly inglorious scrabbling for spitefully placed handholds and out-of-sight footholds, I was up and back into the land of sunshine and horizontality!

Sgur Alasdair

The ascent of Skye’s highest peak was always going to be a doddle after this and sure enough, a short walk from the TD Gap brought all 3 of us to the Cuillin’s highest point: Sgurr Alasdair (Alexander’s Peak, 993m). On a good day you can see St Kilda from here way out in the Atlantic to the north-west. Ben Nevis, in the other direction, appears to be almost a close neighbour in comparison. Alasdair is a fine sharp-pointed summit with dramatic close-up views down into Coire Lagan to complement the impressive distant landmarks. The Inaccessible Pinnacle of Sgurr Dearg is in clear view now, its wafer-thin vertical wedge of rock inviting those who have survived the TD Gap towards their next big adventure!

Innaccessible Pinnacle

From Sgurr Alasdair we descended to the top of the Great Stone Shoot – a popular, if unappealing loose-scree route up and down this mountain – before traversing over Sgurr Thearlaich (Charlie’s Peak, 977m). Not a Munro, but nevertheless a fine roof-top summit ridge best done (as I have always done it) in warm, early evening sunshine. A complicated scramble leads down from the end of the roof to a small break in the ridge before the final Munro of our day: Sgurr Mhic Coinnich (Mackenzie’s Peak, 948m). This peak can either be tackled directly up another of those improbable-looking chimney-corners or, as Frank and I chose, by the much more pleasing traverse along Collie’s Ledge before doubling back along the ridge to the summit.

Collie's Ledge

All we had to do then was carefully weave our way down into Coire Lagan before striding manfully off into the setting sun and the green fields of Glen Brittle. The day took almost 11 hours which illustrates how deceptive the Cuillin can be. The distances may not be great, but everything takes time and throw in some rock climbing and associated ropework, and you know you’re going to have to rush for your steak and chips and celebratory dram of Talisker at the Old Inn in Carbost!

Sgurr Mhic Coinnich and Sgurr Alasdair From Glen Brittle

Check out my future plans for similar walks on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm