Skye 2011 - A Romp Around the Cuillin!

All Smiles - Only 11 To Go!

This past week I have been helping out the good doctor (http://www.darrenmcaulay.com) guiding clients on the Black Cuillin of Skye. Whilst the weather was significantly better than on my previous trip last month, a relentless succession of depressions, fronts and troughs conspired to ensure a flexible approach to the daily programme!

Loch Coruisk

By the week’s end, all 12 Cuillin Munros had been climbed by at least some of the group including a full house on the west ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean and the Inaccessible Pinnacle!

Classic Skye Scrambling

Throughout the week, Fergus has been regaling us with his full repertoire of...err...jokes, Duncan has been reeling off his various club memberships and demonstrating the virtues of a healthy lifestyle, Lynn has been chatting away (and occasionally head-butting the gabbro) and Julie has been trying to forget she’s an overworked vet!

Am Basteir

Subjects discussed included the relative merits of adding a third lane to the M8; whether boiled potatoes taste better unpeeled; just how many apples can one man eat and what colour of a mountain guide’s trousers most appeals to a female veterinary surgeon!

Sgurr nan Gillean From Am Basteir

Throughout the week, Darren was his usual cool, efficient self, tying knots and stuff and pretending he wasn’t interested in the louseworts. As for myself, I trailed dutifully behind, did what I was told, removed bits of climbing gear and, like the rest of the party, listened to Fergus……..

Me & the Doc!

Here are some pictorial highlights of the week showing what we got up (and down) to!

Lynn Starts Up the In Pinn

Half-Way Up The In Pinn

Julie Contemplating the Colour of Mountain Guides' Trousers...

Duncan Abseils Off the In Pinn

Climbing the Difficult Step on Am Basteir

Evening Rainbow On Loch Harport

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

The Far North

Quinag & Loch Assynt From Conival

Having been well and truly flushed out of Skye, I travelled north up the Ullapool road to join Pete and Jackie for some hills of an altogether different hue! The main aim of the week were the Fisherfield Six – a remote and inconvenient clutch of 6 Munros far from roads, settlements and most significantly of all as it turned out, bridges! There a number of other mountains in the far north to be climbed first though……

A Study in Grey Skies, Windswept Summit & Gore-tex!

Ben Klibreck

What a squelchathon this mountain proved to be! Every time I climb it, I vow never to return. Fate (and Pete) brought me back for another look – just in case I was being unduly pessimistic. I wasn’t! The water in the River Vagastie was high so there was to be no convenient crossing at the usual start point close to Spot Height 176. Instead, we parked a mile further up the glen and crossed the burn at the footbridge near Vagastie. Whilst this gave us a dry crossing of the river, it also introduced an additional 4 miles of soft, squelchy bog to trudge across through water-logged ground, over flooded burns and around lochs before we gained the higher ground.

Ben Klibreck

The short sharp ascent of A'Chioch seemed almost welcome after the tiring bog-plod. This took us up on to the good path (the first, and only, one of the day!) that follows the ridge that leads quickly to the fine summit cone of the mountain: Ben Klibreck (962m; hill of the speckled cliff). A small group of ptarmigan provided a colourful diversion whilst the plaintive wail of a golden plover seemed an appropriate soundtrack to the empty lands that surround this isolated Munro. Our relief at reaching the summit was tempered by the knowledge that we would need to retreat the same way all the way back to the car. And that's just what we did!

Man of Action - Pete Conquers Mother Nature!

I'm sorry to sound so negative about Klibreck. It has a fine airy ridge, a graceful summit cone and an isolated position that makes it conspicuous for many miles around thereby demanding the attention of hillwalkers. If it just wasn't surrounded by so much wetness....

Ben More Assynt & Conival

Conival From Ben More Assynt

These 2 big mountains are the only Munros in Assynt and are distinguished by their pale quartzite colour and peri-glacial boulderfield that litters their 2 summits and the intervening ridge. Start from the obvious car park at Inchnadamph and locate the not-so-obvious start to the walk by walking along the A837 for 300 yds and turning right once across the bridge over the River Traligill. A track leads to Glenbain cottage before becoming a path that leads up the limestone cleft of Gleann Dubh (black glen).

Ben More Assynt From Conival

Quite a few folk (not all of them quite sure of where they were going!) were taking advantage of the drier weather as we climbed steadily up the boggy path to the bealach that gives access to Conival’s north ridge. Here the boulder-hopping starts although the path is still good and expansive views open out in all directions. Westwards, there are great views of the distinctive monoliths of Assynt & Coigach although it is the closer quartzite-covered hills either side of Gleann Dubh that catch the eye. Eastwards, Ben More Assynt is now clearly in view, together with the intervening ridge and expansive views of the wastelands of Sutherland open out. You can even see dear old Ben Klibreck! A big cairn marks the summit of Conival (987m; adjoining hill).

The Hills of Coigach From Ben More Assynt

It can take up to an hour to traverse the ridge across to Ben More Assynt, particularly when wet. The slippery quartzite boulders are here because these 2 high tops were left exposed 40m above the top of the glaciers in the last ice age. This left the quartzite exposed to the elements which shattered the rock into boulders that the ice left behind. Lower summits in the area have been largely swept clean by the glaciers that covered them. There are a few intervening ups and downs before you finally secure your 2nd summit of the day – it’s the northerly of the 2 rockpiles that adorn this highest summit for miles around: Ben More Assynt (998m; big hill of Assynt).

Conival From Gleann Dubh

If you really can't face returning back over Conival, then it's probably safer cutting the corner off to the north, into Coire a'Mhadaidh (corrie of the foxes), rather than the steep, slippery southern slopes surrounding the Dubh Loch Mor (big black loch). We did the former and it definitely saved time; be careful to pick the right line through the scree though!

The Fisherfield Si

x

Strath na Sealga

High rainfall, a huge water catchment area and a distinct lack of bridges conspired to thwart our plans to tackle the Fisherfield 6. Instead, we cycled in from Corrie Hallie to the north by way of a reconnaissance in preparation for a return later in the summer. We left the bikes soon after the (very) rough track starts to descend into Strath na Sealga and walked down and along the fast flowing river eyeing likely crossing points and route options.

Beinn Dearg Mor

The fording points I’d used before were OK but we really only found one place where it was safe to cross – and then only by removing boots, socks and trousers! Ironically, it turned out to be a beautiful, warm and sunny day unspoilt by midges and with only the occasional sandpiper for company. We determined to return another time, probably with a tent, with the intention of completing all 6 in one day as I have done previously. It would have been an excellent day for An Teallach whose majestic sandstone ramparts adorned the view for much of the day.

A Bridge Too Far (No Bridge Actually)!

Glen Strathfarrar

As compensation for Pete for having missed out on Fisherfield, I suggested we drive around to beautiful Strathfarrar, west of Inverness, where 4 Munros form the northern line of a whole series of big mountains that surround the ‘great glens’ of Strathfarrar, Cannich and Affric. Mountain days here tend to be long and memorable and should be a highlight of any Munroist’s experience.

Carn nan Gobhar & Sgurr a' Choire Ghlais

Great spotted woodpeckers darted in front of the car as we drove up the glen (note the restricted opening times of the locked gate that gives access to the glen). Other sources recommend doing the route from east-to-west but I have always preferred west-to-east. The initial climb is much easier up a good stalkers’ path and the mountains get lower a the day progresses - no contest!

The Strathfarrar Ridge From Sgurr a' Choire Ghlais

We duly traversed the 4 Munros and 2 Tops linked, for the most part, by a classic ridge that twists and turns above a series of steep-sided north-facing corries. Everyone else seemed to have opted for the ‘book route’ and passed us going the other way. For us, a fine stalkers’ path carried us almost effortlessly and pretty swiftly up to Sgurr Fuar-thuill (1049m; peak of the cold hollow) from where easy ridge walking led to the highest and most impressive peak of the range, Sgurr a’ Choire Ghlais (1083m; peak of the grey-green corrie). A steep descent leads to the boulder-strewn hump of Carn nan Gobhar (992m; hill of the goats) from where easy slopes lead to a sharp little defile and equally easy slopes on the other side lead directly to the undistinguished summit of Sgurr na Ruaidhe (993m; peak of the redness).

How Many Summit Cairns Does One Hill Need?

A squelchy descent over grassy slopes deposited us on the rough path that leads out of Coire Mhuillidh and back down to the road where Jackie was waiting conveniently for us. We really didn’t need to trek the 6Km back up the tarmac to the start point - no matter how pretty Glen Strathfarrar undoubtedly is!

Can I Have a Day Off Now Please...?

Skye 2011 - Payback Time!

Sgurr nan Gillean & Am Basteir

Am Basteir & Bruach na Frithe

Following the dismal showing in Kintail earlier in the week, I’ve now returned to Skye hoping for a return to the balmy sun-kissed conditions we had at the start of the month. Forget it!

The Basteir Gorge

The NW Highlands are currently experiencing atrocious weather as an endless string of deep depressions scream in from the Atlantic whipping up winds of 100kts and rain enough to please the driest garden in SE England! In these conditions, you have to grab what you can and be prepared to fight to place your feet on any Scottish summit, let alone the challenging pinnacles of the Black Cuillin. Indeed, most of the Skye Ridge is currently off-limits and most sensible self-respecting folk will just give up and go home to their stamp collections. Not so us though!

Despite their bad press, ex-RBS bankers are made of stern stuff and have a tough strip of metal running through them (that they probably get from their banknotes)! Approaching the end of their Munro quest, Richard, Jim and Luigie were prepared to sit out the worst of the weather and try for their last 3 Cuillin Munros whenever the chances of success rose above 50%.

The Northern Cuillin

First off was an attempt on Am Basteir and Bruach na Frithe on what looked like a half-reasonable day (i.e. one where you could actually stand when you got out of the car)! We gamely trooped off from the Sligachan Hotel towards the dark brooding shapes of the northern Cuillin prepared at least to give them a go. Jim couldn’t find his gloves but was good enough to wait until I’d unpacked my rucksack to give him my spare pair before remembering where his were (his son Mark was always less trouble)! Apart from the odd hosing down with heavy showers, nothing stopped us gaining the ridge-line below our first peak (not even Richard’s cruel riposte to my rather interesting chat about geological landforms which he preferred to classify as rocky lumps)! Wet rock and increasing wind made for a challenging but successful snake up the thin flake of Am Basteir’s east ridge and after circumventing the ‘difficult step’ we fought our way to bedraggled glory and stood on (or clung to) the summit of Am Basteir (935m; the executioner).

Am Basteir

This not being a time or place to linger long, we smartly retraced our steps down into Coire Basteir and fought our way westwards in increasingly dire conditions to the rather more straightforward summit of Bruach na Frithe (958m; slope of the forest). Once again, there was nothing here to suggest loitering so we descended into Fionn Choire for the long march home. Only it wasn’t quite that straightforward...

Several hours of persistent rain had made its mark on water levels and everywhere, water was running off the hillsides. Burns became raging torrents, trickles became significant watercourses and any flat bog started growing lochans! By the time we reached the Allt Dearg Mor (big red stream) it was impossible even to contemplate crossing. Unfortunately, returning to the Sligachan on the uphill side of this now thundering torrent forced us into having to cross several other enlarged burns, saturated bogs and impromptu lochans before we reached the main Sligachan path which itself was beginning to disappear under water!

Water, Water Everywhere...

Stayed in bed today!

Sgurr nan Gillean

Sgurr nan Gillean & Am Basteir

We took advantage of a wee weather window this morning to climb Sgurr nan Gillean. We traipsed up into Coire Riabhach and up on to the mountain’s SE ridge following the so-called Tourist Route. There was little wind and only the occasional shower. Jim remembered where his gloves were! The rock was wet but apart from taking it very carefully (and using our bums a lot when the rock looked dodgy) no serious problems were encountered and after a little over 3hrs we gained the cloud-enshrouded summit of Sgurr nan Gillean (965m; peak of the young men).

Sgurr nan Gillean

As expected, the descent and walk out were undertaken in increasingly heavier rain as our morning weather window came to a dramatic and unequivocal end. We trudged home, entertaining each other with really interesting quiz questions and thoughts of whisky, hot baths and dry clothes.

I think it’s going to rain tomorrow……

Sgurr Mhic Choinnich

Approaching Coire Lagan

Jackie and Charles sold their cottage, gave away their children and drove all the way up from Edinburgh just to climb their penultimate Cuillin Munro. The least I could do was ignore the apocalyptical weather, slip on the old gore-tex and guide them to their goal.

Loch Coire Lagan

At least it promised to be a shorter day than of late so it was with some energy and enthusiasm that we left the water’s edge at the Glenbrittle campsite and walked up into Coire Lagan. The mountains were invisible behind their grey cloak of stratus as we climbed, well-trussed up against a peppering of short sharp showers of hard rain. After reaching Loch Coire Lagan, the serious climbing started. We moved up and around the edge of the An Stac screes until the ridge-line came into view - the benevolent wind and cessation of rain suggesting the summit was within our grasp. We celebrated impending success with some outstanding hot Thai chicken soup which Jackie (sorry, St Jackie) produced from her rucksack. There followed 40 mins of cautious, deliberate ridge-straggling (mainly on our bums) over very slippery basalt until the diminutive summit cairn of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich (948m; McKenzies’s Peak) was ours. Top effort!

Sgurr Mhic Choinnich

We re-traced our ‘steps’ back along the ridge and descended the same way to the lochan. The rain kept off until, as it always does, it returned with a vengeance 10 mins from the car. Let’s face it, getting home bone dry just wouldn’t have been manly now would it………?

Day off tomorrow; off to Ullapool to try some different hills. Maybe a change in location will produce nicer weather…….? I’ll get back to you on that!

Afternoon Brightness on Loch Brittle

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

Kintail – Blown Away!

Best (And Only) View of the Week!

Just a brief entry to record that the expected Munro haul planned for Kintail this week didn’t quite materialise due to horrendous weather, dangerous conditions and the absence of a client who sensibly decided that discretion was (and still is) the better part of valour! We’re going to try again in September; meanwhile, here’s a couple of pretty photos to prove I was actually here sheltering whilst I counted the storms passing overhead!

Eilean Donan Castle About to Float Away!

Skye 2011 - Black Cuillin/Blue Sky

Sgurr nan Gillean From Sligachan

Black 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)
.

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)!

Smartly Up Sgurr Dubh Mor!

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).

Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh From Sgurr a' Mhadaidh

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