Sgurr Dearg and the In Pinn

Sgurr Dearg is a fantastic viewpoint, as well as being one of the most dramatic spots on the Cuillin ridge, being overtopped by the famous and incredible Inaccessible Pinnacle. This circuit visits the base of the pinnacle but does not include the ascent!

Terrain

The route involves fairly straightforward scrambling but has a very steep scree descent and fairly difficult route finding throughout. Easy route for Grade 5. If you want to climb the pinnacle but do not have rock-climbing skills, experience and equipment, then you need to hire a guide.

Public Transport

Bus number 53 from Portree.

Winter Safety

Please note that hillwalking in winter conditions - which is whenever there is snow lying - requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly, and to judge which routes are safe for the conditions and your party in winter. Please see our Winter Essentials for details.

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Start

Parking opposite the Glen Brittle BMC hut.. Map and directions.

Currently 4.67/5

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 8km/5 miles
Time: 6 - 8 hours
Ascent: 1065m (Profile)
Grid Ref: NG411216

Summits Climbed

Munro: Inaccessible Pinnacle

Maps / GPS

Accommodation

Walk Description

Stage 1

Park opposite the BMC club hut, which is just past the Glen Brittle mountain rescue post. The walk begins 50 metres further down the road towards the beach; turn left onto a big clear footpath alongside some sheep pens. The path soon leads to a bridge over the Allt Coire na Banachdich; cross this and continue uphill on the path. Further on, the path passes close to the rim of a great bowl, with a fabulous view of the impressive 80 foot-high Eas Mor falls tumbling into the tree-filled gorge.

Stage 2

Shortly after the gorge the path forks; take the left fork, continuing on the well made path by the stream. Continue beside the stream on the path for almost two kilometres. The path becomes progressively rougher and at one point passes through a narrow gully and continues below the impressive cliff of Window Buttress up the mountainside to the right, finally entering upper Coire na Banachdich. The back of the coire is blocked by a ring of cliffs, split by an impressive gully (the ascent of this gully is a Very Difficult rock-climb). After crossing the stream, head to the right (up the left bank). As the ground steepens, zigzag up the broken slabby rocks and scree, passing high above the stream where it flows in a gorge. There are very occasional small cairns. When the corrie headwall is reached, head right along its base (faint path). The stream soon comes back into view, and the headwall to the left relents where a wide stony gully comes down. Head up this gully (cairns), going slightly right at its top (path and cairns) and continuing up more broken ground. The way up onto the ridge is again blocked by cliffs; begin traversing left below these cliffs.

Stage 3

It is necessary to traverse left for quite some distance, ignoring the obvious steep scree gully heading up the cliffs. At one point the route descends slightly (traces of a path) and crosses bouldery ground; beyond the boulders head right up steep scree and stones towards the lowest point on the whole ridge, the Bealach Coire na Banachdich. The bealach, at 851 metres, is the easiest pass between Glen Brittle and Loch Coruisk. It is a very narrow gully with steep rocks on both sides, and has orange soil. If the bealach you have reached doesn't have orange soil, you're probably at a second bealach slightly to the north; go back a very short distance down the scree gully and then back up to the left to reach the true bealach (as shown in the photograph).

Stage 4

There is a short scramble out of the bealach up the right hand wall; there is a staircase of good footholds though the rocks are often wet. Above the scramble, the going becomes much easier; the ridge narrows briefly and there are great views of the steep north face of Sgurr Dearg before a clear path begins zigzagging up the broad scree slope beyond. This path emerges suddenly at the summit of Sgurr Dearg, with the startling sight of the Inaccessible Pinnacle ('Inn Pinn' to its friends) directly ahead. This is a great spot to watch climbers abseiling down the steep west side. The ascent of this shorter side of the pinnacle is a Very Difficult rock-climb; the east ridge (out of sight from here) is much longer but less steep, being a Moderate rock-climb. The exposure on the easier route is incredible, being a ridge less than a foot wide 'with an overhanging and infinite drop on one side, and steeper and further on the other' as the Victorian climbers had it. The first ascent was made by the Pilkington Brothers in 1880 who were two of the leading mountaineers of the time.

Stage 5

The Pinnacle is still the hardest mountain summit to reach in the British Isles, and is the only Munro that calls for rock-climbing skills and equipment. If you are not a rock-climber, you can't even think of attempting the In Pinn without help from a mountain guide or a rock-climbing friend, and ropes, harnesses etc. Instead, there are several options for the descent from Sgurr Dearg. Probably the easiest route is to descend the way you came, though great care is needed to find the correct route back down Coire Banachdich. Another option is to descend the steep slabs beside the In Pinn, then following a ramp down to the bottom of its east ridge. This route continues down the ramp below An Stac before turning to the left by a cairn (ascending slightly at first) to reach Bealach Coire Lagan, which has a steep scree descent to Coire Lagan. If taking this route, it is very important to take this left turn and not descend the screes directly ahead, which end in cliffs.

Photo: Ian Jeffrey

Stage 6

There is a third way down, easier than the Coire Lagan route though it still involves a steep scree slope. It is probably the most interesting option and only very slightly more difficult than returning by Coire na Banachdich. This is to descend via the west ridge. It involves scrambling of a similar standard to the climb out of Coire na Banachdich, though there is much more of it. The views across Coire Lagan to Sgurr Alasdair (with the Great Stone Chute looking unclimbable) are magnificent, as are the vistas of the Small Isles, Eigg, Rum and Canna. Follow a path on the right side of the crest of the ridge at first. This soon leads back to the crest. Slightly further along descend an easy gully on the left side of the ridge, taking you down to another clear path, this time contouring the left side of the ridge. The path has a slightly exposed section but is clear to follow for a short distance before another descent down broken rocks to the left leads to another clear section of path. This path descends a very short and easy gully before continuing to contour the side of the ridge, eventually emerging back near the top of Sgurr Dearg Beag.

Photo: Foggieclimber

Stage 7

The easiest descent from Sgurr Dearg Beag is again on the left side; it is possible to see a clear section of path from just below the crest of the ridge. Descend to this path and continue down it, crossing a few slabby rocks and finally descending a very easy chimney. The scrambling is now behind, and the path continues zigzagging down the steep slope towards the flat ground above Window Buttress. The ridge bends slightly left here to descend again down to the final point on the ridge, the bump of Sron Dearg above Loch an Fhir bhallaich. From Sron Dearg, descend the steep scree slopes directly towards the east end of Loch an Fhir-bhallaich. There is a rough path at first leading to an eroded section, with better screes lower down - great care is needed. Once terra firma is finally reached, turn right along the excellent new path (on the near side of the loch); this rejoins the outward route near the Eas Mor falls. Continue down to return to the start.

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