Advice request for May walks on Skye

[dmacdonald]

Hello all, love WalkHighlands! Karen and I are hopefully visiting Skye in May 2013 and will likely rent a self-catering apartment or cottage for a week (welcome to any suggestions). We are in good shape, 50s, our experience is limited with 4 Munros under our belts to-date; full traverse of An Teallach in 2008 and then in 2011 Saddle (via Forcan Ridge) and Sgurr na Sgine. If we only get one or possibly two walks in on Skye, what would you recommend? The walks above are the only significant hill/mountain hikes we have done. We are not experienced with and thus don't want to take on anything requiring ropes. From checking here these seem to be up our alley but again, open to any and all advice. Sgurr Alasdair, Am Bastier, Sgurr Mhadaidh/a Ghreadaidh? Thanks in advance for all your help!

[Caberfeidh]

Sgurr Alasdair, Am Bastier, Sgurr Mhadaidh/a Ghreadaidh?

You may well wish you had ropes etc. on those. A walk over the hill from Kilmarie to Camasunary then on up Sgurr na Stri if you feel like it has fantastic views, varied scenery and challenges enough. Especially if you then go on to Loch Coruisk and the Slightly Tricky Step. Other stravaigings which do not require ropes would be the Old Man of Storr, the Quirang and a walk up into Corrie Laggan from Glen Brittle. Blaven is big and scarey looking but do-able ropeless. The Red Cuillin are more walkers hills, the Black Cuillin generally are more in the way of vertical death.

[johnkaysleftleg]

I've walked Blaven, Bruach na Frithe and Sgurr na Banachdich as a confirmed coward so you should have no bother whatsoever with those three.

[gammy leg walker]

Plenty of low level walks on WH.

[David-Main]

A cracking long walk if you get the weather...
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/maps/map3_11sk.shtml

[mrssanta]

if you want to go into the Black Cuillin and bag munros I'd recommend hiring a guide, it is definitely worth it if you can afford it.

[foggieclimber]

If you have limited time, and want to get onto the Black Cuillin, the number one scenic walk/scramble for me would be to go up into Coire a'Ghunndha and ascend Sgurr Dubh Mor and Sgurr nan Eag.

If I only had one other day, I would get myself round to Elgol and get the boat into Coruisk for a wander up Sgurr na Stri.

[dmacdonald]

Gotta love "vertical death" as a Black Cuillin description. Thanks all, we will check out the recommended hikes. We handled significant exposure on An Teallach and Forcan Ridge and understand the risks, just don't want to take a walk where ropes become absolutely necessary; the reports here give excellent advise so I will do my homework too. Also, have never used a guide but will investigate; I'm sure WH forums have a number of threads. Our mainland hikes were "go up, come down" but the Cuillins seem to offer so many options.

[Caberfeidh]

Our mainland hikes were "go up, come down" but the Cuillins seem to offer so many options.

Aye ~ go sideways, plummet horribly, scream and flail limbs uselessly, go bug-eyed at the prospect of impending pointy-rock-shaped gorey demise, etc....

[juhso]

Bruach Na Frithe - if the weather is decent- gives a cracking view of the Cuillins
Sgurr Na Banachdich - again in decent weather - also gives a safe passage to fine views.
Or hire a guide - I used Skye-Hi - and extend yourself a bit

[dmacdonald]

Thanks everyone! Foggie's Coire a'Ghunndha, Sgurr Dubh Mor and Sgurr nan Eag, suggestion sounds like a winner for us and if the weather is bad we've got a number of fallbacks (insert emoticom here) in the low levels and Red C's. We're not against using a guide and will consider that too; it must be a pleasure to have someone along who knows where they're going.

[juhso]

Only caveat would be Sgurr Dubh Mor has tricky navigation and there are some mighty drops

[dmacdonald]

Aye and thanks juhso, I notice that on the reports. If we decide to skip Sgurr Dubh Mor, so be it, we're not on a mission, just out to have fun.