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A trip to Skye had been on the cards for way too long given i've been hillwalking for 10 years or so now. In typical hypocritical fashion, Euan I booked 3 nights at Glenbrittle YH to get away from the coronation noise (no phone signal or internet, plenty walks straight from the hostel - ideal), whilst simultaneously taking advantage of the extra day holiday it afforded us. A prep meeting to devise plans and pour over the OS maps a couple of nights before ended up being a good shout, giving us different options depending on conditions, which the forecast suggested wouldn't be favourable.
Day 1: Blaven
Distance: 9.4km
Ascent: 930m
Time: 4hrs ]
An early start and a stop at Fort William for food and supplies, we miraculously came out of the rank weather around Glen Shiel and, although still cloudy, the Cuillin came into view. We were heading for the outlier however, and have to say what a beautiful mountain it is! It stayed dry as we slogged it up (very busy) and we enjoyed it in it's full glory, with the Cuillin ridge tantalisingly just visible below the cloud of the other side of Loch Coruisk. Bounded down the hill like giddy schoolkids, picking out some nice spots for pictures, and drove to the hostel with the promise of cold beer. As with all the walks we did over the weekend, minimal length for maximal reward
Day 2: Sgùrr na Banachdich
Distance: 8.7km
Ascent: 910m
Time: 3hrsWe checked the MWIS forecast printed and posted handily on the hostel noticeboard that night, which indicated the following afternoon had a high chance of thunder and lightening on the Cuillin, so hatched a plan to get up early and do Sgùrr na Banachdich (generally regarded as the 'easiest' of the Skye munros) and be back for lunchtime to watch the storm unfold in safety. So off we trotted, along with some other similar-meaning groups in the initial sunshine towards Coir an Eich, opting for the (WH-recommended) more grassy climb to An Diallad rather than the central corrie - hard work. Alas, the top was covered in cloud minus a few breaks, and we stopped for lunch. The continuing ridge to the South East looked amazing - one day, maybe! Euan also started to get some slight vertigo symptoms here - more to follow tomorrow.
Uneventful descent other than choosing the scree-filled corrie descent for a bit of variation. Very sketchy and would not like to do it when wet!
We were incredulous, however, when we took a stroll down to the beach and not only did the sun appear, but the whole Cuillin was clear all afternoon. So much for the thunder, but it just fed into everything i'd heard about the Cuillin having their own unpredicatble micro-climate. A bit of fun exploring caves regardless, and a lovely dips in the pools of the Allt a'Choire Ghreadaidh just up from the hostel. Crackin!
Day 3: Sgùrr a Mhadaidh and Sgùrr a Ghreadaidh
Distance: 11.3km
Ascent: 920m
Time: 5.5hrsDay 3 arrived, and we wanted to make the most of it given the following day (when we were leaving) was looking like a complete washout. It was between this walk and Sgurr Alasdair, and I grudgingly got Euan to agree to the former as it was from the hostel, however we were aware of the challenges higher up. And so it proved to be!
Has to be said, lovely walk into the higher corrie following the burn - the cloud tantalisingly looking like it was going to clear one minute, coming in again the next: classic. From a distance, the upper part of the steep scree slope to An Dorus looks intimidating and unwalkable, but we made it up there with no serious mishaps to the tiny wee 'door', and this is where the fun/terror starts!
The scrambling was made difficult by wet rock (it had rained heavily overnight) and next to no visibility - almost worse (we thought) when you can't see the full extent of the drop - but we took our time to Sgurr a Mhadaidh, one slight wrong turn made up for with an awkward traverse across some slippy smooth rock. Near the top, we passed 3 chaps coming the other way, roped up, which caused Euan to panic a wee bit - "should WE be roped up?" Stopped for food on the summit but could tell Euan was off - didn't want to eat and just wanted to get down, so we made a deal to get back to An Dorus (carefully) then make a decision on whether to do Sgurr a Ghreadaidh, or just descend. When we got back to An Dorus, we decided to give it a go - the first bit of steep scrambling was the hardest, so we had read, so why not try it, and then things can only get easier? That's what we did, and a bit further on we met another group of roped up guys who gave us a bit of chat and calmed our nerves. I actually really enjoyed it - just enough challenge, with concentration needed, without feeling too out of my depth. Real sense of accomplishment reaching the top, where we met yet another group roped up. After finally admitting defeat that the cloud was unlikely to lift, we descended happily (although I personally did find the last bit of descent into An Dorus a bit sketchy - my legs were a bit shaky - maybe from 3 days of walking, maybe just all in the head, who knows?). Once back in the corrie, we stopped for a good bit, taking in the surroundings, it really is one of the most magnificent places i've ever been.
Back to the hostel, another dip in the pools, great chat (terrible scrabble), and we were off down the road in the wind and rain next day, with a definite affinity to these hills kindled, and a desire to return ASAP
