Traverse from Gars-bheinn to Sgurr Alasdair

[Kenny_G]

The campsite in Glen Brittle is great. A lovely location next to the beach, good facilities and perfect for a digital detox with no mobile reception or wifi. And, you can walk straight onto the path to the southern Cuillins. Which is what I did today. Brilliant.

Today I was keen to visit Gars-bheinn, not high enough to be a Munro and without enough prominence to be a Corbett, but a very fine mountain in its own right. I then planned to revisit Sgurr nan Eag and Sgurr Dubh Mor. I'd originally intended to then do the Top of Sgurr Sgumain, but having done that the evening before, it opened up the possibility of climbing Sgurr Alasdair instead, if time and energy permitted.

Traverse_of_South_end_of_Cuillin_ridge_.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

A couple of people on WH had recommended Tom Prentice's book 'The Cuillin & Other Skye Mountains'. Thanks to those that did so. I'd got myself a copy ... it's an excellent resource, with many route suggestions. In particular the very clear pictures of key sections of the routes, annotated with arrows and text, together with options and excellent descriptions are very helpful. I'd taken photos of three or four of the pictures and descriptions, so that I had them on my phone to refer to if needed. I also referred to the SMC's Skye Scrambles book, comprehensive and small enough to carry, just in case it's needed during the day.

The day started with a very pleasant walk for about 6k along the 'coastal path', with super sea views. And then a very unpleasant steep slog up the scree on the SW shoulder of Gars-bheinn. Every time I thought the angle was easing, it steepened again. Sometimes I was literally crawling my way uphill on hands and feet on loose ground, with occasional easier sections of grassy ramps and some reassuring 'paths' through the scree. Eventually I cut slightly left and with great relief gained the ridge near a stone bivvy-circle. Phew!

Super views of Soay and Rum providing some relief from the relentless scree-slog

I then followed the NW ridge, initially nicely narrow over a couple of minor tops and down to a notch and up again with easy scrambling in places to the summit. This has a fantastic situation with very fine views in all directions, a real highlight of the day and completely worth the hard work to get there!

Great views from the summit of Gars-bheinn

Gars-bheinn (and Sgurr a Choire Bhig) from Sgurr nan Eag

After some coffee and a bite to eat, I enjoyed the walk to Sgurr nan Eag, with some easy scrambling up its east ridge, then some harder and quite tiring work scrambling down its north ridge, taking care to stay on on the Coire a' Ghrunnda side as I did so, before heading to the foot of Caisteal a' Garbh-choire, where I was ready for another rest.

Nice views on the way down Sgurr nan Eag over to Sgurr Alasdair

It was here that Tom Prentice's diagrams came in very handy, and I had a quick look at the pics I'd taken of the direct line I planned to take over to Sgurr Dubh Mor. Reassuringly it was very easy to relate to what I could see in front of me. So after donning my helmet (there now being other climbers on the ridge above me) I picked my way around this route with some enjoyable but careful scrambling around a 'slabby wall' and up some less enjoyable loose stuff in a 'rubble-filled gully' to the south face of Dubh Mor.

Taking this route avoided going over the Top of Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn (which I'd be doing on my return) and I caught up the other climbers who turned out to be a guide and his two clients. I gave them a bit of space as they did their ropework and I consulted the diagram of the route to the top. Which was a zig-zag with grade 2 scrambling up ledges to the the nice narrow summit.

Retracing my steps I caught up the friendly trio, chatting as we walked back over easier ground and then played leapfrog a wee bit as we headed down to the foot of the TD Gap and then traversed up to Bealach Sgumain. Where I sat for a while next to one of the troll-like pinnacles enjoying the views into Coire Lagan, replenishing the energy reserves with a late lunch and contemplating the final climb of Sgurr Alasdair. Again Tom Prentice's diagrams were very helpful. As was watching the guide and clients do the initial chimney section just right of the SW ridge.

This was another highlight of the day. I had been up here before with a guide, and that had been great, but it was very satisfying to be doing it myself. Although the chimney is grade 3 and no place to have a slip, the sense of exposure was less than elsewhere, due to it being enclosed and the holds positive, with a few nice climbing moves, up then left and exiting right. I then headed up less nice ground with lots of shattered basalt, picking one of several possible lines up to the small summit and high point of Skye. Magnificent!

Less so was my inelegant scrambling down the SE ridge, using a variety of crab-like techniques, hands, feet, bottom all engaged with at least five points of contact as I shuffled carefully across narrowest part, but hopefully balancing that with slightly more elegant down-climbing face-in to the col at the head of the Great Stone Shoot with great views in both directions

Stunning views of Sgurr Nan Eag and Gars-bheinn and Loch Coire a' Ghrunnda

Inn Pinn in the distance

Where I again caught up the guide and his clients and we took each others photos and compared notes about the refreshments waiting for us at the campsite. In my case a nicely chilled bottle of wine in the fridge in my tent. But it was much too soon to start mentally opening our drinks.... we had to get safely down first.

Smiles before the Great Stone Shoot

After the steep narrow nasty section at the top, not too bad. I picked a line staying to the right, at times out of the scree, before crossing back over to the central part to the lochan.

Finally mentally uncorking my wine

And from there back to the campsite, a very brief dip in the sea and the cold wine. What a brilliant day!

[martin.h]

That section of the ridge from Gars-Bheinn to Sgurr Nan Eag is something I'd really like to do, I've always liked the look of
Gars Bheinn, your photo of it from Sgurr Nan Eag shows it at it's best, a lovely shot Great report.

Cheers

[Kenny_G]

That section of the ridge from Gars-Bheinn to Sgurr Nan Eag is something I'd really like to do, I've always liked the look of
Gars Bheinn, your photo of it from Sgurr Nan Eag shows it at it's best, a lovely shot Great report.

Cheers

Thanks Martin! 👍 (Yes, it's a very nice mountain, but next time I may find a different way there than its SW shoulder!)