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We were excited about this one. We had tried an expedition in the Cuillins previously but the weather (even in August!) meant we only got to An Dorus and Sgurr a Mhadaidh before we were frozen and soaked through and had to head back down. This time was different. The weather was going to be great and we'd already done a nice ascent up Bla Bheinn the evening before.
We bivi'd under the stars - kind of. Ever since a horror bivi we did on Beinn Eunaich in 2022 we've not dared to camp out high again. We did a 'car bivi' at Glenbrittle forest and we were up at 4:30 to boil the kettle and wake up with a coffee and a sausage sandwich. We got ready and headed down to Glenbrittle Youth Hostel. We had a plan to head up Coir a Ghrunnda and on to Sgurr nan Eag then back along the ridge to Sgurr Dubh Mor, Sgurr Alasdair and onwards as far as we could go. We had a whole day for it. In my wildest dreams I imagined that we could make it all the way to An Dorus (where we had gained the ridge the previous August) and pick up 8 munros along the way - including Inaccessible Pinnacle. But I am notorious for over-estimating what we are capable of!
The start was a pleasant stroll down to Glenbrittle campsite and the gentle climb towards Coir a Ghrunnda. The views over Soay and Rum were spectacular. Even better was the ridgeline behind Coir a Ghrunnda slowly revealing itself and being picked out by the sun now beginning to rise.
- Here we go! Sun just peeking over the horizon. Isles Soay, Rum, Eigg, Canna ahead.
- The apporach to Coir a Ghrunnda. Fantastic day ahead.
- Nice view of the fun ahead in Coir a Ghrunnda. Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn ahead. Not a munro, but a peak we had to go over twice on our route.
We stopped for a bite to eat just before the scramble up the steeper sections towards Loch Coir a Ghrunndha. We kept a high line to the left. Not sure if this is the most efficient or normal route to take but it was great fun and we figured that since visibility was good we would easily be able to reorientate ourselves once we got to the loch. It was a strong contrast to our experience in August when we were in clag and it made the going so hard - even finding the line to the most obvious features on the ridge (An Dorus) was difficult in the extreme. This time route finding was easier but still not obvious. I can see why people often hire a guide!
- First break on the ascent up to Loch Coir a Chrunnda. Feels like progress. Isle of Rum behind.
- Can't believe our luck with the weather. So tranquil. Sun bursting over Sgurr nan Eag - our first target.
- More progress up to Loch Coir a Ghrunnda. We took a high line up on the left. Great scrambling. Didn't realise people live on Soay.
- Still picking our way up to Loch Coir a Ghrunnda. Perfect visibility but even so we were unsure if we were on the 'normal' route.
- Getting closer to Loch Coir a Ghrunnda.
At the loch we took a break on the rocks above the water and enjoyed the atmosphere. The island in the middle of the loch was covered in seabirds that made a hell of a racket with their squawking. The weather was everything we hoped it would be - warm in the sun.
- Loch Coir a Chrunnda. Sgurr Alasdair behind. It looks tranquil but the noise from the seabirds was quite something.
What we had to do next was find the right line up the boulder field from the loch towards Sgurr nan Eag. This was a theme for the day - although visibility was perfect, and we could see in the distance the target we were making for, the 'normal' route is easily missed. However, on this occasion the route to Sgurr nan Eag, when you find it, is surprisingly distinct. The scrambling is heavy going in places but the path is like a motorway through the boulder field and we gained altitude quickly.
- Scramble up to Sgurr nan Eag. The 'path' is surprisingly distinct (in perfect visibility at least!). Sgurr Alasdair behind - a target for later in the day.
- Getting closer the Sgurr nan Eag.
Sgurr nan Eag was about 20 mins further along the ridge. Really great views around in all directions. We were eager to get the first munro summited and get onto some of the challenges ahead.
- The delightful gabbro. Lovely and grippy in these conditions. Sgurr nan Eag nearly gained.
- Sgurr nan Eag. Took us 4h to get here. Views to the mainland ahead.
- Several hours more scrambling ahead as we descend Sgurr nan Eag.
Heading back from Sgurr nan Eag we descended on the ridge line above Coir a Ghrunnda. We bypassed the huge bulk of Caisteal a Garbh-choire. On the backside of it we stopped for wine gums and looked up at the next challenge - a severe looking scramble up to Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn. A big peak to negotiate without the reward of munro status. The real munro, Sgurr Dubh Mor, a mere 6 m higher, is a significant detour off the main ridge line. It was always in our plan to go for this but we did not appreciate quite how cumbersome it is until we got there. It is a heavy going drop down the back side of Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn, some rough pinnacles to get across, and then an ascent up Sgurr Dubh Mor that has to be improvised. Then it all has to be reversed.
I'm not sure we took the best route for this detour because it took a long time and felt like a lot of hard work. We were thinking, again, that this would be a completely different experience if we had bad weather or poor visibility. As it was, everything was in our favour and we enjoyed some great scrambling on lovely grippy gabbro in the sunshine.
- The ridge ahead. No clear plan at this stage how far we will get. Let's just keep at it until we're ready to head back. Couldn't be a better day for it.
- The pain in the arse that is Sgurr Dubh Mor. Actually a very enjoyable scramble but a surprisingly time consuming cul-de-sac for us!
Sgurr Dubh Mor demanded some vertical moves on the way up and down. A munro you have to put in the work for!
- Descending off the summit of Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn in order to take on Sgurr Dubh Mor.
- Luca on top of Sgurr Dubh Mor.
- Retracing our steps back off Sgurr Dubh Mor. Some significant obstacles to negotiate.
We were not travelling with rope so we made the decision to bypass the TD gap on the way to Sgurr Alasdair. We planned this ahead - to take the path along the top of the scree towards the bivi cave below Sgurr Alasdair. Alarmingly, already, we realised we were running low on water. We knew there are scarce water sources on the ridge but one spring is marked slightly below the route across the scree we were taking. We decided we would descend for it if we heard it. However, it didn't work out. There was very little water around. This must be unusual for April - but we'd noticed it on the drive across from the cairngorms - the water levels in all the lochs was low. And the water levels in the streams and rivers below the Cuillin was low. No doubt they'll be full again very soon.
We did pass an area where water was dribbling down the side of the rock above the scree. Here we stopped for a bit to collect some. Then we made good going to the bivi cave under Sgurr Alasdair. We were following a route outlined in the Adrian Trendall 'Skey's Cuillin Ridge Traverse' book. However, again, even with the best visibility we still had a moment where we had to debate what was the right line up Sgurr Alasdair. The book calls for a 'polished 25 m chimney' and we could see two possibilities. Eventually we realised that the correct one had to be the one to the right rather than the alternative which heads more directly to the Sgurr Alasdair SW ridge. This was quite hard work with some long reaches needed. But we were confident and soon zig-zagging up the scoop towards the Sgurr Alasdair peak which we were soon on top of.
- Looking back the way we've come as we traverse the top of the scree towards Sgurr Alasdair.
We loved Sgurr Alasdair - though slightly afraid of it. It is a wonderfully exposed summit with steep scrambling needed whatever way you choose to go up or down. Not a place to be afraid of heights. Both our phones were running low on battery by this point to we stopped for a recharge (power bank - there are no facilities on Sgurr Alasdair). Kendal mint cake was consumed. A huge crow circled around us for a bit and seemed to add to the bleakness. He glided off and landed on the summit of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich from where squawked across at us for no reason.
The views across the route we were planning to take inspired some feelings of dread. Collie's Ledge along the face below Sgurr Mhic Choinnich looked precarious enough, but I knew that the route down from Sgurr Thearlaich was going to be the most significant challenge. There's no other place as simultaneously brutal and beautiful as the Sgurr Alasdair summit.
- Sgurr Alasdair is summited. Wonderful views of the ridge ahead and the difficult sections that await us before Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. We would take the Collie's Ledge route - the start of which is marked with the black arrow.
- Sgurr Alasdair summit. A proper toblerone peak. Bla Bheinn in the distance.
We dropped off the other side of the summit, very carefully, heading down for Sgurr Thearlaich. We passed a guy on the way up to Sgurr Alasdair from the Great Stone Chute. We stopped for a brief chat. Surprisingly, he was one of only 5 or 6 people we saw on the ridge for the whole day. I was half expecting it to be busy given the weather.
From the top of the Great stone chute we took a direct line up Sgurr Thearlaich that involved a couple of difficult moves on the vertical wall before easing off towards the summit. Then we found ourselves on another bleak little pyramid this time just below Sgurr Alasdair - looking up at the guy we'd seen just earlier.
- View of the excitement ahead: Collie's Ledge below Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. A lot to get through before that though!
- The top of the Great Stone Chute between Sgurr Alasdair and Sgurr Thearlaich.
Adrenaline was pumping now because we knew the most difficult part of the day was ahead with the descent to Bealach Mhic Choinnich. Doubts were creeping in about whether we would make it all the way to An Dorus because this was hard work and it was already well after midday. One can probably move a lot faster over the ridge when you've done the individual sections before. The Cuillin to us was a succession of problems that have to be solved one by one - how to descend to Bealach Mhic Choinnich - how to find the start of Collie's Ledge - how to find the chimney up to Sgurr Alasdair - how to get below rotten gully - etc etc. If you've solved them all once before, or, at least, are with someone else who has done them before then I bet the going is faster! We would just see how far we could get.
- Initially some vertical moves needed to take the direct line up Sgurr Thearlaich.
- Descending Sgurr Thearlaich. Soon to encounter the hardest part of the outing.
- Looking back across to Sgurr Alasdair and one of the few other people we saw during the day.
Adrian Trendall's book was invaluable in preparing for the route we would make to Bealach Mhic Choinnich. I had decided on the 'western bypass' which is very well described in the book. Even with great preparation, description, conditions etc.. it was still a stomach churning experience. First off, we had to find the start of it. The 'slot' next to the bivi site. There are a lot of false descents. I would not want to try and find this myself in anything but good visibility. It was higher up and further along the ridge than I thought it would be (some distance on from the 'second gap in the ridge'). Once located it was obvious - but a horrible little descent. The exposure is breathtaking and you have to put all your confidence in the prior research. The slab you are aiming for is not actually visible from the 'slot'. It is hidden just around the corner to the right. But it is there and it was with huge relief that we got down on to it and the exposure was downgraded a notch. When we eventually got to Bealach Mhic Choinnich it was a further relief. Next came the problem of Collie's Ledge.
- Still working our way down Sgurr Thearlaich towards the nasty bit.
- The start of the 'western bypass' to Bealach Mhic Choinnich. Even in perfect visibility it took us some time to find this. We descend as though into the abyss through the slot on the left. Confidence needed!
- Luca descending the flank of the pillar on the Western Bypass to Bealach Mhic Choinnich.
We rested for a moment at the Bealach impressed by, but also slightly scared by, the fact that the position we were in required 'moderate rock climbing' progress along the ridge in either direction.
Actually, the ascent onto Collie's ridge was much easier than the western bypass we had just descended. Not trivial though - and this was a challenge we had for the rest of the day. We knew we'd successfully got past the most difficult sections (unless we chose to take on Inaccessible Pinnacle) so it would be easy to get complacent. There was still long sections of grade 3 scrambling ahead!
- Looking back on the Western Bypass down from Sgurr Thearlaich to Bealach Mhic Choinnich. The hardest part of the day. Not easy to pick out even in perfect conditions.
- The delightful traverse along Collie's Ledge towards Sgurr Mhic Choinnich (above us to the right).
Collie's ridge was a lot of fun. Initially it is like Jack's rake but it is longer and more exposed. There are sections of significant scrambling at a level you don't get on Jack's rake. All good fun though and we were soon back on the ridge doubling back towards the summit of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich - which was further away that we'd anticipated. A great munro though - we both agreed it is our new favourite - after our old favourite (which was Sgurr Alasdair). What a great day out this was!
- Looking back along Collie's Ledge. Some parts very exposed. Some parts not.
- Sgurr Mhic Choinnich is summited.
Now the day was getting long. It was clear we would not make it to An Dorus. This was serious work. We decided to head further along to Bealach Coire Lagan and then take a break. We would decide whether to head on for Inaccessible Pinnacle or descend down to Coire Lagan. Key in our decision making was that we had our hearts set on a massive portion of fish and chips from the place in Broadford near where the B&B I ad booked was. It would be disastrous if we turned up too late for that.
We were getting weary by this stage. Still a lot of ridge-work ahead. We amused ourselves with Gordon Ramsey quotes about our situation... Rotten Gully - you f--ker, but, you clever f--ker. For example.
Rotten Gulley is an annoyance. A lot of altitude has to be given up in order to undercut it and regain the ridge. On the plus side, Luca discovered an extra water bottle in his bag. We hadn't been short on water after all. You f--ker, but, you clever f--kr.
- Descending Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. Doubts starting to creep in. In our wildest dreams we had thought we could push for An Dorus (between Sgurr a Ghreadaidh and Sgurr a Mhadaidh). It was already well advanced into the afternoon.
- A lot of altitude to be given up just to get round Rotten Gully. It did not make us happy.
When we got to Bealach Coire Lagan we did seriously consider continuing for Inaccessible Pinnacle. There could not be a better day for it! Or, at least we would summit Sgurr Dearg and descend the other side. But we were tired. And the risk of missing out on fish and chips swung it. Decision was made and we bounded down the scree to Loch Lagan. We left 3 mid-ridge munros that we will have to return for another day.
- The three munros ahead that we decided to leave for another day.
It was a long traipse back to the car at Glenbrittle Youth Hostel. What a day. Finally we'd had a day of good weather in the Highlands. We deserved it and we took advantage. What a great place the Cuillin is. Nothing else like it.
- The descent back to Glen Brittle.
