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We didn't actually climb the In Pinn
as we didn't have the gear, which means
a bike managed to get further than us!
Because this was our most ambitious walk on the Cuillin Ridge so far (I'd been dreaming about them for months), we didn't know how long we'd take, so headed out as early as possible
- This is very early!
Parked at the Memorial Hut, then headed along the road to the Youth Hostel, before heading up next to the Allt Choire a' Ghreadaidh.
Turned off on the path to Coir' an Eich. We decided to go up this way over Coire na Banachdich after much debate because we wouldn't have to double back on ourselves, despite some guides we'd read saying this was the 'boring' route.
- No route to the Cuillins is easy!
First light was coming fast.
- The Outer Hebrides behind Glen Brittle
We headed up the screes above the corrie and after a bit of a slog reached the An Diallaid ridge, where we got a pretty impressive view into Coire a' Ghreadaidh.
- Coire a' Ghreadaidh
Started heading up the ridge to Sgurr na Banachdich, which is surely the widest in the whole of the Black Cuillin! Started to encounter some frost for the first time this year as well
. Lets look forward to the snow!
Reached the top of Sgurr na Banachdich after a fair slog, where Dad went photo crazy
- Loch Harport and The MacLeod's Tables
We thought we could see the In Pinn, but this In Pinn was actually a mini In Pinn on top of the big In Pinn!
- The Mini In Pinn
- First time me and dad had ever seen the famous Loch Coruisk
- Our destinations starting to acquire some cloud
- Summit Shot
Headed down the ridge towards Bealach Coire na Banachdich, which we had previously given up trying to reach in the clouds last Easter - we were trying to reach Loch Coruisk and get back to Glen Brittle in just a morning!
- Only took half a year!
Headed up the very intimidating buttress of Sgurr Dearg, which didn't take long at all compared to what I expected - don't you just love it when a false summit turns out to be the actual summit
- Here we are!
I then remembered this was a false summit
- Wow!
How the heck did
Danny MacAskill get up there?!?
Started to head down the slope to An Stac and Bealach Coire Lagan, which would definitely be interesting if wet
! Contoured round the top of the An Stac screes.
- Coire Lagan
We headed up to the top of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich (may as well be called bowgbfguinesp for all I can pronounce it
), which involved some tricky route finding.
- Summit Shot
- We were now getting a better view of Sgurr Alasdair than we did when we were on it (in a bit of cloud)
Dad then modeled what we had just walked
- [Wolf Whistles]
We had lunch just below the tiny summit and discussed what we were going to do next as we knew Collie's Ledge was in the way of Sgurr Alasdair
. We decided to 'go and have a look', which we did, then magically found ourselves on it
, so had to finish it off!
Reached Bealach Mhic Choinnich, which we hadn't planned to have actually got to, so we were unsure of whereabouts the path went, so decided to head down the scree slope towards Coire Lagan and when it was safe to do so, contour round to the Great Stone Chute.
- Did I mention how much I was looking forward to this?
Once the massacre was over, we headed up on to Sgurr Alasdair, which is the second time we've done it, the first was in Easter in the cloud.
- Coir' a' Ghrunnda
- The highest people on Skye!
Finally, for the first time since yesterday evening, we saw a person
!!!
- The Inaccessible Pinnacle is accessed
Headed down the Stone Chute to Coire Lagan, which is a lot more fun than coming up!
- Coire Lagan
We could see the Isle of Rum, which is where Dad proposed to Mum
, so Dad started fantasizing about 'the good days' and all that.
- Romantic Rum
Instead of heading down the path to the campsite, we took the branch of right to the Memorial Hut, past Loch an Fhir-bhallaich, or 'that loch' as I like to call it. The bottles were also a bit low, so when we reached Eas Mor...
- We had to!
- Finished!
