free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
I know Snowdonia7 was on Skye at the same time, and has a much better report than this very brief one, so I'll keep the words down and let the pictures do the talking.
Having done Blaven last year, but but being unhappy with anything more extreme on the ridge (we are just average walkers) decided to take the plunge and book a guide. We went with George Yeoman who I'd recommend unreservedly.
We climbed Sunday 26, then a day off for bad weather, then Tues - Thursday. Amazingly we had pretty good weather for most of our trip. The days were long (for me!); we tended to start 0830 and there was not a day we were back before 1700. George kept a steady pace so we struck a good balance between making progress and not knackering out huffers and puffers like myself.
Using a guide was the right thing for us - every day there was terrain we'd never have tried to negotiate \ navigate ourselves. Obviously the Inaccessible Pinnacle being a case in point. Can't say I enjoyed it, but the climb itself wasn't difficult, it's just very exposed.
Anyway here are a few pictures from our trip...
Sunday 26 May - Sgurr nan Eag, Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn and Sgurr AlasdairSet off just after 0830. Climbed up Coir a Ghrunnda and up Sgurr nan Eag our first munro. Over to Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn then harnesses on. Got roped up for the ascent up the 'scoop' below Sgurr Alasdair. Ended day in fog. Down the Grear Stone Chute - very unpleasant 900 feet of scree - then long walk out back to car for 5 or so.
Eag and Alasdair summits in mist, so only two pics :
- Loch Coir' a' Ghrunnda
- My brother on Sgurr Dubh Mor
Tuesday May 28 - Sgurr a' Mhadaidh, Sgurr a' Greadaidh and Sgurr na BanachdichMet at Glenbrittle youth hostel at 0830. Climbed up Coire An Dorus then up to Sgurr a' Mhadaidh, then over to Sgurr a' Greadaidh for lunch. Beautiful day. Had lunch then long climb over to Sgurr na Banachdich. Long walk back down through Coire an Eich.
- Heading towards An Dorus
- Loch Coruisk from Sgurr a' Mhadaidh
- View to Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh from Sgurr a' Mhadaidh
- On the way to Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh
- Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh summit
- View from Sgurr na Banachdich
- As per last time, with me in the way
Wednesday 30 May Sgurr Dearg & Inaccessible Pinnacle and Sgurr MhicChoinnichMet at memorial hut in Glenbrittle and then walked up Sgurr Dearg. Got roped up and did the Inn Pinn. Not too difficult but obviously very exposed. Was lowered off to top by our guide. Afterwards, had lunch then descended very steep terrain below the Pinnacle and over the Coireachan Ruadha Crags to Sgurr MhicChoinnich. Returned same way before descending scree opposite the Great Stone Chute.
- View of Aladair and Great Stone Chute from near Inn Pinn
- Inn Pinn!
- One of our group touching the Bolster Stone
- Horrible descent down slabs beneath Inn Pinn
- View towards Sgurr Mhic Choinnich
- Descent down An Stac screes
Thursday 30 May Sgurr nan Gillean, Am Basteir and Bruach na FritheMet at Sligachan mountain rescue and off for 0830. Another cracking day. Up the ‘tourist track’ to Sgurr nan Gillean’ was struggling a bit - very tired. Bite to eat at top then off down West Ridge to Am Basteir, including another lower off near the top. Left stuff to get Am Basteir, then descended round the bottom of it through the snow fields and up to Bruach na Frithe. Then out to Sgurr a Basteir and then the usual long walk out.
- View from Sligachan - moon still out
- Approaching Gillean summit
- At Gillean summit
- Descending from Gillean
- View of ridge from beneath Gillean
- Am Basteir summit
- Heading towards Bruach Na Frithe
- Bruach Na Frithe summit
- Pinnacle ridge from Sgurr a Bhasteir