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Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros


Postby Collaciotach » Sat Jul 04, 2015 4:19 pm

Munros included on this walk: Am Basteir, Bruach na Frìthe, Sgùrr nan Gillean

Date walked: 04/07/2015

Time taken: 11 hours

Distance: 18.6 km

Ascent: 1114m

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You may think the first thing I see on crossing the Eilean Ban to Skye is the Cuilinn range , yet it is not ,its the small sentinel of Dun Caan on the Island of Rasaay to the North West that always catches my attention .

Next it is Glamaig and then Marsco , they are all connected and celebrated in Gaelic song and poetry ,have been for generations .

I pulled the car up beside a moonlight Marsco on Thursday night with a mind to undertake Bruach na Frithe and Am Baister on Friday morning given a "good" forecast.

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An Gealach Marsco - Nighfall on Marsco


A fine sleep in the vehicle and away sharp at 5.30am on the "tourist path" to Coir Fionn and it did indeed look promising

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An Cuilithionn


Tis a decent slige all the way to the bowl coire and would not be difficult to follow even in misty or cloudy conditions which I could see arriving as I approached !

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Ceo is Sgoth


Should have gone at 2am, which I have to confess I did consider to catch sunrise as the range as clear all night

Once in the Coire the mist was not to bad , still a confusing place and although I had a bead on the direction there are many trails to choose from ,so I sampled quite a few in all directions to get my bearings . I wandered up a few gullies and out onto Sgurr Am Baister which was clear ! ...then back in and onto Bruach na Frithe ...which wasn't !

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Bruach na Frithe


A bit disappointing , so I hung about a wee bit in case she cleared as the cloud was thin showing occasional glimpse or more like shadows of rocks ,buttresses and the like......

I wandered down a slighe which I thought was on the Coire Basteir side of the fiacal (tooth) and then caught a glimpse of the rock which was to my left ...ooops ,quick scramble back up and things started to improve.

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Fiacal Am Basteir


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A ribhist


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Sgurr am Basteir


A clear route down under the tooth was visible , I kept well clear of the base as I could hear folk clattering about up in the mist and was wary for falling stones , its a mossach side down the loose rocks and scree ...sleamhnaich gu dearbh .

The clamber up the ridge was steep but fine god holds andin the mist you are aware there is a fair fall either side negotiated the step without difficulty and onto the summit , she wasn't showing much sealltainn !!!

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Am Basteir


Again we hung around , she cleared intermittently then came in thick again so I clocked the time it was early enough so I reckoned Sgurr nan Gillian was on the cards but what route ?

We gained the Bealach again and had a look at the connecting druim (North) it looked fierce but the fleeting glimpses to the summit made it appear hard but possible , I also looked West to a drop into the West coire under Sgurr Beag which also looked possible gaining the West ridge somewhere mid point .

What to do ?

Ach I dropped into Coire Bhasteir and traversed round losing a lot of height to catch the route up the West ridge a good way round and adding some time onto the journey. I had no knowledge of the North ridge and decided to play safe rather than spend ages picking up and perhaps being turned back on a random route ,getting sensible in my old age ! .

The druim onto Gillian is hard going but care and it presents no issues in fact it is very good scrambling and the weather was clearing .. sgionneil :D

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Sgurr Beag


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Glamaig


I scrambled to the left of the ridge to keep out the wind which was picking up and a steep exposed scramble to the wee drop was great cráic , all good olds and dry rock , be mighty different in the wet I guess ....soon enough the summit was visible ....

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Sgurr nan Gillian


A quick shift onto the mullach and the weather cleared so an hour on the summit exploring and taking pictures

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Am Basteir , Sgurr nan Gillian


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Bla Bheinn


I had a bite to eat then clambered down the druim that connects to Bastier , went a fair way down and it looked fairly moderate most of the way and I was tempted to use this as a route out :wink:

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Clach an Uinneag


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Seallaidh Coire Ghlas


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Shios


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An Uinneag


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Bealach nan Basteir agus Druim Iar


In the end the sensible head kicked in and I decided to scramble down the route I had taken up except this time over the slabs which were great fun the whole of An Cuilithionn was now in view and a splendid vista all around me with that unusual yellow thing beating down for a change .

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Sgurr Mhic Connich


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Sgurr Alasdair agus MhicCoinnich


The drop down was but I was fairly pleased with my day which leaves me only four to do in the range ,Sgurr MhicCoinnich /Alasdair also Sgurr a Mhadaidh / Greadhaidh ,although I reckon there is plenty exploring to do in these fine mountains.

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Gun Ainm


I mentioned Dun Caan at the beginning here she is on the Eilean Ratharsair with perhaps unrivalled views to An Cuilithionn .......

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Dun Caan



An Cuilithionn is more than a grouping of hills , it an inspiration to the greatest Poet ever to grace the land of the Scots their finest Bard , bar none , Somhairle MacGill-Eeain or Sorley MacLean .... a'rugadh ann Eilean Ratharsair ann 1911 aig Osgaig.

It is unfortunate that colonisation and marginalisation has watered down our rights , culture , language and side lined his great poem "An Cuilithionn" to the few .

An Eilean uachdrach
a' Chuilithinn ghruamaich,
nan loch suaineach
mo luaidh's mo ghaol

He is way better than Burns who after all was just a Scots speaking fermer :wink:

Go find him ,you won't regret it ........... http://www.sorleymaclean.org/english/chronology.htm
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Collaciotach
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby Alteknacker » Sat Jul 04, 2015 8:43 pm

There sure is plenty exploring to do in these fine mountains, as you say! For me, the finest place on the planet. I just wish I lived nearer - reports like this make me quite envious :sick:
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby dav2930 » Sat Jul 04, 2015 11:05 pm

Looks like you had a wonderful time on these magnificent peaks - quite an adventure! Some great photos there. Gaelic is such a poetic language; I really must learn it so I can read An Cuilithionn. :D
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby Bruno » Sun Jul 05, 2015 1:07 pm

Great report and photos, as ever, Colla. Inspirational in all respects. :clap: :clap: :D
Iain
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby Collaciotach » Mon Jul 06, 2015 7:47 am

Alteknacker wrote:There sure is plenty exploring to do in these fine mountains, as you say! For me, the finest place on the planet. I just wish I lived nearer - reports like this make me quite envious :sick:


Ach takes me 2hrs n 15mins to get to Skye Alte ..spare me a thought :wink:
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby Collaciotach » Mon Jul 06, 2015 7:47 am

Bruno wrote:Great report and photos, as ever, Colla. Inspirational in all respects. :clap: :clap: :D
Iain


Moran Taing a bhalaich :D
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby Collaciotach » Mon Jul 06, 2015 7:48 am

dav2930 wrote:Looks like you had a wonderful time on these magnificent peaks - quite an adventure! Some great photos there. Gaelic is such a poetic language; I really must learn it so I can read An Cuilithionn. :D


Always translation but much is lost :wink:
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby dogplodder » Mon Jul 06, 2015 9:35 am

Agree about Sorley MacLean. Close pal's sister married his nephew - so that's my claim to fame sorted. :lol:
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby Beaner001 » Mon Jul 06, 2015 11:49 am

Absolutely agree with your comments on Raasay's volcanic Dun Caan, was over on Skye Thursday/Friday and I couldn't take my eyes off it, easily seen from the Mountains and the road. Skye however is something else, so different from the Eastern Landscape, so refreshing, an awesome place :D
Cheers
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby rockhopper » Tue Jul 07, 2015 12:44 pm

Quite a few ups and downs but a good result in the end :thumbup:
I take my hat off to you - not sure I'd want to try that for the first time without a guide - cheers :)
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby malky_c » Tue Jul 07, 2015 1:16 pm

Good routefinding :D

I remember setting off to do all 3 of these in winter, starting with Gillean. We didn't even quite get to the top of Gillean, never mind the rest :roll: .

Sounds like you've done most of the difficult ones - the rest will be a breeze :wink:
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby dooterbang » Sat Jul 11, 2015 11:32 am

Brilliant Colla - epic stuff :)

Skye is just a stunning landscape, never tire of it.

You're nearly there, looks like you'll complete before me....how did that happen :lol: 8)
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby Collaciotach » Sat Jul 11, 2015 1:37 pm

dooterbang wrote:Brilliant Colla - epic stuff :)

Skye is just a stunning landscape, never tire of it.

You're nearly there, looks like you'll complete before me....how did that happen :lol: 8)



Aye kinda thinking this year but I ain't going out in bad weather for the last 15 , got to be views ....thagt might hold me back :D
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Re: Tri ann an t Eilean Sgiathanach - Three Skye Munros

Postby dooterbang » Sat Jul 11, 2015 4:01 pm

Collaciotach wrote:
dooterbang wrote:Brilliant Colla - epic stuff :)

Skye is just a stunning landscape, never tire of it.

You're nearly there, looks like you'll complete before me....how did that happen :lol: 8)



Aye kinda thinking this year but I ain't going out in bad weather for the last 15 , got to be views ....thagt might hold me back :D
I totally agree that you should wait for the views, I don't understand people that don't :? . That's why It'l take me longer to complete. Agree also that the weather has been utter crap :(
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