Isle Of Skye trip

[Liam57]

Hi

I have just booked a hotel for 2 nights beginning of April on Skye for myself and the missus. It will be our first time visiting Skye and I have always wanted to visit so I am overly excited. I myself want to do all the big climbs in the Cuillin Mountains however being with the missus this is not achievable so I am looking for some advice on a route in the Cuillin that we could do, nothing too difficult which involves the need for ropes etc, small bit of scrambling may be ok but again not too tough. I have looked at the Bruach Na Frithe what is everyones opinion on this? Also another locations in the Cuillin range I could do?

We are driving from the East Coast on Friday morning and plan on visiting Dunvegan Castle and Neist Point and then on the Saturday we will do a full day of walking and then Sunday the plan is to drive the Bealach Na Ba and then head back to the East Coast.

I would also like to visit the Fairy Pools at some point too, any advice on my weekend and walks/places to visit would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Caberfeidh]

The Fairy Pools are on the road down to Glen Brittle, so after visiting the pools you could carry on down, park at the beach and hike up to Corrie Lagan, then if the weather holds, head on up to the Inaccessible Pinnacle (I doubt if your good lady would want to go right to the top of the rock pinnacle, but the hill has magnificent views. If the tops are in cloud then a walk out to the end of the point from Glen Brittle beach is worthwhile. If the weather is truly foul then visits to castles at Dunvegan and Armadale are nice inside days.

[BobMcBob]

It could still be snowy on the tops at that time of year, which would make them somewhat more challenging.

As Caberfeidh says, a walk round into Coire Lagan from Glenbrittle is a nice walk that gets you into the heart of the Cuillin, and it would keep you below the snow (probably).

I've also done Bruach na Frithe starting from the Fairy Pools and it is one of the easiest Cuillin summits. Also Sgurr na Banachdich doesn't require any scrambling to summit and has some really great views.

[BoyVertiginous]

It could still be snowy on the tops at that time of year, which would make them somewhat more challenging.

As Caberfeidh says, a walk round into Coire Lagan from Glenbrittle is a nice walk that gets you into the heart of the Cuillin, and it would keep you below the snow (probably).

I've also done Bruach na Frithe starting from the Fairy Pools and it is one of the easiest Cuillin summits. Also Sgurr na Banachdich doesn't require any scrambling to summit and has some really great views.

What they said. Those two are probably your best bet, if it's Cuillin Munros you're after. There are of course several other nice hills and lower level walks on Skye, many of which would give you fine views of the Cuillin in the right conditions.

Have a great trip.

[jmarkb]

Blaven is another option with minimal scrambling: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/blabheinn.shtml

[Boris_the_Bold]

The Quiraing (at the north end of the island) is a memorable place and can be enjoyed in all weathers

[Liam57]

Thanks for everyones advice much appreciated.

Whats the route and going like to reach to base of the Innaccesible Pinnacle (Sgurr Dearg). Is this a tough hike, does it need scrambling and would it require good map skills or is it a simple route to reach the Inn Pinn?

One day soon I hope to climb the Inn Pinn but not this time however I would still be interested in making it to the base.

[NickyRannoch]

All the cuillin require good map skills and the ability to navigate by feature to map rather than compass work. An altimeter watch is a very handy navigational tool too.

There are lots of good footpaths but they go off in a hundred different directions. It's not the central highlands where often the obvious path goes where you want to go. You need to know where you are going.

[jmarkb]

.

Whats the route and going like to reach to base of the Innaccesible Pinnacle (Sgurr Dearg). Is this a tough hike, does it need scrambling and would it require good map skills or is it a simple route to reach the Inn Pinn?
.

There's a description here: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/innpinn.shtml - Grade 1 scrambling and potentially tricky route finding in poor visibility.

[jaybee]

Hi
If you want to enjoy your visit to the Fairy Pools (and they are worth visiting) then arrive early morning or late evening. Otherwise you will be queuing with the hordes and fighting for somewhere to park. It is chaos from April to September - a victim of its own success and marketing to tourists.
The walk up Bruach na Frithe is relatively easy although you will encounter some scree near the top of the coire. Coire Lagan is also a good one with spectacular views out to Rum and you can make it a circular with just a little road walking. You can easily fit in either walk before or after the pools.

Enjoy, it's the best place ever!

[Liam57]

Im leaning towards parking at Glen Brittle and then walking to Coire Lagan and possibly pushing further and heading up the Great Stone Chute to Sgurr Alisdair. Also visiting the Fairy Pools before we set off in the morning.

Or

Walk to Sgurr Na Banachdich.

[jupe1407]

Bruach na Frithe is a nice straightforward one. Do it from the layby just west of the Sligachan Hotel. It's a lovely route up the Allt Dearg and passes some fine waterfalls. The ascent up into Fionn Choire is pleasant and into Bealach nan Lice is fairly rocky and scree-ish, but not bad. From there it's an easy traverse to the summit. I got a view for about 3 seconds from the top, it was pretty impressive to say the least, though somewhat brief

As mentioned above, the Fairy Pools is mental unless dead early or dead late. We went there in October last year on an average day weather wise and the car park was absolutely rammed.

Other easy-but-awesome walks are the Quiraing and to the south, Camasunary from Kilmarie. The view over the bay, dominated by Sgurr na Stri, Blaven and a backdrop of the Black Cuillin is glorious.

Finally if you do the Bealach na Ba road, continue onto Applecross and the Inn there. It's a cracking place with good food.

[Caberfeidh]

possibly pushing further and heading up the Great Stone Chute to Sgurr Alisdair.

I wouldn't try that with your lady; it is quite exposed scrambling with no easy way down. I went up one time in May, the gully at the top of the chute was filled with snow. I climbed up this then realised I had bitten off more than I could chew ~ I could not climb down again without slipping and falling a very long way onto rocks and the Hereafter. I climbed on to the top and cadged an abseil down on some climbers' rope. If those nice helpful Yorkshire climbers had not been there I would likely have been killed horribly to death. Sgurr Alasdair is not an easy option.

[basscadet]

Aye, stone chute is brutal.. I came down there once and never again - no fun to be had there..
I think you would manage up to the base of the inn pinn without too many problems on a clear day - its not too tricky a walk, but the cuillins are always confusing in the clag, so best to wait and see what is viable on the day.. I wouldn't of thought there would be any snow so close to the sea, but freaks happen..
So to sum up, all trips to Skye are very weather dependant, and is best just to see what its like and adapt..
If weather is pants, go to Dunvegan castle - the best I've been to and I've been to an awful lot of castles, and while you are up there, you will have to stop at the Quirang on the way back

[Meatball]

You could use a guide?
Skye adventure gave me a good day out.

Your profile says you're a compleatist ... .
Does that mean this is a test? Did we pass? Haha