Sgurr Alasdair

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Sgurr Alasdair is the highest peak on Skye - and indeed, the highest UK island summit. The tiny summit is an amazing viewpoint but reaching it involves an arduous slog up scree.

Terrain

The Great Stone Chute is an extremely steep and loose scree chute whose ascent requires much effort and care. The final climb to the summit is a straightforward scramble.

Public Transport

None to start.

Start

Parking at Glen Brittle above the beach. Map and directions.

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 9.5km / 6 miles
Time: 5 - 6 hours
Ascent: 992m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NG408206

Summits Climbed

Munro: Sgurr Alasdair

Maps / GPS

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Accommodation

Walk Description

Stage 1

Park just before the campsite at the end of the Glen Brittle road. From here Sgurr Alasdair looks particularly impressive. The walk starts through the campsite and small gate to keep left of the toilet block and up the prominent path. Go straight across at a rough track. The early part of the route was once an eroded swamp, but following extensive works there is now an excellent pitched-stone constructed footpath.

Stage 2

Ignore a path forking off to the right. As height is gained, great views open up of the Isle of Rum and, later, Eigg. At a large cairn keep straight ahead; from this point the going becomes much rougher. At one point the path heads up a gully between two slabs of rock, scrambling slightly.

Stage 3

After the gully, the Loch is only short distance beyond. This is one of the most impressive places in Britain, with the small and beautiful blue lochan surrounded by great sweeps of rock. There are huge slabs, vertical precipices and gigantic stone chutes. Go round the loch to the left and begin the ascent of the most obvious worn scree fan, which is the foot of the Great Stone Chute.

Stage 4

The lower part of the chute is extremely loose - very much a case of two steps forward, one back, helmets are a sensible precaution. Higher up the chute narrows dramatically and becomes steeper. On this upper section most of the smaller stones have gone and great care must be taken not to dislodge rocks onto any climbers below.

Stage 5

The saddle at the very top of the stone chute will be a welcome sight. The ridge heading off to the right towards the summit looks fairly scary but turns out to be quite straightforward. The top itself is soon reached; at 992 metres this is the highest mountain on the Isle of Skye. It is named in honour of Sheriff Alexander Nicolson, the Skyeman who made the first ascent.

Stage 6

The summit is dramatic - even smaller than that on Sgurr nan Gillean - and the view across the gulf of Coire Lagan to the Inaccessible Pinnacle is fantastic. The view in the other direction, over Coir a' Ghrunnda with its beautiful lochan, is equally fine, whilst a maze of sea and islands stretches away in all directions.

Stage 7

The best descent route is to return by the route of ascent; the Stone Chute being a little easier in this direction. The ridge leading towards Sgurr Sgumain has a difficult section - very keen scramblers can ascend by this route as it could be hard to find in descent. Reaching Sgurr Sgumain from Glen Brittle is straightforward enough (either by the Sgumain stone chute or by ascending over Sron na Ciche). The difficult section is shortly after the Sgumain col when ascending towards Sgurr Alasdair; here an impasse in the ridge is avoided by heading out to the right on ledges before ascending a short chimney, though this is out of bounds except to keen scramblers (Grade 5).

Stage 8

Once back at the lochan in Coire Lagan, be sure to enjoy this stunning location, looking back at the Stone Chute and the peak high above - it is almost impossible to beleive that the route you have just done is feasible.

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