Skye - The Cuillin

[Highs and Lows]

Ever since I last visited Skye - 5 years ago, it has been an ambition of mine to go back there and do more stuff. I decided that the way to go was to hire a guide, and do it properly. Now there is a a choice of guides to go with on Skye, and a variety of courses on offer. The one I chose was George Yeomans, link to his site it turned out to be a very good choice - George is a top man, calm and re-assuring and knows the Cuillins inside out.

Day 1, Monday 14 May. Not the best of weather, but we got to do 3 Munros from Glenbrittle (Sgurr Mhadhaidh, Sgurr Ghreadhaidh and Sgurr na Banachdich.


Cuillin ridge from Sgurr na Ghreadhaidh

Day 2, Tuesday 15 May. The best day of the week, we did the southern Cuillins (Sgurr nan Eag, Sgurr Dubh and Sgurr Alasdair. Great views out to sea and a superb panorama from Alasdair.


Rhum


Cuillin sound pano from Sgurr nan Eag


Sgurr Dubh Mor, Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn, Gars Bheinn, Sgurr nan Eag from Sgurr Alasdair


on Sgurr Alasdair summit


pano north from Sgurr Alasdair
Day 3, Wednesday 16 May. The forecast was for it to be another fine day, however it didn't quite turn out that way after a bright start. But we did manage to squeeze in the remaining two Glenbrittle Munros (Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and the Inaccessible Pinnacle), despite the conditions.


on the Cuillin ridge looking towards Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and Sgurr Alasdair

Sgurr Dearg and the Inaccessible Pinnacle

on top of the In Pinn

me and The Pinn

Day 4, Thursday 17 May. Was a bad weather day, the only possibility was to go to Blaven, and do a straight-forward up and down via the east flank. Rained from the off, snow settling on the ground from halfway up. At least I got something done.


on Blaven summit

Day 5, Friday 16 May. Met up at the Sligachan, but because of all the snow that had fallen, it was only possible (just about) to go for Bruach na Frithe.


looking down into Coire a' Basteir

Bruach na Frithe

Sgurr nan Gillean, Sgurr a' Basteir, Bruach na Frithe

Sgurr na Gillean and Am Basteir from Allt Dearg Mor waterfalls
All in all, 10 out of 12 was a good return, considering what the weather threw at us. I wasn't done yet, though...

[dibble]

That all looks excellent.  I am very jealous as it is something I would like to do but can't.

Thank you for sharing your photos and oh wow to the weather too whilst you were up
there. 

It's awesome to just even look at those photos.  Thank you.

I am hoping to be able to go back there again next year.

[sunnydale]

Excellent!  Looks fab up there 
 
Tracey

[bear.cub]

Fantastic

[Micky]

Absolutely fantastic, got to get myself up there one day. 

[redeye]

great photo's and a great way to do that, with a guide. Looks fantastic
Cheers

[foz_79]

after them photos ive got to get myself up there 

[Trenchfoot]

Those Cuillins look awesome, really great photos.. 

In the past month or so I've worked on on a project with some great photos of the Cuillins, it certainly impresses for sure!.

[Highs and Lows]

Thanks for the comments. I've done a bit more of a write-up here

I had 2 weeks up in Scotland, the weather was mixed in that 1st week on Skye. I went to Knoydart for a few days, then came back to Skye to meet up with George again and climb the 2 Munros (Sgurr nan Gillean & Am Basteir) that we couldn't do the week before, because of the snow.


ascending the west ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean


Am Basteir from Sgurr nan Gillean


Bruach na frithe from Am Basteir


Sgurr nan Gillean and The Pinnacles

[Highs and Lows]

I travelled up to Skye on Saturday 12 May, and arrived on the Island at around 4pm. Enough time for me to get a hill in on my way to Glenbrittle.

I chose to go for Glamaig, from the road-side by Loch Ainort. It wasn't a bad walk, and being conscious of the forecast for the Sunday (incessant rain, gale force winds), I was itching to get up on a hill after my long drive up past all of those magnificent Western Highland mountains visible from the road.


Sound of Raasay


Raasay from An Coileach (Glamaig east summit)


An Coileach from Sgurr Mhairi (Glamaig)

[dittzzy]

Truly awesome.  And using a guide is brilliant.  I think I'd like to do that too sometimes.  Thank you for posting.   

[Highs and Lows]

Cheers.

I think that to do all of the Cuillin Munros in a week, then getting yourself on a course is the best way to go about it. The Cuillins are tricky ones, and route-finding is not straight-forward by any means.

And if you are a non-climber (like myself), then going with a guide is the only option.

[ramblingpete]

Enjoyed looking at those thanks.

Some awesome hills up in those there mountains - they look frightening close up as well. Fantastic place though

[Highs and Lows]

After my week on the Munros course I left the Glebrittle hostel, to make my way towards Kyleakin. The weather had improved significantly and the snow that had fallen in the days previous was vanishing rapidly.

I stopped on the road to take some photos


Black Cuillins from road to Sligachan


Red Cuillins from road to Sligachan


northern Black Cuillins

The hill I chose to go for today was Garbh-bheinn, a corbett which lies between the Red and Black Cuillin. Starting from the lay-by at the head of Loch Ainort.


Garbh-Bheinn, an Allt Coire nam Bruadar

Ascent (and descent) was by the north/north-west ridge.


Garbh-bheinn

Great views of the Cuillins from the top, particularly of Blaven.


Clach Glas and Blaven


Black Cuillins from Garbh-bheinn


Red Cuillins from Garbh-bheinn
There was some scrambling involved to reach the summit, which was narrow and quite airy, great views though - I stayed up there for almost 1 hour, didn't see another person either on the way up or down that day so I had that hill all to myself that day.

[dittzzy]

Oh my, oh my, oh my........ Truly lovely.  Can't wait to get there myself.  One day.............