Friday 9th April: Today I did a solo walk taking in three of the Black Cuillin's Munro's. The walk involved some of the most tricky scrambling that I've ever attempted. Some of it is rated as grade 3, mainly due to the extreme exposure and the odd tricky move. The rock itself wasn't all that forgiving either being quite friable in places and also very rough on the hands.
I started at Glen Brittle YHA and followed a clear path that headed up into Coire a' Ghreadaidh. From here the going became a little harder as I had to ascend a scree chute to reach a notch in the ridge called An Dorus (The Door). Getting up and out of An Dorus involved a short section of grade 3 scrambling before reaching easier ground and a simple scramble to the summit of Sgurr a' Mhadaidh.
From Sgurr a' Mhadaidh I returned back the way I had come and a tricky climb back down into An Dorus before climbing back out of the other side which, once again, is a short bit of grade 3. From here it's easy scrambling up the ridge bypassing an imposing tower of rock named 'The Wart' before reaching the summit of Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh.
This is where the fun bit begins! I can either return the way I had come and descend back to the car or continue along the ridge to the next Munro. The Cicerone Guide to Walking The Munros say's the following,
"There is no great technical difficulty in the next section of the ridge (although it is usually given a grade 3), but it requires great care as it narrows to a genuine knife-edge aręte with a delicious degree of exposure on both sides. This can feel intimidating. Many parties will find it extremely exhilarating, but those who don't have a head for heights will probably not.". That read and digested I decided to continue and enjoy the delicious degree of exposure! The aręte was quite tricky in places as the rock can be quite friable, not to mention having the texture of sandpaper which is hard going on the skin. I bumped into three guys going the opposite way across the aręte but they were the only people I saw all day.
Soon the aręte was done and the ridge broadened a bit but there was still some scrambling to be done as I negotiated the Three Teeth and the descent down from the minor top of Sgurr Thormaid. Finally I began to ascend to the summit of Sgurr na Banachdich which is an easy ascent over scree and boulders. From the summit I had a fleeting view of Sgurr Dearg and the Inaccessible Pinnacle before the cloud obscured it again.
From Sgurr na Banachdich I made an easy descent over scree down to the An Diallaid Ridge and into Coir' an Eich before returning to my car at Glen Brittle YHA. Whilst descending I could heard a helicopter hovering up by the main ridge, I hope the three guys I had seen earlier hadn't got into any trouble but it was in the area that they had headed to.
Here's the photo's:
Looking up into Coire a' Ghreadaidh.
An Dorus visible on the ridge.
Heading up the scree chute to An Dorus.
The going was steep and the loose scree wasn't making it any easier.
Looking back down into the coire.
An Dorus, a narrow notch in the ridge with steep drops either side.
The ridge leading to the summit of Sgurr a' Mhadaidh.
From the ridge the view down into the coire.
A Brucie on the summit of Sgurr a' Mhadaidh!
A brief break in the cloud reveals the ridge leading to Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh on the other side of An Dorus.
Heading up the ridge to Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh.
The Wart.
Another Brucie! This time on the summit of Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh.
The start of the aręte and the south top of Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh.
The south top with the aręte dropping away to the right.
A typical view with very steep drops either side.
Some more of the aręte.
Looking back at what I've already scrambled along.
I never got a clear view of the whole aręte as the cloud remained stubbornly in place.
The view down into the coire.
Negotiating the Three Teeth, Sgurr Thormaid in the clag behind.
A view of the peaks further along the main Cuillin Ridge.
From the summit of Sgurr Thormaid looking up at Sgurr na Banachdich.
Looking back to Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh.
Looking up at Sgurr na Banachdich, final Munro of the day.
Looking back up at Sgurr Thormaid.
Easy scrambling to the summit of Sgurr na Banachdich.
Looking along the ridge to Sgurr Dearg with the Inaccessible Pinnacle just about visible.
Here's the Brucie!
On the descent, looking back up at the scree slope from Coir' an Eich.
Heading back to the car, the view back to the ridge.
