“None of the route is easy, but there are three key sections where route finding and technical difficulties intensify for a number of hours.”. From Sgurr nan Eag to Sgurr nan Gillean took 8hrs 50minutes. To find your way around the ridge without a certain level of mountaineering experience can be challenging to say the least, even in good weather. The 11 Cuillin Munros on the Main Ridge can be climbed in 4 days of reasonable length (7-10 hours) by fit hill-walkers in good weather conditions. With many false lines leading to dead ends or over huge cliffs, route finding is tricky even in good visibility. Join a small group. Along with navigation and negotiating a weather window, the biggest logistical difficulty associated with the Traverse is balancing the need for speed with gear, food and water requirements. 2021 Remote, sustained, serious and with fantasy views over mountains and sea, this is scrambling at its most thrilling. Skye Guides, 3 Luib, Isle of Skye, IV49 9AN Did this in June 1977 after having trained for and done the Fellsman. Bronze for Molly Thompson-Smith in European Lead Championships 2020. I teach, and use, a ‘Victorian’ style of just the rope and natural anchors for all but the pitched climbs.”. Not sure if you’re up to the job? Sgùrr nan Gillean is a mountain in the northern section of the Cuillin range on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. To have more chance of success and to enjoy the experience then a two-day exped is recommended. Adrian Trendall, author of new Cicerone guide Skye's Cuillin Ridge Traverse, explains how to smooth the hardest edges off the ridge, making it a more realistic prospect for iffy weather or less able climbers. With so many factors needing to fall into place, it’s not surprising that less than 10% of parties setting off to attempt the Ridge succeed. Some tackle the problem by stashing gear at their proposed bivvy spot, but Mike discourages this approach. Our clients say this after they have come back from their trip. Unlike many British ridge walks, the Cuillin Ridge poses a serious navigational challenge. Pinnacle Ridge line in Cuillin Hills in Scotland. McKeever Mountain Guiding, Fort William Picture: Pinnacle Ridge, Skye Cuillin - Check out Tripadvisor members' 11,300 candid photos and videos. Standing proudly atop Skye’s mighty Cuillin Ridge sits The Inaccessible Pinnacle. Dates and booking. The choice hasn’t been easy, some have been shoe-ins like Crib Goch, the Aonach Eagach and the legendary Cuillin Ridge, others like the Nanttle Ridge and Pinnacle Ridge on St Sunday Crag are more esoteric, but still a brilliant day out. Skye’s Cuillin Ridge has been described as ‘the holy grail of British scrambling’ (British Mountaineering Council) and ‘the jewel in the crown of Scottish mountaineering’ (Jamie Andrew – a climber, motivational speaker and quadruple amputee). THE NORTHERN CUILLIN, ISLE OF SKYE. The finest mountaineering journey that the UK has to offer. Photo of Pinnacle Ridge in profile (taken June 2008): Above photo subsequently used in SMC Cuillin guidebook as topo pic. Sgùrr nan Gillean and the Pinnacle Ridge from Basteir gorge. The Fionn Choire Horseshoe Scurr Nan Gillean by Pinnacle Ridge Cuillin Ridge Traverse Blaven and Clach Glas Traverse. Unlike many British ridge walks, the Cuillin Ridge poses a serious navigational challenge. La selezione dell’area geografica può cambiare la lingua e il contenuto delle promozioni disponibili nel sito Web di Adobe Stock. “4,000 metres of ascent and descent would make for a very big mountain walk, but the Traverse is definitely climbing not walking,” says Mike Lates, who has been a mountain guide on Skye since 1995 and completed over a hundred successful traverses. BMC travel insurance comes in five policies: Travel, Trek, Rock, Alpine and Ski and High Altitude. Walking in to Pinnacle Ridge, Red Cuillin forming the skyline. If you like to gamble, enjoy suffering and have good knowledge about the ridge then a one-day traverse is the way. We vary the itinerary to suit conditions but the Inaccessible Pinnacle is normally attempted on the day with the best forecast for the week. “Away from Skye do a hard practice scramble and then descend the same route for a realistic assessment of your abilities,” advises Mike. He adds that competent hill-walkers used to scrambling often fare at least as well as rock climbers “who can get nervous when not roped up”. The Cuillin ridge traverse is what a lot of people come to Skye for. It’s the most northerly of the Munros and ends in a dramatic sequence of pinnacles known as the Pinnacle Ridge. With the sun shining we started the walk into Pinnacle ridge, the hardest graded ridge on Sgurr nan Gillean, the most northerly munro on the Cuillin ridge. Here's some inspiration to help get you through in the meantime. The Cuillin Ridge offers the nearest thing the UK gets to the Alps, with more than 3000m of ascent over a horizontal distance of 10km. The walk down to the car was a blur of exhaustion and elation. Here’s what you need to know to keep tackling those airy arêtes and bristling ridges over winter. 22697 I had climbed its easier neighbours Am Basteir and Bruach ne Frithe on my previous visit. Chris Stafford and Charlie Beard, 10th (and inadvertently 11th) September 2012, Introduction. Your kit list will depend on the weather and what approach you decide to take, but Mike recommends a good pair of lightweight boots as the single most important bit of gear you’ll need. Pinnacle Exposures. With a height of 966.1 metres (3,169 feet 7 inches), it is one of eleven Munros in the Cuillin ridge. We’re not talking full rock climbing as this takes far too long and you’ll never reach your goal. To tackle the Ridge you need to be very comfortable moving over grade 3 ground and handy with a rope. September 20, 2012 by cbeardgeo Leave a comment. To navigate through all these epic ridges, take a look at the guides below below. Peak District Grit: now ready to show you the way! The best option is to attempt the route in weather conditions that allow for a lightweight approach, ideally bivvying at the south end of the Ridge in the evening, leaving your gear and enjoying the Traverse with a small pack the following day. Describing the Cuillin Ridge as a scramble would be like billing K2 as an exciting mountaineering route – true, but fatally understated. The ridge can be completed in one or two days, either as TRIAD (the ridge in a day) or CREST (Cuillin Ridge Expedition Style Traverse). “If you’ve done your homework you’ll just be waiting for a suitable weather window to be forecast. The Cuillin: Cuillin Ridge traverse, Pinnacle Ridge, The Spur, Dubh Slabs. After all, a day spent in the Cuillin is always a big mountain adventure. Find the perfect pinnacle ridge skye stock photo. From 10 July, many European destinations are opening up to UK travellers. While the shark’s fin of the Inaccessible Pinnacle cut sharply above its parent peak of Sgurr Dearg. After a quick note on the three most obvious approach options to get to the summit of Gars-bheinn, the ridge is broken down into ten logical sections, in the customary south-to-north summertime order. Are you ready for the challenge? Wilderness Mountains. Working for climbers, hill walkers & mountaineers, © Innocuous Sgurr Mhic Coinnich looked nothing more than a subsidiary ridge of Sgurr Alasdair. The Inaccessible Pinnacle is considered to be the hardest Munro out of the 282 Munros found in Scotland. Tag Archives: Cuillin. The first choice you have to make is are you going to do it in one day or as a two-day exped? p: (00) +44 (0)1471 822 116 m: (00) +44 (0)7769 221 500. times, There are a range of courses, lectures, workshops and training opportunities that the BMC organises to bring the best value possible to its members. Alternatively if you do not wish to login you may post a comment anonymously. As Europe is unlocked, BMC travel insurance is loaded with the essential cover that you need for adventure. How does Coronavirus (COVID-19) affect your BMC Travel Insurance policy? With many false lines leading to dead ends or over huge cliffs, route finding is tricky even in good visibility. If it’s your first trip, get out and explore small sections while you are waiting.”   As well as packing in plenty of scrambling practice, Mike recommends finding a trusted climbing partner of compatible ability and studying photographs, written descriptions and maps before making an attempt on the Ridge. responsible for their own actions. Cuillin Ridge, Isle of Skye. The Cuillin Ridge is the traverse of the main summits of the Black Cuillin Mountains in Skye, one of the Western Isles in the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is the representative body that exists From the col we had a superb view across to the main part of the Cuillin Ridge. In … Munros that involve scrambling on the Cuillin Ridge include Sgurr nan Gillean, Am Basteir, Sgurr a’Mhadaidh, Sgurr a’Greadaidh, Sgurr Mhic Choinnich, The Inaccessible Pinnacle (aka The Pinn), Sgurr Alasdair, Sgurr Dubh Mor and Sgurr nan Eag. Choose clear weather and go light, or you may be put off forever!”. Some climbers have the skills and the fitness to complete the Cuillin Ridge in one epic day, but for most of us it’s a two-day venture. Here’s how to tackle the one ridge to rule them all. I continued alone which was exciting and very satisfying. Pinnacle Ridge is quite hard to make out, but it begins just to the left of one of the deepest gullies on the face. With dry rock and very grippy gabbro we made good progress over the 1st 2 pinnacles climbing up some good short pitches. Bag all 11 Munros on the Cuillin Ridge, including the famed 'Inaccessible Pinnacle'. The whole ridge is around 13km in length, plus 7km for the approach and descent. Day 1: Pinnacle Ridge, Sgurr nan Gillean from Sligachan. Read more about the Covid-travel FAQs here, This article has been read Spend 4 days with us on Skye's famed Cuillin ridge; Reach superb vantage points from where vast views can be savoured. The Cuillin Ridge on the Isle of Skye is the main event when it comes to scrambling in the UK. “Traversing the tops of Sgurr a’ Mhadaidh is followed by the very complex and technical Bidean Druim nan Ramh, which involves two abseil descents,” Mike explains. Many aspire to it, yet it repels 90% of those who try it on their first attempt. “Carrying a large pack adds even more reality to the experience but there is no substitute for traversing a section of the Cuillin Ridge, at any stage in your preparations, to see what it’s all about. By continuing to use the website, you consent to our Find out everything you need to know from our top five of the best UK scrambles, become an instant convert, and get all the skills from our videos. No, the real reason why so many attempted traverses end in failure is the enormous physical and mental toll posed by this Alpine-style epic. We're dreaming of the day COVID-19 is over and we can all go back to Skye. More water can be collected by descending from your bivvy site on the first night. We use cookies to ensure a better website performance, to analyse site traffic and to give you a more tailored experience. Want to give it a try but don't know where to start? mountaineers, including ski-mountaineers. “Then the final hard section can be a real twist of the knife for tired parties as the fearsome Basteir Tooth blocks the way. Once you’ve sampled a few bite-sized sections of the Ridge, done bags of research and spotted a clear two-day weather window, you should be ready to take on the full challenge. Photographs of ridge walking on the Cuillin Hills of the Isle of Skye including: Inaccessible Pinnacle, Quiraing, Storr, Bhasteir, Blaven, Sgurr Alasdair, Sgurr Dearg, Great Stone Chute, Skye Ridge, Pinnacle Ridge, Clach Glas Beyond here, any route onto Am Basteir involves breaking through an undercut wall and a treacherously slabby descent before a final victorious climb to the summit of Sgurr nan Gillean.”. Skye’s Cuillin Ridge is the Holy Grail of British scrambling. Not only should you be fit enough to spend two long and physical days on the hill, you’ll also need to be confident moving without a rope on difficult ground and have the mental resilience to handle the sustained exposure. Bla Bheinn: Clach Glas to Bla Bheinn traverse. Only possible to do this in one day by doing parts of the route a few days before so you know exactly where you are going and how to tackle each peak plus what to expect in terms of exposure, loose rock, drops, routes etc. Compasses are unreliable because of the magnetic rock so orientation becomes virtually impossible in the clag. To a rock climber its shark fin profile and narrow crest is one of geological beauty but to an avid Munro collector it can be a daunting prospect. Admittedly this wasn’t one of those super spontaneous adventures that turn out as epics (good and bad), but my friend and climbing pal (and Winter ML and a fair bit more experienced than me in the dark art of moving together) Mehmet Karatay happened to be free on a few … With over 3000m ascent spread over 10km on the ridge itself, and some of the most spectacular mountain scenery anywhere in the UK, the Cuillin Ridge Traverse truly is an incredible achievement for those who choose to undertake the challenge. 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