"Skye" by Paul Robinson

Completing the Cuillin - Paul Robinson

Six of our group met up one Friday night last September at Glen Brittle Youth Hostel for this SCHC (Scottish Christian Hill Walking Club) meet on Skye whilst I arranged to join them on the Saturday morning (via an overnight stop in Ratagan). Two new faces - Graham & Tom together with Sheena and myself had put our names down for the Inaccessible Pinnacle of Sgurr Dearg (& possibly Sgurr Mhic Choinnich) with George Yeomans as our guide. John (also on his first meet with the club) together with Liz & Jacqui had put their names down for Am Basteir and Sgurr nan Gillean with Paddy Maguire.

As the weather forecast for the weekend had not been good, with predications extensive rain, hill fog and high wind speeds there was the distinct impression that our day would be cut short. However by 9am on the Saturday, when I had arrived at Glen Brittle, it had fortunately stopped raining and it looked as though the clouds were going to lift. The party of three then left at 9.10am for Sligachan where they were meeting with Paddy whilst the remainder of us met up with George Yeomans at 9.30am outside the hostel.

George decided that we should aim to reach the top of the Inaccessible Pinnacle soon after midday as the main problem on the summit was likely to be the winds which were still predicted to rise to 45 MPH by the afternoon. We therefore made our way up to Sgurr Dearg at what I found to be a fast pace so as not to get caught behind any other parties. At 11.25am we reached the "top" of Sgurr Dearg, with it's cairn overshadowed by of the summit of the Inaccessible Pinnacle just some 25metres away.

Descending from the cairn we made our way to the base of the "moderate" climb up the Pinnacle where we stopped for a bite to eat until 12.15pm as there was already another group completing their ascent by this route. Graham, Tom and myself then followed George to the top by this path, whilst Sheena decided to take the shorter "v. diff." route to the summit.

This "moderate" route up the "In Pinn" was made in two stages with a belay point in the middle. I found two sections of the first stage of the ascent were much steeper than I had anticipated - but after this the remainder of the ascent was more reminiscent of a steep narrow staircase with shear drops on either side. The clouds finally started to lift during the ascent and the wind did not pick up!

The three of us then abseiled off the "v. diff" side before Sheena made her way up by the "v. diff." route to the summit despite the apparent lack of any good handholds. Finally Sheena abseiled off the top to be followed by George who made his way down in a matter of seconds!

As it was only 1.30pm there was still plenty of time for us to make our way to Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. This was an enjoyable peak - slightly reminiscent of Stac Pollaidh - as George guided us along the main route that was almost lost amid a maze of false trails up and along the mountain.A good view was obtained of most of the Cuillin Ridge from the summit cairn although both Am Basteir and beyond still seemed to be lost in cloud. From here we made our way back to the col below Sgurr Dearg, where we recollected the sacks that we had left there for our ascent, and then down the screes to Coire Lagan before returning to Glen Brittle.

The other party first proceeded in cloud from Sligachan to Am Basteir where they negotiated the bad step with the aid of a rope. Returning to the col by the same path they then ascended Sgurr Nan Gillean by a route which was described as "pretty vertical". A rope was again needed by the party on one particularly narrow steep section just before the summit. The clouds cleared and a view was obtained for 10 minutes. Rather than returning directly back to Sligachan the party went back to the col again by along the route of their ascent. As there was still time left Paddy then led this party to Bruach na Frithe (their third Cuillin of the day!) They then returned along the path under the face of Am Basteir before returning to Sligachan. A brisk steady pace was maintained throughout the day and the three arrived back at Glen Brittle in double quick time only half an hour after the Sgurr Dearg / Sgurr Mhic Connich party.

All of us found both George and Paddy to be super guides throughout the day which also marked the completion of the Skye Munros for both Liz and myself.

We ate in the hostel on the Saturday evening and the one thing that most sticks in my mind was Graham's Dime Bar Cake. This was a new experience for most of the party and most people wanted a second helping (if they could manage it!)

On the Sunday both Jacqui and myself went up Sgurr a' Mhadaidh from the youth hostel. This was Jacqui's first ascent of the mountain although I had previously climbed it solo in '92. From a point near to the top of the An Dorus screes we made our way up to the top of the mountain and reached the summit in less than 2 hours from our starting point. Although a tremendous view was obtained from the summit it was quite windy and so we did not waste too much time before thinking of going back down. The weather remained fine throughout the day and as we had a number of food stops on the way back down it took us more than 3 hours before we arrived back at Glen Brittle at 3.15pm.

John, Graham and Tom went up Bla Bheinn on the Sunday and we understand that they also had a super day.

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