Sgurr Alasdair, Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and Sgurr Dearg in The Cuillin

19 July 2006 - a gorgeous sunny day
Start: OS Explorer 411 GR412216; MRT Hut Glen Brittle

Set off: 1000
Return: 1500
Duration: 5hrs . Distance: 12km
Total Height Climbed: 1300m

A Non Walking Westie Walk - Words by Steve - Note hill walking can be dangerous and this route involves lots of scrambling and very narrow crest walking, these details are for info only.

This walk starts from the Glen Brittle MRT Hut and heads up the path opposite. After crossing the river, you soon reach the spectacular sight of Eas Mor waterfall - see left - which tumbles some 80'! Taking the right junction here, the path takes you up towards the Loch and Coire Lagan, a spectacular place to enjoy a summers day! Reaching Loch Lagan in the Coire you appreciate this wonderful situation in the Cuillins with steep rocky crags all around. My route took me up the awful Great Stone Chute which starts off fine but soon becomes very loose and precarious with tumbling noises coming from those ahead as stones slip and slide! It took a very long time to negotiate the upper sections where it narrows through the gap to the top which is a huge relief! Sgurr Alasdair is but a wee scramble from here and provides a great view from this, the highest point on Skye.
From Alasdair it was a simple scramble back down to the top of the Chute and then across to Thearlich, droping down slightly before climbing up, an easy scramble to the top. The ridge proper is now followed towards Mhic Choinich with some delicate down climbing in a couple of areas before reaching the bealach. It is then a mantle shelf move on the right before heading back left onto Collie's Ledge which is actually quite wide with only a few narrow spots. You quickly come out onto the top of the ridge again and then have to double back to Sgurr Mhic Choinnich, another great view point.
The 2 pictures show Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and Sgurr Alasdair in the left hand picture and Sgurr Mhic Choinnich in the right hand picture. You can see Collie's Ledge crossing the face, an amazing position but a fairly simply walk around if you have a head for heights!
I then worked my way down towards the An Stac screes at the lowest point on the ridge before it rises again up An Stac and to the In Pin! I followed the steep path up to the left of An Stac and round towards the ledges that bring you to the impressive fin of rock interestingly known as The Inaccessible Pinnacle! The picture on the left was taken from Sgurr Alasdair - you can just make out a climber on top of the Pinnacle (he is on a rope!) I went out to the base and looked up the east ridge which looked climable but as I had had a long day and was on my own, I sensibly decided against it! (I had no rope for the abseil down the west end and the steep drops didn't look apetising!)
So I dragged myself away and up the side to Sgurr Dearg where not even jumping or piling stones high could get me above the Pin! A final cup of tea here before the long drop down into Coire na Banachdich via some steep breaks and loose scree as well as down the odd stream! At the bottom it was fairly easy to pick up the path back out to the Eas Mor and back to the road.

What a great route with some great scenery, great scrambling and awesome plans for the next time!