Bruach na Frithe, Am Basteir & Sgurr nan Gillean - Black Cuillin

23 May 2006 - a lovely sunny day
Start: OS Explorer 414 GR486298; Sligachan Hotel

Set off: 1000
Return: 1630
Duration: 6hrs 30mins. Distance: 17km
Total Height Climbed: 1450m

A non walking westie route 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.

I climbed Bruach na Frithe and Am Basteir in May 2006 and was keen to include Sgurr Nan Gillean after a couple of our guests (thanks Phil & Malcolm!) advised that the west ridge of Gillean was climbable without a rope! Unfortunately I didn't have my digital camera with me so I have to go back to get the pictures!My favourite route up to these northern Black Cuillins is from Sligachan, up the path by the Allt Dearg Beag. The start is opposite the MRT hut and soon crosses the Alt Dearg Mor via a sturdy bridge with a couple of "thin" areas! The path hits the Allt Dearg Beag by some lovely waterfalls, one with stones that are almost blue! I followed the path up past the junction and "balancing" bridge and on up towards the Basteir Gorge.
Just before the gorge I broke right and headed up to the dip between Meall Odhar and Sgurr a Bhasteir. Turning left, the NNW ridge of Sgurr a Bhasteir looks very steep but there is a path that weaves through the rocks and scree and there is some great scrambling to be had with great views across to the NW ridge of Bruach na Frithe. It is the first glimpse of Am Basteir and the Basteir Tooth that make this approach so fantastic as you reach the top of Sgurr a Bhasteir! It is then an easy ridge walk across to join the main ridge just right of the tooth. An easy scramble follows if you wish to go over Sgurr a' Fionne Choire or you can avoid this below the crags on the Fionne Coire side.Bruach na Frithe was then easily reached and I had a bite to eat by the Trig Point and made the customary call back home. With a bit of jumping and waving, Trish could see me on the top from the house! From the top of Bruach na Frithe it was easy to backtrack along to the Tooth and then descend into Coire a Bhasteir under Am Basteir before climbing back up onto Bealach a Bhasteir between Am Basteir and Sgurr nan Gillean.
The east ridge of Am Bastier slopes gently upwards from here and I made quick headway along the crest with some easy scrambling and great situations. Coming to the "bad step" I was behind a group of climbers who had just negotiated it. The "step" is a 10ft vertical drop with not much to catch you should you slip, however, with good holds it is possible to lower yourself down the right side (facing the rock) picking out a couple of footholds on the way! With a grateful sigh you reach the bottom and feel safe once again! It is an easy walk/scramble from here to the top where another sandwich and cuppa are well deserved. Retracing my outward steps I quickly got back to the bealach - the "step" being a lot easier to get up than climb down! Now for the fun!
I followed a couple of climbers round to the base of the Gendarme's chimney on the Coire a Bhasteir side of the ridge. The chimney was straight forward to climb, it was the awkward step immediately left around the back of a shoulder high boulder with a sheer drop in front of you that got the heart pumping! Having gotten around this it was another awkward step around the front of another boulder to reach the base of a wall. Although steep and exposed, there were good holds to pull up on and a further wall and chimney brought me out onto easier ground. The ridge is straight forward from here! The final section includes a slip through an amazing hole to come out and climb the final few feet slightly left onto the summit - a fantastic location to view the surroundings!
Unfortunately, ahead of me was the route off - the "tourist route" which winds its way down the SE ridge. This involved some fairly exposed down scrambling with lines having to be carefully chosen. As it eased off there was a long drag down boulder slopes and down boulder slopes and so on! Picking up the path as it dropped steeply was a bit awkward in places but it does firm up lower down but it is a long slog around the lochan and over to Sligachan. Altogether a wonderful route to take in 4 great tops and 3 Munros!