A wonderful three days walking/scrambling, and some climbing in Skye

Thanks to all the staff from Falkirk Community Trust for their hard work, and getting me up the Pin

Day one and two we set off from Glen Brittle campsite.

Not the most promising outlook, up Coire na Banachdich on the left and Coire Laggan on the right.

First site of some hills - Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and Sgurr Alasdair I think.

Heading into Coir a'Ghrunnda.  First target is Sgurr nan Eag on the right.  I opted for the easier walk up rather than scramble up the right hand cliffs.

Right hand cliffs catching the sun

The alternative easy route for wimps like me

From part way up, looking back across Loch Coire a'Ghrunnda to our next hill, Sgurr Alasdair.  Route up just to the left of the peak.  Oh dear!

Summit of Sgurr nan Eag with Lindsay and John- no sign of the scramblers.

Look, almost a view across Loch Brittle

Next we will nip back down there and up Sgur Alasdair.  

Went round Caisteal a Garbh-choire on the right to attempt going up Sgurr Dubh na Da Bheinn to tackle Sgurr Dubh Mor, but it got a bit windy.  So we  did Sgurr Alasdair on the left instead!

View west to Loch Coruisk with Bla Bheinn behind.

Heading back round "The Castle" as we gave up on the first idea

Sgurr nan Eag finally cloud free, with Sgurr a Chore Bhig behind to the left and Casteal a'Garbh-choire in front.  What a spectacular place.

A similar one to above, but shows how close Sgurr Dubh Mor on the left was.  It was about here we roped up.

And this is the top of Sgurr Alasdair.  No way was I taking picutures on the way up.

Terrified?  At the top anyway.  Linda was happy enough, Gayle seemed okay, and I think John could be smiling back there.

Yep, she looks happy enough.  Sgurr nan Eag behind again.

Wow, this is the stuff.  Sgurr Dubh Mor on the left, Sgurr nan Eag on the right, and Loch Coir a'Ghrunnda way down there.

Feeling slightly braver, I managed to catch John, Lindsay, Norrie and Tam on the summit

Maybe not that much braver right enough!

Now just to get back down the Great Stone Chute - the easy way up!

And look up there in the cloud, first sight of the Inaccessible Pinnacle, and the way we went up it

Well down the Great Stone Chute, with the In Pin looking quite worrying over there.

Into Coire Lagan.  In Pin above, for tomorrow.

Clambering down from Coire Lagan, under the Cloch of Highlander fame, apparently.

Easier going now, back to Glen Brittle.
Day Two - Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and the Inaccessible Pinnacle

Another less than promising day as we headed back up Coire Lagan

The Great Stone Chute.

Sgurr Mhic Choinnich from Loch Coire Lagan

Near the top of the ridge, Sgurr Mhic Choinnich, Bealach Mich Choinnich, Sgurr Thearlaich, the Great Stone Chute, and the highest one is Sgurr Alasdair.

Back down to Loch Coire Lagan

Holy mackerel, the In Pin.  From the top of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich I think.

Looking up the ridge, Inaccessible Pinnacle, Sgurr na Banachdich, Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh and more

Not much of a cairn, but not much room at the summit.  Glen Brittle below.

From summit to Sgurr Alasdair

After that excitement it was off up the In Pin - not the easiest of ascents

A look back to Sgurr Mhic Choinnich, the Great Stone Chute, and Sgurr Alasdair - surely that was the hard bit over?

Oh look, a big bit of rock on top.  The South side of the Pin

At the foot of the In Pin - time to get roped up again, just in case!

And at the top, holding on for dear life.  Nice view of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich, the Great Stone Chute, and Sgurr Alasdair again.  Norrie and John do technical rope stuff.

Having made it to the top I felt I could indulge in another picture of where we had been.

And looking North to Sgurr na Bannachdich, Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh and Brach na Frithe in the distance I think.  I wasn't really taking many notes!

John coming down - with the cloud rapidly rolling in.
                             
And someone else's picture, on a slightly better day.  What an inconvenient place to put the top of the munro!

 
Link to some other In Pin pictures I stole from elsewhere, just to try and show what it is like.

Glad to be on (flatter) ground.  Lindsay and Norrie relax.

Then a stroll over the Sgurr Dearg ridge, a peak into Coire na Banachdich in the mist, and down to Coire Lagan.  Great day.
DAY THREE - SOME SCRAMBLING UP THE NORTH BUTTRESS OF SGURR NAN EACH

Setting off from the head of Loch Slapin.  Sgurr nan Each in the middle.

The walking bit - easy

John and Euan (on the right).  Good to keep the party together.

Nice bit of hill walking

Tam showing us how this scrambling thing is done

Walking over for now!

Gets you some good views doing it this way.

Top of Sgurr nan Each.  720m

Descent.

And that was the weekend, had a great time so thanks John and Euan.   Maybe scrambling isn't too bad!

Back to front page