The Cuillin Ridge
The Cuillin ridge is a 12km long ridge of continuous interest to the mountaineer, with eleven of its summits being Munros (Scottish hills over 3000ft/914m). A full traverse of the main ridge normally takes 2 days to complete in summer conditions with a night spent sleeping on the crest of the ridge. Difficulties reach approximately Severe in rock climbing standard if the crest of the ridge is followed throughout, deviations around these difficulties are possible if required. The total ascent/descent of a traverse is approximately 4000m!
Time scale/Duration
Success on the Cuillin Ridge is about being able to move confidently over challenging terrain for a long period of time. The traverse itself will take 2 days, however booking for a minimum of 3 days will allow a bit of flexibility to pick the best weather window. Extra days can be booked to give a greater chance of good weather for the traverse.
Ratio
The chances of a successful traverse are higher on a smaller ratio. I recommend 1:1 or 1:2 max. If you have a group of 3 or 4 people and you all want to do the traverse together that is no problem, however you will need to pay for a second guide. I can arrange this so that the second guide is someone I know well, I trust and who knows the Cuillin well. Additionally the second guide will always be fully qualified and insured.
Cost
£400 per day 1:1, £500 per day 1:2
Flexible weather day = £200
A 2 day traverse with a flexible weather day will therefore cost £1000 1:1 or £1200 1:2.
What time of year?
Scottish ‘summer’ is a fickle beast and we can get fantastic conditions for a Cuillin traverse anytime from April to October. The most reliable months are May and September.
Bad weather
In the event that the weather prevents us from attempting a traverse individual days out will be offered as an alternative. See our Skye Munros programme for a sample itinerary to complete all of the Munros on the Cuillin Ridge as day trips. If your interest is not in bagging the Munros then alternative day trips will be offered.
starting point
The Cuillin ridge is normally done from South to North for a summer traverse. The ‘normal’ way to start a ridge traverse is to walk in from Glenbrittle, up Coir a Ghrunnda and head south east to the first Munro of Sgurr nan Eag or to the very first peak of the ridge; Gars-bheinn. You would then have to double back on yourself, covering the same ground to start the traverse proper. A far more enjoyable way to start the ridge is to get a boat to drop us off at the very foot of the ridge, where it meets the sea! This involves a little more planning in terms of recovering vehicles at the end of the traverse but is well worth the effort. The one way boat ride costs approximately £15 per person (you will need to pay for the guides ticket too!).
The climbs
TD Gap, Severe
This is the hardest technical pitch of climbing on a ridge traverse. After a short abseil into the gap we will climb back out the other side via a 20m climb up a corner/groove system. Although not wildly difficult by modern rock climbing standards the TD gap is just downright awkward, especially with a rucksack and walking boots on! We will make sure you have a tight rope above you for this bit! An alternative route that takes you direct to the summit of Sgurr Alisdair is possible at grade 3 scrambling and will be used if weather conditions or other factors dictate.
Kings Chimney, VDiff
This pitch is much easier than the TD gap. It climbs up an open book corner on good holds. It’s easy to bypass this section if there are queues or it’s wet, by traversing round on Collie’s ledge and then doubling back a short way to reach the summit of Sgurr Mhiccoinnich.
Inaccessible Pinnacle, Moderate
The Inaccessible Pinnacle (The In Pin) marks the summit of Sgurr Dearg. During a traverse our plan A route of ascent will be the standard East Ridge route. At 65m long we will break the climb down into 2 short pitches, followed by a short vertical abseil down the west ridge.
The Basteir Tooth, Severe or Moderate
The most direct route up the Basteir Tooth, and on to the summit of Am Basteir, is via a 45m climb called Naismith’s Route (Severe). This route is extremely exposed but the climbing is excellent! This can feel like a daunting prospect towards the end of day 2 on a traverse but it’s the final challenging climb of the whole traverse! As with most of the other climbs mentioned above you can bypass this climb by descending slightly into Coire a Bhasteir and doubling back on yourself to reach the summit of Am Basteir or descending on the South side and climbing the Lota Corrie route (Moderate). This can be a good option if time is running short or conditions are not suitable for Naismith’s Route.
The rest of the route
The sections in-between the named routes above are far from boring…the rest of the ridge is almost entirely grade 2 or 3 scrambling (4th/easy 5th class terrain in US money!).
How to book
The Cuillin Ridge traverse is a very demanding objective so there is no simple “add to basket” option! Please fill out the form below and I will be in touch to discuss this with you in more detail.
