Length: 7.5km return Ascent: 936m Time taken: 5.5hrs
Start: Glenbrittle Youth Hostel
Difficulty: no scrambling at all , no exposure , wide but very rocky and steep slopes.
Rating: 5 stars
The Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean described the Cuillin ridge as a symbol of ‘man’s heroic spirit rising above the tawdry. ’I can’t honestly say I approached this mountain with anything like a heroic spirit. More like ’a wee feartie approaches an intimidating Black Cuillin peak with trepidation.’
I’ve never been great withe edges and ledges and this has got worse with age.Now at 68 years old, my vertigo has been further honed by a growing timidity over very steep ground too.Hence, opting to hike Sgurr na Banachdich had me losing sleep and fighting off the terrible anxiety that can descend on me when I am worried about a hill.Happy holidays!
It had been about 25 years since Chris and I, then in our mid-forties, had stood on the summit of this, one of the so called ‘easiest’ of the Cuillin range. Somehow, we’d ascended via the wrong corrie with some negotiating of ledges and edges before finally re-joining the main route. I had not been impressed!
I am ashamed to say that on this short trip to Skye with my older son – keen to do a Black Cuillin – I was dreading a good forecast.But our second morning on Skye dawned bright with light winds, although with only a 40% chance of cloud-free Munros( mountains in Scotland over 914 m or 3,000 feet.) Still, we thought we’d better just go for it.
On the drive to the walk start at Glen Brittle Youth Hostel, I caught myself thinking that by noon it would all be over — a few hours of semi-trauma and then I could relax!
There was only one other car at the car park (free, not a lot of spaces, maybe 6 cars) opposite the hostel as we set off on a good path.
I love November colours in the Highlands, the burnt orange moorland quite incredible against dark blue lochs and the sea. The Allt Coire Ghreadaidh is a lovely river with deep turquoise pools and multiple waterfalls and the path took us above its steep banks.The river and its pools have something of an Instagram focus these days, offering a quieter alternative to the nearby, hugely popular Fairy Pools.
Alasdair had forged on ahead, as we’d said he should, as Chris and I are not as brisk as we once were plus my son is a particularly speedy walker. That said, he was under instruction to watch for the cut off path to Coire an Eich which we had missed first time round to our cost. After about 25 mins of walking, we saw him branch off, the path actually very easy now to spot as it’s so well trodden these days.
Off to the south, the island of Rum was clear but my eye was mostly drawn to An Diallaid (which translates from Gaelic as The Saddle), a sharp rocky peak which rises out of Coire an Eich on its left-hand side. It looked steep and I reckoned if I managed up it without any wobbles, then the rest of the route might be ok.It’s in shadow in the centre of the image below.
Despite joining a local gym a few months ago, I felt quite tired on the moorland slopes up to the base of An Diallaid. So much for investing in a personal trainer! Mind you, I was so nervous and wound up, all that nervous energy was probably knocking it out of me.
At the 450m mark, we all stopped for a rest together before the climb up An Diallaid. My nerves were quite bad at this point and I felt exhausted but at least the slopes were wide with no drops.Also, mountains often look much steeper from afar and not so bad on closer inspection.
Keeping to the grass as much as possible, we soon hit more gravelly, rocky ground but I was delighted to find a zigzagging path of sorts going up the slope.This cheered me up no end!
Looking up, it did feel as if the climb was never ending but in fact, it only took 20 mins or so.
Some nice views emerged of Loch Harport in the distance, beyond the steep slopes of neighbouring biggie, Sgurr Thuilm.On these Gaelic/Old Norse names – ‘Sgurr’ means sharp rocky peak. Most Black Cuillin mountains are Sgurrs. Sgurr na Banachdich means either Smallpox Peak or Peak of the Milk Maid.I think I prefer the 2nd option.
Our route then contoured right, still a fair bit below An Diallaid’s rocky summit.
This was a very pleasant little track which took us easily across the broad corrie before zigzagging up to the col (low point of the ridge)on a mix of grass and gravel.
Looking down Coire an Eich from the col…
An Diallaid below which we had come up (avoiding the top of it and instead contouring below its notched ridge.)
I was starting to like this mountain a lot better!Apart from the hard work of the slog, the route had been very benign.
Chris at the col with Sgurr Thuilm opposite…
We were now at the 700m mark with about 265m to go to the summit. The views to Loch Harport and to the great cliffs of Sgurr nan Gobhar were great – very impressive country. The col was wide and also gave us a view across an enormous void to Sgurr a Ghreadaidh and Sgurr Thormaid. Serious mountains!
Ahead, rose slopes which were very wide, if very rocky. Black rock too, the Cuillin being well named although it changes colour quite magically with the light.The way ahead…
But again, gravelly paths wove a way up through the bouldery ground so no boulder or rock hopping as such.
Some lovely views opened up to Loch Brittle and the islands of Rum and Canna…
The remaining 265m to the summit were a steep plod but I felt comfortable on the ground we encountered and knew I would make the top. That must have taken some self-inflicted mental pressure off because I felt fitter at that point than I had lower down!
Getting there…!
We ploughed on up the remarkably easy ground (given my fears, that is.It’s still harsh, hostile terrain ) with some superb glimpses of the sun on Loch Brittle, Rum and Canna. The light on the sea was gorgeous with glimpses of a silvery blue ocean before it disappeared completely in mist.
It was a steep plod all the way…
Finally, 2hrs 50mins after starting out, we reached the top(above), marked by a little pile of boulders rather than a cairn.
There was a reasonable amount of room on the summit, though the drop on the east side into Coire Uisg (Coruisk) was dramatically sheer.The cloud had built and was swirling around the peaks opposite but I loved how atmospheric it all was.Occasionally, Loch Coruisk was visible and at one point, the In Pinn came into view beyond Sgurr Dearg.What a magnificent place!
Above and below- Sgurr Thormaid (Norman’s Peak) and Sgurr a Ghreadaidh.
We spent nearly an hour at the summit, hoping the cloud would clear although I must say I was loving how atmospheric it all was with the constantly shifting mist and views. I think it sums up the sense of the Black Cuillin which are hostile but dramatic peaks.
At the top – very pleased to have made it…
I wouldn’t like to be in a complete whiteout at this summit as finding the right path below the broken rocks of the top could be tricky. But that wasn’t a problem today and we were soon underway. The dampness was making some rocks quite slithery so it was a case of being careful re what you stood on.The views unfolding below were gorgeous though…
I suddenly realised I’d completely lost sight of Chris and Alasdair who had disappeared over a steeper section. Which way to go? I’d been blindly following them but got a bit waylaid taking photos. Thankfully, I recognised a little outcrop of rocks which I knew meant our way was to the right.Looking down on Sgurr na Gobhar’s ridge (in the photo below and left, but NOT our route down), I occasionally mixed it up with An Diallaid (on the right and lower.).
Sure enough, I quickly caught sight of them both below me and breathed a sigh of relief.
It was an uneventful descent back down An Diallaid.
I’d been mildly dreading the descent of its steep, gravelly ground which I don’t like (it’s like walking on ball bearings)but there were plenty of little solid boulders to give reassuring footholds and stop a slide. Soon we were on the moorland path again, having left rock and scree behind.Much clearer views at this lower level now…
South Uist (Outer Hebrides) became clear on the horizon…
It was such a beautiful, clear November day once off the big peaks…
Mountainous Rum (Small Isles) has such a beautiful outline to the south.
Looking back at the peak, it occasionally cleared. I’ve often thought the Cuillin reward a later start, but I always prefer to get out nice and early.
The mountains had cleared though so those who’d started later than us had won the jackpot weather wise!
Sgurr na Banachdich (below) still had a bit of cloud though…but it was definitely clearing.Next time!
Nevertheless, although our views were somewhat obscured , we were all pretty chuffed with our day on this Cuillin mountain. I felt daft to have worked myself up so much pre-hike.It’s certainly a hill we all said we’d do again, preferably when the chances of a cloud free summit are higher. The views matter, of course, but after all that apprehension, reaching the top felt like a real achievement even if this is one of the ‘easier’ Black Cuillin.I can’t quite claim to embody the ‘heroic spirit’ Sorley Maclean describes but standing on the top of a Black Cuillin peak certainly does something quite profound to the soul.
