I always have “what ifs?” in my mind. The Cuillin Ridge We know that we haven't updated the blog for a while, but we have been busy. The Cuillin Ridge courses explore the ridges and summits, including many of the Munros such as the Inaccessible Pinnacle (In Pinn). I cried on several occasions and I was convinced I would need to be air-lifted off one summit because I was so paralysed with fear. Thankfully, G is an experienced climber and a very calm and patient guide. The Black Cuillin Ridge was formed 60,000,000 years ago and is all that remains of an eroded magma chamber of a huge volcano. We knew this before we set off and we took as much water as we could carry. Midges can swarm and bite at over 900m. It was an expensive taxi ride to re-find his van key at our van. The Munros are named after Sir Hugh Munro, who produced the first compilation of such hills, known as Munro’s Tables, in 1891. Two years ago, I ticked off three of the 11 Munros on the ridge, the In Pinn (Sgurr Dearg), Sgurr Alasdair and Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. Our day extended to 14 hours. These Munros took me to 11 to go for my first round. Please contact us directly by e-mail to mike@skyeguides.co.uk to discuss your situation. Our Skye Cuillin Munro courses are a great and affordable way to summit all 11 of the main Skye Cuillin Ridge Munros for those looking to complete the Munros. I work, write and play about Scotland's great outdoors. Activity / Cycling / Cycling / Kit Reviews / Mountain biking / Road cycling, Love is… A few thoughts from an outdoors gal, Activity / Kit Reviews / Munro Bagging / Road cycling / Walking, My outdoor clothing guide to surviving the winter, Activity / Kit Reviews / Munro Bagging / Running / Running / Travel / Walking, Running in a Gore-tex Active Shell jacket, Activity / Cycling / Road cycling / Travel, Activity / Cycle Routes / Cycling / Cycling / Kit Reviews / Mountain biking / Road cycling, Why wearing a bike helmet makes sense to me. The 11 Munros of Skye's Cuillin Ridge are the most technical to complete and even includes a Moderate graded rock climb to summit the Inaccessible Pinnacle on Sgurr Dearg. m: (00) +44 (0)7769 221 500, Skye Guides, 3 Luib, The Cuillin Munros are acknowledged as the hardest to attain and linking them is even tougher, with many narrow ridges to scramble and concentration required on every step. My method, in a bid to keep my head, was to look only at the next move and only at the next climb or section of traverse. I recall one time, halfway along the traverse between the two sets of three Munros, when I had a total meltdown. The days are still long and will involve lots of Scrambling on mountainous terrain. Our Skye Cuillin Munro courses are a great and affordable way to summit all 11 of the main Skye Cuillin Ridge Munros for those looking to complete the Munros. It was so warm that we sweated a huge amount and when you are on a ridge the sun exposure can be high. Your guide will show you a way along this complex and involved scrambling ridge, the longest in the United Kingdom. The Black Cuillin are the most spectacular and challenging mountains in Britain. It’s vital that you have the right kit and clothing with you. Join us on our 5 day Skye Cuillin munros guided trip, one of our professional guides with a wealth of experience on Skye we give us the best chance of summiting all 11 Munros. Skye Basecamp is in the heart of  Broadford & will be home to our guides over the summer months. I ticked off three of the 11 Munros on the ridge, Review: Griffin Survivor Rugged Power Bank Battery. We have two self catering cottages in the small village of Luib 7 miles north of Broadford and all rooms at our bunkhouse, Skye Basecamp, will have either en suite facilities or a private bathroom allocated to your room and the self catering kitchen will be operational. (What if the nut comes out, what if the rock falls off, what if I fall and take G with me? I do not want to return to a place that while obviously very beautiful and so very different from any other mountains in the UK, sadly makes me feel so emotional, anxious and terrified. Welcome. That said you’ll still need to have a good level of fitness – hopefully around our Silver level – Click here to find out more. 2nd July: We drove to Glen Carron and walked 6 Munros (including number 284, the one that used to be a Munro.) Munros; Corbetts; Grahams ; Donalds ; Sub 2000ers ; Wainwrights; Hewitts (England & Wales) Skills; Home; Isle of Skye; The Cuillin and Minginish; The Cuillin and Minginish. Gordie descends the final Munro, Sgurr nan Gillean. My fingers still showed signs of being on the ridge many days later. While Cuillin rock is very grippy and I found I could trust my feet (I wore Salomon Speedcross trail shoes), there were also sections of loose path and scree. They were fierce and because it was warm and almost without wind, they enjoyed biting us. It looked rather cloudy when we started out but we spent a lot of time above the cloud and the sun was intense. Scotland and Skye have, touch wood, contained the virus and the focus is very much on keeping it this way. Take the book: Skye’s Cuillin Ridge Traverse. We are approached by Munro baggers of all fitness levels, abilities and experience and adjust our itineraries to suit each party. I wish I could say I enjoyed the half traverse of the Cuillin Ridge, but overall I didn’t. This means that I may have received payment for the posts. With time being a precious commodity when visiting Skye, you can allow our Cuillin Ridge Guides to help you summit Skye Munros in less than ideal conditions when you may have conceded otherwise. I think that after several outings of multiple Munros, such as the Cairngorms 4000fters and the Lawers Seven, I thought that it made sense to have one long day instead of two shorter days. I am a widely published journalist and also a multi award-winning blogger. Main route summary. I will remain in awe of anyone who enjoys being on the Cuillin Ridge, especially the professional guides who look after many nervous walkers. It is important that a good level of trust is built between visitors and locals. Tackling the Cuillin Ridge Munros over 3-Days When your take on the most technically challenging Munros you rely on expert Mountaineering Guides and I cannot recommend Ken and Dave highly enough. Due to their technical nature, these Skye Munros require a large amounts of scrambling. Click the other Info buttons on this page for more information on what to expect of our mountains or Why Choose Us? It was simply that my emotions often overcame me. Our priority is very much to safeguard the health of our guests, staff and the local population of Skye. The ridge can be hot, cold, wet, snowy and sometimes all in one day. However, once committed and on the ridge, there are few places for an escape – and I had to bury my fears (most of the time!) In retrospect, the two separate outings to the three Munro groups would have been enough for my shaky nerves. West Coast Mountain Guides: Tackling the Cuillin Ridge Munros over 3-Days - See 419 traveler reviews, 340 candid photos, and great deals for Fort William, UK, at Tripadvisor. I confess I have no idea how I made it to the end of this huge and terrifying walk-climb on the Cuillin Ridge, Isle of Skye. (Many thanks to the amazing staff member at the Sligachan Hotel at 11pm who brought us each a free pint glass of lime and soda with ice. A Munro is a Scottish mountain with a summit height of more than 3,000 ft (914.4 m). Of the 283 Scottish Munros, 12 are in the Black Cuillin on Skye. The Cuillin ridge traverse is simply the best mountaineering route for shredding your footwear in the country! If I had dared to look further and wider I have no idea if I would have made it. With our tailored course, we will make the best of the conditions and weather to give us the best chance of success. Snap happy: A shiny new camera for my birthday! (Without his encouragement, I would never have even ventured on to the ridge). I am not great with heights (actually, that is an understatement) and the long drops on the narrow ridge, as well as the massive feeling of exposure, were over-whelming at times. Click Cuillin Munros to see which option is best suited to your needs. It offers 11 ruggedly beautiful Munro peaks, often a nemesis for hill-walkers due to the exposure, complex terrain, and difficult route finding. The Cuillin (Scottish Gaelic: An Cuilthionn or An Cuiltheann) is a range of rocky mountains located on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.The main Cuillin ridge is also known as the Black Cuillin to distinguish it from the Red Cuillin (na Beanntan Dearga, known locally as Red Hills), which lie to the east of Glen Sligachan.. Back; Book Online; Contact; Cuillin Munros “I regret to say that not one of us left the Cuchullins without irreparable damage to our knickerbockers ” Ernest Maylard SMC Journal Vol II, 1893. Many of their summits require scrambling or even rock-climbing to reach. Ultra runner John Kelly completes his ‘Grand Round’. You might also like to find out how I can work with you. If you are afraid of heights, I do not recommend you do this half traverse of the Cuillin Ridge. Combining the six most northerly Munros on the ridge would require a technical and nerve-testing connecting traverse via Bidein Druim nan Ramh and An Caisteal. Email: [email protected] There were times when I could smile because I felt safe enough away from an edge or the awful drop-offs and climbs. Spend 4 days with us on Skye's famed Cuillin ridge; Reach superb vantage points from where vast views can be savoured. The record for a full traverse include Finlay Wild’s 2hrs 59mins 22secs and, more recently, Kelli Robert’s new female record of 5:56:46. Sadly, when he was swapping to a larger rucksack (so he could carry a rope) at our campervan, he had forgotten his wallet and van key. I was roped to G for safety for most of the day, after the first three Munros. This version took in the 11 Cuillin Munros, but bypassed many of the unnecessary pinnacles and more technical sections along the ridge. Accommodation should be your first priority before arranging guided days. Take a head torch. Take sun cream. Many people reported the same on that hot weekend on Skye. “Paralysed with fear” is a good way to put it and this is how I felt. Participants should have done some hillwalking before but previous scrambling experience is not essential. I mark these as such. Its an amazing challenge for lovers of narrow ridges, massive exposure and exciting climbs. 8 miles (13km) of walking on footpaths across moderately and very rough terrain (block fields). The way finding, climbing, abseils etc are like no other in the UK’s mountains. He actually enjoyed being up on the ridge. A note about the Cuillin: For those who haven't been on the Cuillin before, it's a mountain range unlike anything else found in the UK. Rock-scramble along crests and ridges, with some 'moderate' climbing. Here at Skye Adventure we offer professional guiding on Skye's 12 Munros. I was so frightened of what was around the corner, the next section of narrow ledge with horrible exposure, the next climb, the unknowns. You’ll stay at Glenbrittle Youth Hostel in the heart of Skye’s stunning landscape. The technical and exposed nature of the ground means the hazard of loose rock is much more pronounced on the Cuillin and a simple slip or lack of concentration will often have dire consquences. Guiding is available for single days, dedicated courses or however many days you need. Many other people hire a guide. I didn’t imagine we would be out for so long and I was wearing prescription sunglasses. Improve your rock-scrambling skills on some of Scotland's airy routes. The majestic mountain range of the Cuillin enables us to offer a challenging and rewarding Scottish walking/mountain skills holiday with local, knowledgeable and experienced mountaineering instructor Matt Barratt from Skye Adventure. Skye Guides on The Cuillin Munros I took a waterproof jacket and trousers, tights, lightweight insulated jacket, spare long-sleeved baselayer, gloves and two buffs, as well as food and water and a midge net. I had no idea what I was suggesting until I looked at Adrian Trendall’s new book, Skye’s Cuillin Ridge Traverse. In my head, I could see myself sliding and never stopping until I was over the edge and falling. Skye Mountain Guides is a mountain guiding company based at the foot of the Black Cuillin mountains on the Isle of Skye.. We offer a variety of days out, or courses, for those groups or individuals who want professional private guiding or those who want to adapt to more difficult terrain on the Cuillin Ridge. (Gordie and david carried ropes and other climbing kit. Isle of Skye, IV49 9AN. But it was a very hot day and we did not have enough water and we ended up dehydrated. 5 of the best long-distance trails in Scotland, More people want to forage for wild food, reveals survey, Inspiration / Outdoors & adventure / Running / Ultra running, 11 great reasons to sign up to Blair Castle Trail Weekender, Activity / Cycle Routes / Cycling / Mountain biking / Road cycling, I recommend: Ben’s bike repair service in Glasgow, Helmet law leads to drop in bike-related injuries. Accommodation providers are encouraging longer stays in single venues to minimise chances of the virus spreading. The Skye Cuillin Ridge Summits trek is 4 intensive days of walking and scrambling on the 11 Skye Munros found on The Black Cuillin Ridge. I was drained both physically and emotionally for days afterwards. Approaches and descents to the Ridge take a total of 6 hours. It was only when we were heading down through the final corrie and back on to a path that I had any sense of relief.

cuillin ridge munros 2021