Am Basteir
THE CUILLIN AND MINGINISH
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1. Take the Dunvegan road from Sligachan and park in the lay-by immediately on the right, taking care not to block the entrance to the Mountain Rescue post. The footpath begins on the opposite side of the road at the far end of the lay-by It soon leads to a plank bridge with handrail high over the river; cross this and continue on the now excellent footpath uphill. After a couple of kilometres it comes alongside another attractive cascading stream and gives improving views.
2. Do not cross the next bridge (which is the path to Sgurr nan Gillean) but continue on the right side of the stream. Eventually the path swings round to the left and there is a magnificent view of the entrance to the Basteir Gorge, with the great Pinnacle Ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean towering above. The route ascends the steep slopes to the right of the gorge. The going is easiest at first along the left edge of the scree slope. Higher up the route zig-zags up the rocky slopes, following little ramps to the left and right, with short, easy sections of scrambling. The route can be quite hard to follow as the path is not visible on the rocky sections.
3. The ground levels out and the route continues traversing the rocky ground before eventually reaching the river again. Continue up over the lip into the grassy bowl of Coire Basteir. This is a spectacular and forbidding spot, with the great rock walls of Sgurr nan Gillean to the left and Am Basteir and its famous tooth ahead; the scene is softened only by the reedy lochan at the bottom of the coire.
4. The direct route out of the back of the coire is barred by crags; the correct way is on a clear scree path with starts over the left side of the coire, near the foot of the great gully coming down from between the two highest peaks of Sgurr nan Gillean. Once found, the path heads clearly across and up the scree to reach the foot of the cliffs of Am Basteir at their lowest point. From here, continue up the steepening scree slopes to the left. It is best to keep right of an outcrop higher up, before slanting left to reach the pass between Sgurr nan Gillean and Am Basteir - the Bealach Basteir.
5. From the bealach, the route heads up the ridge to the right towards Am Basteir. The usual route heads left off this ridge onto a faint ledge path after a short distance, just before it starts to steepen. Traverse across to an orangey slab seen ahead (and in the photograph). Ascend this slab (slippery when wet and with some exposure) and then continue traversing leftwards until, after crossing a wall, head right up ramp of purplish rock. This returns you to the ridge which from this point leads more easily to the summit. An alternative route keeps on the main ridge until just before a vertical drop (whose descent is a rock climb) where it is possible to descend loose rakes until it is possible to descend to the purple ramp below and head back up.
6. Return to Bealach a Basteir, and continue back down the scree to below the lowest point in the cliffs, reached earlier. The quickest return to Sligachan is by the route of ascent, but it is more interesting and easier (though longer) to make a different return. From the lowest point in the cliffs, continue to keep the cliffs on your left by ascending the scree ahead (there is a path). This leads up below the spectacular Basteir Tooth to reach the Bealach na Lice.
7. From the Bealach na Lice, it is worth detouring to the right along the narrow rock ridge to the summit of Sgurr a Basteir, which has fantastic views of Am Basteir and Sgurr nan Gillean. On returning to the Bealach na Lice, you can extend the walk by taking in Bruach na Frithe or you can descend down the path into Fionn Coire. Follow the clear path down until it disappears on a lower, grassy level of the coire. At this point head left following occasional cairns until the path is picked up again by a large cairn where it crosses a stream. Follow the path down until it reaches the main path up to the Am Mam pass. Follow this path down the left bank of the stream to Sligachan.
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