Sgurr Alasdair
THE CUILLIN AND MINGINISH
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1. Park just before the campsite at the end of the Glen Brittle road. The walk starts up the prominent path just left of the campsite toilet block. The early part of the route was once an eroded swamp, but following extensive works there is now an excellent pitched-stone constructed footpath. As height is gained, great views open up of the Isle of Rhum and, later, Eigg. After passing a large cairn (a path goes off to the left here, which will be used in descent) the ground becomes rougher. The path heads up a gully between two slabs of rock, scrambling slightly.
Photo: Glen Brittle beach ©Nigel Homer and reproduced under this licence
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2. After the gully, the Loch is only short distance beyond. This is one of the most impressive places in Britain, with the small and beautiful blue lochan surrounded by great sweeps of rock. There are huge slabs, vertical precipices and gigantic stone chutes. Go round the loch to the left and begin the ascent of the most obvious worn scree fan, which is the foot of the Great Stone Shoot.
3. The photo shows the stone chute in winter from the floor of the corrie - ascent in this season would require winter skills and equipment. The lower part of the chute is extremely loose - very much a case of two steps forward, one back. Higher up the chute narrows dramatically and becomes steeper. On this upper section most of the smaller stones have gone and great care must be taken not to dislodge rocks onto any climbers below. The saddle at the very top of the stone chute will be a welcome sight.
4. The ridge heading off to the right towards the summit looks fairly scary but turns out to be quite straightforward. The top itself is soon reached; at 992 metres this is the highest mountain on the Isle of Skye. It is named in honour of Sheriff Alexander Nicolson, the Skyeman who made the first ascent. The summit is dramatic - even smaller than that on Sgurr nan Gillean - and the view across the gulf of Coire Lagan to the Inn Pinn is fantastic. The view in the other direction, over Coir a' Ghrunnda with its beautiful lochan, is equally fine, whilst a maze of sea and islands stretches away in all directions.
5. The best descent route is to return by the route of ascent; the Stone Shoot being easier in this direction. The ridge leading towards Sgurr Sgumain has a difficult section - very keen scramblers can ascend by this route as it could be hard to find in descent. Reaching Sgurr Sgumain from Glen Brittle is straightforward enough (either by the Sgumain stone shoot or by ascending over Sron na Ciche). The difficult section is shortly after the Sgumain col when ascending towards Sgurr Alasdair; here an impasse in the ridge is avoided by heading out to the right on ledges before ascending a short chimney, though this is out of bounds except to keen scramblers (Grade 5).
Photo ©Peter Ward and reproduced under this licence
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