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  That
fine pinnacle, left-most of the Cuillin summits visible from
Sligachan, had been nagging for many years. August 1995 saw the
family on the island once again, with (unusually for those parts)
day after day of warm sunshine - and the summits of Cuillins, so
often swathed in mist, revealed for all to see. Its 3167' summit
was climbed for the first time in 1836. "Do you think we can
do it?" I asked my son. He took little convincing....
 The
walk starts as a traverse of usually boggy moorland, climbing only
gently for the first few miles,
then steepening as one nears the shapely peak. As the path
steepens, so it becomes more and more stony, until eventually it
passes beneath the "Pinnacle Ridge" and rises to the
south-east ridge of the mountain. Here at last the views, always
good to the north, open up to the south as well.
 Climbing
steeply now, the last 100' or so require hands and feet and a lot
of care - a slip would be fatal, although the rock is extremely
"grippy". The day was hot, and we had paused
occasionally in the shade of some of the larger rocks on the way
up. "There should be a pleasant breeze on the top".
There wasn't - we arrived at the summit
 and
sat there, with not a breath of wind, taking in the extensive
views in all directions. We could see the whole of the fantastic
Cuillin ridge, the mainland highlands in the east, the far Western
Isles of Lewis, Harris and the Uists out across the sea - and just
about the whole of the island of Skye, below and all around us.
We sat for some time - no-one else came or went, save a few
buzzing flies. It seemed a great pity to have to leave - and the
first 100' of descent were the worst. At least when climbing we
could see where our feet
were going! We arrived back at Sligachan thirsty but very happy -
it had been a great day!
Books and maps:-
Ralph Storer's book is a superb guide to walks all over the
island, for all abilities. Highly recommended for anyone visiting
Skye - lots of short outings to fascinating little corners where
you'll never see another soul all day, as well as the "great"
walks and scrambles
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you like these pages |
; "The Cuiilins, seen from the path near Sligachan")
; "Slowly getting nearer.")
; "The Pinnacle Ridge")
; "On the ridge - the view to Elgol and Sleat")
; "At the start of the final 100 feet - the view to the Red Cuillins")
; "The ridge to Am Basteir - note the \"Gendarme\"")
; "The summit - a true pinnacle. View to Portree and Trotternish")