Skye and the Small Isles - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 273

5 WALKING IN THE CUILLIN

Ordnance Survey Explorer map 411
For many walkers and climbers, there's nowhere in Britain to beat the Cuillin . The main ridge
is just eight miles long, but with its immediate neighbours it is made up of over thirty peaks,
twelve of them Munros. Those intent on doing a complete traverse of the Cuillin ridge usually
start at Gars-bheinn , at the southeastern tip, and finish off at Sgùrr nan Gillean (3167ft),
descending on the famous Sligachan Hotel for a well-earned pint. The entire journey takes a
minimum of sixteen hours, which either means a very long day or two days and a bivouac.
A period of settled weather is pretty much essential, and only experienced walkers and
climbers should attempt it. Take note of all the usual safety precautions and be aware that
compasses are unreliable in the Cuillin, due to the magnetic nature of the rocks.
If you're based in Glen Brittle, one of the easiest walks is the five-mile round trip from the
campsite up Coire Làgan , to a crystal-cold lochan squeezed in among the sternest of
rockfaces. If you simply want to bag one or two of the peaks, several corries provide relatively
straightforward approaches to the central Munros. From the SYHA hostel, a path heads west
along the southern bank of the stream that tumbles down from the Coire a' Ghreadaidh .
From the corrie, you can climb up to An Dorus, the obvious gap in the ridge, then ascend
Sgùrr a' Mhadaidh (3012ft) or Sgùrr a' Ghreadaidh (3192ft) to the south. Alternatively,
before Coire a' Ghreadaidh, you can head south to the Coir' an Eich, from which you can easily
climb Sgùrr na Banachdaich (3166ft) via its western ridge. To the south of the youth hostel,
the road crosses another stream, with another path along its southern banks. This path heads
west past the impressive Eas Mòr (Great Waterfall), before heading up to the Coire na
Banachdaich . The pass above the corrie is the main one over to Loch Coruisk, but also gives
access to Sgùrr Dearg, best known for its great view of the Inaccessible Pinnacle or “In-Pin”
(3235ft) - it doesn't actually live up to the name, but Scotland's most di cult Munro requires
good rock-climbing skills. Back at Eas Mòr, paths head off for Coire Làgan, by far the most
popular corrie thanks to its steep sides and tiny lochan. If you're unsure about any hike or want
help, hire a guide: try Skye Guides ( T 01471 822116, W skyeguides.co.uk).

The chief reason for visiting Elgol is to take a boat, whether a wildlife cruise or
a trip across Loch Scavaig to visit Loch Coruisk . This isolated, glacial loch lies
beneath the highest peaks of the Cuillin and is a superb trip, about an hour by boat
then up to a half-day ashore. Walkers use the boat simply to begin hikes in the Red
Hills or over the pass into Glen Sligachan . Alternatively, you can walk round the
coast to the bay of Camasunary , over two miles to the east - a difficult walk that
involves a tricky river crossing and negotiating “The Bad Step”, an overhanging rock
with a 30ft drop to the sea - and head north to Glen Sligachan. Conversely, a
time-honoured approach into Glen Sligachan is from the north via the Sligachan
Hotel (see opposite), a popular hikers' base.

Glen Brittle
Yet another route into the peaks is from Glen Brittle on the west side. The valley edges
the most spectacular peaks of the Cuillin , a semicircle of mountains which ring Loch
Coruisk, before it runs to a beach at Loch Brittle. One of the easiest walks is a five-mile
round trip (3hr) from Glenbrittle campsite (see opposite) up Coire Làgan to a lochan
squeezed among stern rockfaces. An equally good reason to come is the Fairy Pools , one
of Britain's most celebrated wild swimming destinations. The scenery is superb as the
river tumbles beneath peaks - the downside is water temperature of 8-10˚C at best.
The pools are signposted from Glumagan Na Sithichean car park, five miles from the
Glen Brittle turn.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE THE CUILLIN AND RED HILLS

By bus Elgol is accessed most easily from Broadford (Mon-
Fri 5 daily, Sat 2 daily; 30min). Sligachan is a stop on the

Portree-Broadford route (Mon-Sat 6-7 daily; Broadford
35min, Portree 20min).