Peaks: Sron na Ciche (859m), Sgurr Sgumain (947m), Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn (938m), Sgurr Dubh Mor (944m)
Area: Black Cuillin, Skye
Routes: Cioch Direct (S:led p.2,4), Arrow Route (VD:led p.1), Collie's Route (M:led), Integrity (VS 4b,4b:sec), TD Gap East Side (VD:sec)
The archetypal 'big day', and a wonderfully varied curtain-raiser to a short but successful Skye trip. I had prevaricated about any kind of Scottish trip this year, with the children not wanting to come, but as the forecast was so good, and the weather so stable in a blocking high, the 11 hour drive seemed worth it. Vic was already up, and Skye seemed the best option with torrential downpours inland (one of which I'd driven through yesterday). So, rather unexpectedly I found myself making my fourth visit to the island, but the first in properly stable weather (in 1993 we endured a week of continual rain, in 2015 it was mixed but very cold). Walking in to Coire Lagan on the first morning was a delight: red throated divers on loch an fhir bhallaich, with the sea turquoise beyond, and Rum and Soay glittering. Then, it is round the corner into Coire Lagan, one of the finest bowls of rock in the UK. I have vivid memories of a brief clearance here in 1993 as we walked in for the north ridge of Sgumain. Today, it was baked dry, and we were glad of the shade as we set off up the first pitch of the grand old classic Cioch Direct. This takes a series of grooves and chimneys in a 500ft romp up towards the Cioch itself. A tricky first move gains an easy open groove and good moves on the wonderful gabbro - above, easier climbing to the stance. I then led a shorter second up two tighter grooves to a good flake belay: good climbing on more superb rock. The crux comes immediately afterwards, a steep and tight chimney which is awkward with big sacks, which we were both carrying. But we squeezed through using holds on the right wall. Finally, I led a long and exposed final pitch which heads leftwards over slabs to twin cracks, which give interesting climbing to a slabby finish and a terrace. Above, a scrambly pitch gains a wider terrace and the full grandeur of the crag and environment becomes clear for the first time. Up right, the shadow of the Cioch itself, arguably the most famous rock feature in the British Isles. Directly above, the perfect slab taken by Arrow Route. We were intent on the classic combination, so I led an easy first pitch to belay at the break, before Vic padded up to the top - superb open slab climbing, delightfully simple but in a wonderful position on perfect rock. Then comes the real thrill of standing on the narrow neck below the Cioch, which I now led up to via an easy crack system, the top of Collie's Route. We had it to ourselves as I bought Vic up - a wonderful, memorable experience. The sun was just beginning to peep over the top of the crag, and it lit the Cioch as we sat on its roof (the size of a small room) suspended above the crag. After lunch, we continued up the final part of the combination: Integrity, which starts from a recess above a diagonal ledge. The first pitch is outstanding: perfect clean rock, steep initially up to a pocketed slab. The pitch lengths were wrong in our guidebook so Vic ended up leading the second too from a cramped stance as I didn't fancy the move over the roof wearing a sac. The real belay is directly above: annoying. A series of chimneys then leads to the top in a stunning position. Above, an easy pitch to gain the plateau on top of Sron na Ciche in fabulous weather - light mist was now draped over Sgurr Dearg and brushing the top of Alastair above. We relaxed in the sunshine as the day was young, we'd only taken a few hours for the combination (Cioch Direct was dispatched in an hour). Then, it was time for the mountaineering aspect of the day and I was desperate to get to grips with the ridge in these conditions. We headed up Sgumain via some fine scrambling (last here in 1993), then down to the traverse path below Alasdair which leads to the main ridge just south of the T-D gap. Vic suggested we reccie this famous section of the ridge, so we moved along towards it, finding an initial pitch up an easier gap (on which we moved together) before abbing into the famous Thearlaich-Dubh gap itself. Sadly, another party were on it and were moving unbelievably slowly, so we took the frustrating decision to head back up the south side, a short VD climb, before following the ridge south to Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn. This section is broad and uncomplicated, although the subsequent branch to the munro of Sgurr Dubh Mor is far more complex and would be hard in mist. Pinnacles are avoided to the right, then a traverse path leads to superb scrambling as we took as direct a line as possible to the summit. Short walls and grooves, generally perfect gabbro, brilliant fun even though we were tiring. Then, at the sharp summit, as the sun began to drop, stunning views down to Coruisk and Sleat to the east. We then picked up the less than obvious traverse path back to Bealach a Gharbh Coire, almost certainly not the best route, tough terrain throughout, particularly at the end of a long day. I'd intended to sprint up Sgurr nan Eag but the thought of food and drink got the better of me: we were dehydrated, inevitably, so jogged down to the stunning Coire a'Ghrunnda, its sky-blue water glittering in the evening sunshine. Below the tricky slabs, a stream, and relief (although the midges soon moved us on). A long walk-out under deep blue cloudless skies ensued, and it was close to 9pm by the time we got back to the Glen Brittle memorial hut, where I slept in the van to the sound of curlew and drumming snipe.
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