Page 25 - 2022 AMA Summer

The author at the southern start of the Cuillin Ridge
re-started with Tower Ridge on Ben Nevis, a must, before returning to Skye.
We have been back several times over the last few years, always on planned dates that resulted in, at best mixed, and at worst miserable, conditions, but little by little we recced most of the Cuillin Ridge. This then became the aim, the traverse. We decided on a new strategy, particu- larly as my office based, full-time job in southern England meant we had to commit to dates in advance. Our new plan was a ‘raid’ from the South, only when the weather was good. Needless to say, we sat out a number of wet opportunities. Then last summer (2021), finding we had no dates in common, I contacted another friend whom I had met through work, and he kindly agreed the same strategy. Fortunately, Johannes is now a mountain instructor living in Inverness.
The weather going into the August Bank Holiday weekend last year looked great, so we decided to go for it. By car, train and hire car I got from Salisbury to Skye in a day, arriving at the Sligachan Hotel for last food orders at 9pm. I had not seen Johannes for several years but over a drink we quickly agreed a plan to go from South to North, with a lightweight bivvy, on the following two days. We set off from Glen Brittle at 7.30am having got in to the campsite at about 11.00 pm the night before. The first glorious hour was followed by the unavoidable slog up to the ridge for the start of the traverse from Gars Bheinn. The hot weather was a killer from the outset but we made our way steadily along the ridge, through the TD gap, and up to
The TD Gap
The Cuillin Ridge north from Sgurr Thearlaich
Sgùrr Alasdair before King’s Chimney and the Inn Pin again – 45 years since my first ascent! Day one ended with a glorious bivvy high on Sgùrr Dearg under the stars as the cloud inversion rolled in over the sea and islands below. Johannes saved the day with a trip down to the spring below Bealach Coire na Banachdich for water; I cannot thank him enough!
The following day the good weather continued, and we made our way along the committing and spectacular ridges and peaks. By the time we got to Naismith’s Route on the Basteir Tooth I was too close to exhaustion for comfort, so we ascended Am Basteir via its East ridge instead. And then onto a triumphant completion of the Cuillin Ridge traverse at Sgùrr nan Gillean and back down to Sligachan Hotel at 8pm where the bar was closed for a wedding – rats!
At the age of 64, I was delighted to have achieved such a long-held ambition with a lot of help from my friend Johannes. It will be well within the scope of most AMA members and has to be the best ridge scramble in UK. If you can get it done when you are younger and fitter than I was, I strongly recommend it. The Mittellegi Ridge on the Eiger remains an aspiration; so, I’m not signing-off quite yet.
The northern finish on Sgurr nan Gillean
ARMY MOUNTAINEER / 25