Friday 4 – Sunday 6 April 2025
Time to eat humble pie and tender an apology to all of those whom I was critical of for booking Glen Brittle for the beginning of April. So good was the weather that, with the addition of a few midges, we could have pretended that it was summer. In the decades during which I have made many trips to Skye, by far and away the worst was a week at the same time of year, the first week in April. The climate might have changed in thirty years and this meet was at the other extreme. The hut’s barometric barometer was stuck on 1026mb, blue cloudless skies, sunshine and pleasant temperatures, dry paths, the broom in yellow flower, bird song, campervans, but not yet any lambs.
The select few that arrived by Murfmobile on Wednesday were able to enjoy the spacious facilities of this superb hut before the rest of the attendance extricated themselves from 9-5 commitments in order to make the most of the weekend. On Thursday, while Yasmin and I climbed Sgurr Alasdair, via the stone shute (sic). Andy and Katrina took the Glen Eynort road to trot over some bumps and finish in a bog – well one of them found the last remaining damp patch on the island. My last trip to the Cuillin ridge, with Scott and Henke last August, had been in such damp thick cloud that the In Pinn was invisible from Sgurr Dearg. Consequently it was great fun to be getting reacquainted with the demands of the island in conditions that saw everything for miles.
Martim, Moritz and Michal arrived on Thursday evening and Greg and Alex pitched up at the campsite. My objective for the weekend was to align my tally of remaining Skye Munros with Scott, so that we had the same ones to do on a planned trip in the summer. The objective for Friday was therefore an ascent of more scree to An Dorus for Sgurr a’Mhadaidh and Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh. Everyone except Katrina decided to start out together. She had decided to go and look for more bogs on Bruach na Frithe, instead of mud, she returned to the hut with a can of lager.
The previous evening, Andy had got worried about the down climb back into An Dorus and he had found an easier option from Ghreadaidh using the Eag Dubh chimney. Unfortunately for him this proved academic as the scree got too much for his healing leg and he decided to turn back at about 750m. Even though I have previously visited An Dorus at least a half dozen times, my fallible memory was not prepared for how small and narrow this important beallach is. The climbers had arrived before me and were bemused as to where the route went next with nothing obvious. A short down climb and a double back up the polished rock to the left got us on to the scramble to the first summit. I did find it amusing that three climbers needed to be shown the way by a half blind cripple!
Ascending the short wall to gain the Ghreadaidh path was disconcertingly challenging and I was grateful for a supporting push from Michal (there is a feeble joke in there regarding the debate about using poles on the hills). More than anywhere else, the Cuillin ridge needs everyone to work together, looking out for each other and helping to keep to the correct route. There are a lot of wrong paths and others that go nowhere and it is not uncommon to have to take a step back and find a better option. The margins that can get you into a lot of trouble are very small. So, half way up, we descended for a bit before Yasmin found the one true path that led us to our second summit.
Over a late lunch we discussed what to do next. I was keen to avoid Sgurr na Banachdich, but also keen to explore Eag Dubh. Martim and Moritz decide to continue along the ridge and bag a third Munro while the rest of us settled for the two. The chimney far exceed my expectations and is one of the most interesting and enjoyable features that I have explored on the ridge. This very narrow deep cleft, with a handful of easily managed steps, is a superb descent. Yasmin thought that it was cool! Without the sun it was actually freezing.
The hut filled up on Friday evening and groups formed in the morning and headed off in all directions. After two days too soon after a lazy winter, I had little confidence that the legs would gain the ridge on a third day so I decided to go my own way at my own pace and to see how far I could get towards the summit of Sgurr nan Eag. I surprised myself by getting to the summit in four hours. Again my memory let me down and it surprised me how tricky the ascent of the cliff is to reach the lochan of Coir a’Ghrunnda. Great care is also required on the way down to keep out of trouble. As I left the summit of Eag, Berenice spotted me and we had a chat. At this stage she was still considering Gars-Bheinn. Having left the campsite in a large party, she had watched them all head off in different directions at various junctions.
Saturday was a very busy and successful day for everyone rounded off by an excellent curry planned and prepared by Katrina.
Three hard days. Surprisingly, the third being the hardest, but the objective had been achieved and when Scott and I return I won’t have any excuses to miss out any of his five remaining summits. Consequently, I was happy to rest on Sunday while most of the others enjoyed more scree and scrambles.
I know that the club has a brilliant record of great Skye meets, but I doubt if any will knock this one from the top of the list.
- Report by Chris Butcher
Some lucky people arrived on Skye on Thursday and enjoyed a scree-full scramble on Friday, when the rest of the meet subscribers arrived, to glorious blue skies.
On Saturday the DMC populated most of the Cuillin ridge in 3 groups, taking full advantage of clear views all the way to Harris under 20° sunshine. To revive our worn out muscles after a day in the spectacular Cuillins, a feast of sweet potato curry, rice, naan, pakora, and wine was prepared by the most appreciated club members.
The sun continued to shine all throughout Sunday, soon melting the morning frost. After cleaning the hut, gathering kit, and last night’s strudel for breakfast, 2 groups set off for Sgurr nan Eag, one group for the Cioch, and one for the beach, 10 minutes walk from the hut. By 6pm the convoy to Dundee was on the road, everyone safely off the hills.
The jigsaw, started on Friday, was back in the box by Saturday evening about 1/5 compete.
- Report by David Steedman
