Skye Week - Rough, Tough Mountaineer's Accommodation Proposal!
Members present: James Hoyle, Kasia Hoyle, Bob Kelly, Mike Freeman, Chris Williams, Andrew Ketley, Rachel Ketley, Dave Bone, Julie O'Regan.
Guests: Rachel Flynn, Naomi, Jim Nicholson, Fluff.
Members spotted on fly by: Dave Garland, John Evans
After weeks of planning and anticipation the big week drew closer. Gallons of rain seemed to fall on Skye the week before our visit was due according to the BBC. Great, I thought, it's bound to be better the week we go. Sadly however the forecast never seemed to change and with Saturday approaching the forecast for the first part of the week was not good. As Kasia and I reached Keswick the heavens opened and it never stopped raining all the way to Skye. The splendour of the journey through the Highlands is never diminished however and as we drew up in Portnalong the sun finally managed to come out and we got our first reminder of how every part of the island looks totally magnificent whenever it does.
Everyone arrived at pretty much the same time and we were soon down at the pub in Carbost making plans. Poor Mike had already been on Skye for a week and had already put up with some rough weather and was considering packing it in for the better weather down south. Thankfully I was able to convince him that things could only get better and we began to make plans for the week. As we did so Dave Garland and John Evans were spotted supping on a pint each in the corner. They had been to Skye the week before and had done a fair bit of climbing when it had stopped raining in the afternoons.
With rain and high winds forecast on the Sunday a coastal walk seemed the best option and the group drove down to Loch Eynort to walk north along the coast to Talisker Bay and then on back to the hostel. It was a day that got rid of the cobwebs and filled the lungs with salty sea dog air. With cloud down to the cliff tops it was not a day for appreciating the views but by the time we got to Talisker Bay the cloud lifted and the views got better.
On Monday Kasia and Bob had a guide hired to help them traverse the ridge during the week. Off they went early in the morning with light drizzle and cloud the order of the day. The rest of us had decided that Pinnacle Ridge on Sgurr nan Gillean looked like a great option given the showers and low cloud and headed off down to the Sligachan. Strangely Rachel, who had decided to camp at Glenbrittle, failed to show up. A little puzzled we all set off down the glen. Several hours of pretty serious scrambling and one scary abseil later we were all perched on the summit in time to enjoy the reappearance of the sun and views again in the late afternoon. Pinnacle Ridge is a fantastic mountaineering route and shows that there is still some amazing stuff to do on Skye even when the clag is down. Back at the hostel we returned to find Bob and Kasia had done their own classic mountaineering route with a traverse of Clach Glas and Blaven. Everyone seemed very content with their day, except Rachel, who hadn't made it to the Slig as a camper van had got stuck in a soft verge down the Glenbrittle track meaning she hadn't been able to get past!
Better luck was in store for Tuesday. The morning brought yet more drizzle but it got better once again as the day went on. Naomi, Mike, Rachel and myself opted for a day exploring Coire Lagan, scrambling up East Gully and following Collie's Route towards the bottom of Arrow Route. With the rocks still soaked it wasn't really a day for this so we continued up the gully and squeezed under a huge boulder blocking the gully and out onto the ridge. Fairly easy scrambling took us to the summit of Sgurr Alisdair before a return to the valley via the Great Stone Shoot; still the fastest walking descent route in the UK? Andrew, Rachel and Chris took it easy in the morning before going off to do some sea cliff climbing in the afternoon as the weather improved. Bob and Kasia were now doing the ridge over 4 days given the weather and managed Sgurr nan Gillean, Am Bhasteir and Bruach na Frithe in a big day of scrambling.
That evening brought 2 new arrivals in the shape of Jim Nicholson and Dave Bone. With the forecast not looking too hot for Wednesday either, I opted to have a "rest day" and went for another coastal walk with Dave along the Duirnish Peninsula. This was a 2 car walk as we went from Orbost to Ramasaig past some of the most amazing coastal scenery in the UK. Every turn revealed yet another fantastic stretch of coastline and yet again as the clouds lifted the day got better and better. For the first time in the week I was able to use my sunscreen! Jim and Rachel headed up the Trotternish Peninsula to do some climbing on the cliffs [and didn't find the crag]. Mike and Naomi went off to do their own thing and Bob and Kasia managed to do the Inaccessible Pinnacle even though it was very wet and windy. Even the guide was nervous! It was pretty late when Rachel, Andrew and Chris got back to the hostel and I was relieved to see them as I was beginning to worry. They had done the Clach Glas to Bla Bheinn traverse and in the conditions had found it a tough and serious proposition. I am sure they will enjoy the memories for years to come but some sections are definitely serious especially when wet. Great down-climbing practise for the Alpine season however! A note at the hostel told me that Julie had arrived and was now camping down at the Sligachan.
Thursday was a very wet day and whilst Dave went off to explore some more of the coastline I couldn't muster much enthusiasm and went for a coffee in Portree after trying to find Julie on her campsite, before a short stroll around Greshornish Point. Kasia and Bob managed Sgurr Alisdair via Coire Lagan whilst Rachel and Andrew visited the rock formations of the Old Man of Storr and the Quirang. [I found some sunshine on the East and more rock formations, then back into the clag on the west for a visit to Skye's longest seacave at low tide. All of 150ft long, I found the torch battery dead - quick as a flash I thought "Camera"! So up to the end of the cave lit by camera LCD screen. Ed.]
Friday finally promised some good weather and plans were hatched to do some proper climbing. We kept our options open. Would it be Coire Lagan, Marsco or the sea cliffs? In the end it had to be the sea cliffs as despite the sunshine the Cullin were still in the cloud and a fierce wind blew down Glen Sligachan. Mike, Naomi, Jim, Dave and I headed off up north to Flodigarry and were joined for the day by Kasia who had finally had enough of 1000m daily ascents and descents and fancied something a bit different. Bob saw it out to the end and managed to complete the southern end of the ridge. Top marks for endurance! Flodigarry was an interesting experience. Scary abseils and awful top outs were the order of the day so the climbing didn't exactly flow [we won't go into that, Ed.] but some of the situations were awesome, especially the rappel down to a block along side a cave right through the headland. The top of the block gave a nice finger jamming crack called Lucy in the Sky (HVS) [thin crack right of Jim - the 'bar' across the arch window is the route "Spantastic" and attracts a weight limit], which Jim and Dave enjoyed. There were also some good slabby severes which the rest enjoyed and it was nice to sit at the top of the cliffs and soak up the sun. Fish and Chips late on Friday in Portree harbour and a couple more pints in the Old Inn ended the week perfectly.
The weather on the drive home on Saturday was stunning! Kasia and I did loads of routes on Castle Naze on the Sunday but there's more to Skye than climbing and whatever the weather the options available are all great. A massive thanks to all those who attended and enjoyed the variety. It was a great week and it was a pleasure to spend my holiday with you all.
James Hoyle
