Sgùrr Alasdair
992 m
United Kingdom
Also known as Sgurr AlasdairAlso known as
Sgurr Alasdair
- Elevation
- 992 m
- Prominence
- 269 m
- Difficulty
- 5/10
- Easy alpine
- Best Season
- May–Jun
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: Grade 2 scramble (summit ridge) (Wikipedia) · rock 2, engagement II (Camptocamp)
The least technical way up Skye's highest peak: a pitched path from the Glen Brittle campsite to the lochan in Coire Lagan, then 400 m of steep, very loose scree up the Great Stone Chute to the col below the summit, and a short, exposed Grade 2 scramble on gabbro to the tiny top. About 9.5 km return, 992 m of ascent, 5–6 hours.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 5.5 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +990 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 992 m
- Time Up
- 3h 59m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 2h 40m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Park just before the campsite at the end of the Glen Brittle road, near the beach. Walk through the campsite, keep left of the toilet block and take the prominent path east, straight across a rough track. The lower path, once a swamp, has been rebuilt as a pitched-stone footpath. Pass south of Loch an Fhir-bhallaich and, at a large cairn, keep straight on; the going becomes rougher and the path climbs a short gully between two slabs with a little scrambling before reaching Lochan Coire Lagan (about 560 m), ringed by gabbro slabs and cliffs. Go round the lochan to the left and climb the obvious worn scree fan that forms the foot of the Great Stone Chute. The lower chute is extremely loose, two steps forward and one back; higher up it narrows and steepens between rock walls, and most of the small stones have gone, leaving larger blocks that are easily dislodged onto people below. The chute ends at a narrow col (about 960 m) between Sgùrr Alasdair and Sgùrr Theàrlaich on the main Cuillin ridge. From the col turn right (south-west) up the short, well-scratched east ridge of Sgùrr Alasdair. It looks intimidating but is a straightforward Grade 2 scramble with some exposure, leading to one of the smallest summits in Britain, with views to the Inaccessible Pinnacle and across Coir' a' Ghrunnda. Descend the same way: the chute is slightly easier in descent, but keep parties close together to limit rockfall. The south-west ridge from the Sgùrr Sgumain col is a harder alternative for experienced scramblers (a 'bad step' is bypassed by ledges and a short chimney) and is hard to find in descent.
Start
Glenbrittle Campsite2 m
- None to the start. The nearest bus stop is at Carbost, more than 10 km away by road along the single-track Glen Brittle road; most people drive or take a taxi.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glenbrittle Campsite → Sgùrr Alasdair | 5.5 | 990 | 0 | 3h 59m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Glenbrittle Campsite2 m
Park just before the campsite at the end of the Glen Brittle road (NG 408 206)
- Feature: Loch an Fhir-bhallaich280 m
The path passes to the south of the loch
- Feature: Lochan Coire Lagan566 m
- Crux: Great Stone Chute737 m
Steep, loose scree gully of about 400 m
- Summit: Sgùrr Alasdair992 m
Key Passages
- Short scrambly gully between slabs below Coire Lagan
- Great Stone Chute (about 400 m of very loose scree)
- Exposed Grade 2 scramble on the summit ridge
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 85%Overview
The highest point of the Black Cuillin, Skye and all the Scottish islands: a slim gabbro summit above Coire Lagan, reached by the notorious Great Stone Chute and a short, exposed scramble. No Cuillin top is a walk, and this is the easiest of the hard ones.
Sgùrr Alasdair stands on the southern half of the Black Cuillin ridge on the Isle of Skye, a horseshoe of rough gabbro and basalt peaks rising almost from the sea at Glen Brittle. Its summit is a tiny platform at the end of a short ridge running off the main crest, with sheer drops into Coire Lagan on one side and Coir' a' Ghrunnda on the other, and views to the Inaccessible Pinnacle, Rùm, Eigg and the Outer Hebrides.
The standard ascent is a single, physically demanding day: a good path to the spectacular lochan in Coire Lagan, then the Great Stone Chute, a steep scree gully of about 400 m that has been worn down to loose blocks by generations of walkers, and finally a Grade 2 scramble. It is the least technical way to the top but not an easy one. Rockfall in the chute, exposure on the final ridge and route-finding in cloud are the main concerns.
The Cuillin gabbro gives superb friction when dry but is rough on hands, boots and clothes; the basalt dykes that cut it are slippery when wet. Most Munro-baggers climb Sgùrr Alasdair on its own, while climbers visit it as a short detour from Sgùrr Theàrlaich during the Coire Lagan circuit or the full Cuillin ridge traverse.
Climbing Notes
Allow 5–6 hours for the 9.5 km round trip with about 990 m of ascent. You need to be fit, comfortable on steep loose scree and happy scrambling with exposure; a helmet is strongly advised for the Great Stone Chute, and parties should stay close together and avoid climbing directly below others. Pick a dry day with a clear forecast: wet gabbro and basalt are slippery and the corrie is confusing in cloud. If unsure, hire a local Cuillin guide (several operate from Glen Brittle and Portree), especially if you want to combine Sgùrr Alasdair with harder neighbours such as Sgùrr Theàrlaich or Sgùrr Mhic Choinnich.
In winter the chute fills with snow and the ascent becomes a serious mountaineering climb needing an ice axe, crampons and the skills to use them; avalanche and cornice risk should be checked. Base yourself at the Glenbrittle campsite, the Glen Brittle Memorial Hut or the youth hostel, or drive in from Carbost, Portree or Broadford.
History
The peak was known locally as Sgurr Biorach ('the pointed peak') until it was renamed after Sheriff Alexander Nicolson, the Skye-born scholar and mountaineer who made the first recorded ascent in 1873. The lower path from Glen Brittle, once an eroded bog, has since been rebuilt as a pitched-stone footpath.
Season
Best May–Jun- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Good
- August: Good
- September: Best
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter mountaineering only; very short days
- Feb
- Winter mountaineering only
- Mar
- Snow often lingers in the chute; experienced winter parties
- Apr
- Variable; possible snow high up
- May
- Often the driest month; long days; few midges
- Jun
- Long days; midges at low level
- Jul
- Busy; midges and wet spells
- Aug
- Busy; wet spells common
- Sep
- Often settled; quieter
- Oct
- Shorter days and autumn storms
- Nov
- Winter storms
- Dec
- Winter mountaineering only
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- No hut on the route. Accommodation at the foot is the Glenbrittle campsite (seasonal), the Glen Brittle Memorial Hut (club and group bookings) and the Glenbrittle youth hostel.
- Rules
- Access under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code; no permits required
- Park considerately at the end of the single-track Glen Brittle road; do not block passing places
- Getting There
Portree (about 45 km by road); Carbost is the nearest village
Inverness (INV), about 3 hours by road
- Car: via the Skye Bridge and the A87 to Sligachan, the A863 and B8009 towards Carbost, then the single-track Glen Brittle road to the campsite at its end
- Bus: Scottish Citylink services from Glasgow and Inverness to Portree and Sligachan; local buses to Carbost; no public transport along the Glen Brittle road
- Train: Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh or Glasgow to Mallaig (ferry to Armadale), then bus
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Weather