These notes are intended to assist the walker and climber of considerable mountain experience who wishes to undertake the Cuillin Ridge. They are brief and not designed to be comprehensive in any way. Ultimately mountaineering is a dangerous sport and claims many casualties each year. One of the guiding principals of British climbing and mountaineering is that it is the individual climber is responsible for his or her own safety. If you cannot accept this then this site and probably climbing in general is unlikely to suit you. May we refer you to this very interesting site instead!

	The full length of the Cuillin Ridge viewed from the summit of Bla Bheinn which lies to the east. To the south can be seen the isles of Rhum, Eigg and Muck.

The Cuillin Ridge is the traverse of the main summits of the Black Cuillin Mountains in Skye, one of the Western Isles in the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. Although the climbing technicalities are not great, the route is extremely long and exposed and calls for competent soloing at Diff (and occasionally Severe) standard in boots or running shoes on occasionally wet and sometimes dubious rock, combined with good stamina. It is important that you are competent in belaying and moving together "alpine style" ie shortening the rope and hitching it over flakes and nubbins on the move. There are only certain points at which it is easy to quit the Ridge and most of these leave you a considerable distance from a road which carries little traffic. Navigation is particulary complex. Compasses can be affected by the magnetic rock (hold it well away from the rock when taking a bearing, and take your bearing several times in different places). Mist when it descends (which can be often) is very disorientating and can linger for days. Even parties which know the ridge well are hard put to navigate in these conditions.

The Summer Traverse of the Cuillin Ridge
Having said all that, the Summer Traverse of the Ridge is a superb and very satisfying expedition. It is generally undertaken from south to north in summer so that the major difficulties are climbed and your day ends at a pub! There are two main approaches, either in a day which should take a competent party around 12 to 14 hours from the Glen Brittle Campsite to the Sligachan Hotel, with around 7 or 8 hours being required for the Ridge itself (ie from the summit of Gars-bheinn in the south to the summit of Sgurr nan Gillean in the north).
Approximate times that a party who needs to rope up for the harder sections might expect from Gars-bheinn are:		Photo: Looking north from Sgurr a' Mhadaidh to Bidean Druim nan Rham, Bruach na Frithe and Sgurr nan Gillean.

		An alternative approach is to take two days and carry bivi kit and food (or stash them in advance). Whichever way you choose it is essential to carry plenty of water as there is no supply on the Ridge. 2 litres per person per day plus extra for cooking if bivouaccing should suffice. Of these two approaches the former is definitely the best, provided you are fit enough, as you can carry a minimal sack containing little more than a rope, water and sandwiches. The best time of year for the traverse is generally May and June when stable periods of high pressure can last for weeks and the infamous midges have not yet emerged from their burrows! Long days are an asset too. If going early, check that all the snow has gone.
Photo:Looking down on the isles of Rhum, Eigg and Muck from Gars-bheinn.

The Winter Traverse of the Cuillin Ridge
In winter the major difficulty is in finding good conditions. Close proximity to the sea means that although good conditions are present most years, they seldom last long, and though they do form quickly, they generally melt very shortly thereafter. Heavy snowfall followed by a stable area of high pressure bodes well. In which case act at once, take instant leave (or in extremis, quit your job), motor northwards overnight like a fiend (remembering the speed cameras) and take a bivi bag, 4 season sleeping bag, stove and food for two to three days, as well as a reasonable amount of Winter Climbing Equipment (mainly slings - think lightweight!). It is probably best to take a pair of light 50m ropes unless you know the Ridge extremely well, in which case one might suffice. However if you get the ab wrong off Am Bhastier you will definitely need 100m of rope and King's Chimney could cause problems too.
		Photo: Setting off from the Sligachan for the Bhastier Coirre at the start of a two day traverse of the Cuillin Ridge in Winter. Pinnacle Ridge takes the left hand skyline of Sgurr nan Gillean which is the left-hand peak.
The Winter Traverse is generally made from north to south as the major difficulties can be bypassed by abseil, though this still leaves a desperate short pitch out of the TD Gap (Grade IV according to the SMC guide, but can be much harder). Starting from the north means that Pinnacle Ridge (III) can be used to reach Sgurr nan Gillean if the conditions are good. There are many good bivi sites along the ridge and water is not a problem in winter. A major difficulty though can be getting a lift back up Glen Brittle to the Sligachan! The current record for athe winter traverse is 9 hours 7 minutes by Steve Ashworth - however most parties should plan on at least one bivi!
Photo right: The Cuillin Ridge in winter, looking north from Sgurr Mhic Choinnich towards An Stac and the Innaccessible Pinnacle.