This was our final day with the guide, George Yeomans, although the group had been reduced to two, the others opting to go elsewhere. We met George outside the Rescue Centre at Sligachan on the A863 Dunvegan Road west of the Sligachan Hotel on the Isles of Skye, and set off along paths to the Bhasteir Gorge then across and through some rocks to reach Coire a’ Bhasteir where a scree path led to the Bealach a’ Bhasteir. The first Munro tackled was Sgurr nan Gillean so we walked east below the rocks where we deposited our sacks. Once George had set up the rope we climbed a chimney with an awkward move at the top before scrambling to its summit.
The return to the Bealach a’ Bhasteir was by the upward route but required an abseil just to the east of the climb. We then collected our sacks and moved them to west of the bealach. George then led us onto the summit of the Munro, Am Basteir, taking the by-pass route which avoided the down climb on the ridge.
It was then back to the bealach to collect our sacks before making a slight descent of the scree path before climbing through more sree below the west face of Am Basteir. On reaching the Bealach na Lice it was a fairly easy walk to the summit of Bruach na Frithe, the final Munro on my sixth round.
After a few minutes at this summit we returned to the Bealach na Lice, descended to Coire a’ Bhastier, then back to Sligachan by the upward route.
- Time taken – 8.75 hours.
- Distance – 13.75 kilometres.
- Height climbed – 1150 metres.