A big tick for any mountaineer the Cullin Ridge traverse is certainly a jewel in the crown of Scottish hillwalking. A very risky booking for late in the season left me wondering if this could be a difficult experience. However October brought us some of the best weather of the year.
October seems to be the new August with high temperatures and more than the normal degree of sunshine. According to the met office we have seen a 170% increase in the sunshine from last October with only 20% of our usual rain fall.
With the next high pressure system rolling in I was pleased to be heading to the mountains. Skye did not disappoint with hot rock, t-shirt weather on the ridge and I even managed to find some drinking water at the bivi site (thanks to Mr Cullin aka Mike Lates).
Well done to Gordon who put in two long days to get across the mighty cullin ridge. His phrase of the moment was “none of this really counts as hill walking, this is two days of solid rock climbing’. It really is non stop action from the word go, sections where you could go ‘ hands free’ as Gordon put it are rather few and far between.
Gordon at sunrise on day two of ridge traverse
Tim Hamlet guiding the Gendarme
Gordon in the early morning light on day 2
Sunrise after a night under the stars
Gordon enjoying the ridge
Tim Hamlet abseiling off the Inaccessible Pinnacle
Gordon on the very airy An Sturr
Enjoying the King’s Chimney
Tim Hamlet belaying at the top of the King’s Chimney