Skye Cuillin

The Skye Munros: A Masterclass in Scottish Mountaineering

For many, the Skye Munros are the final and most demanding chapter of their Munro-bagging journey. While the mainland offers world-class days out, the 11 summits of the Black Cuillin require a full transition from hiking to technical mountaineering. From the airy crest of Sgùrr nan Gillean to the iconic Inaccessible Pinnacle, these peaks demand expert route-finding and steady nerves.

At Climb Torridon, our expertise on the Skye Cuillin Ridge is rooted in decades of professional instruction. We provide the specialised mountain craft and Cuillin Ridge Guide insight needed to tackle these technical summits safely and efficiently.

Your Pathway to the Summits

• Bespoke Private Guiding: Tailored 1-to-1 or small group days focusing on your specific targets, from a single peak like Sgùrr Alasdair to a custom multi-day itinerary.
• 4-Day Skye Munros Course: Our flagship programme to summit all 11 ridge Munros. Available as a private booking or an Open Course for like-minded adventurers.

Ready to start? Explore our 4 day Skye Munros courses by clicking below or browse the individual peak profiles to learn more about the challenges of the ridge.

Skye Cuillin Ridge Munros Course

11 Munros

4 Days

Find out more …

Individual Munros

Below is a little bit of information about each of the individual Skye Munros, as well as a popular route option. Many alternative routes are available, if you have a particular route choice in mind just let us know.

Sgurr Dearg – The Inaccessible Pinnacle (986m)

One of the most dramatic and popular Munro’s on Skye, Sgurr Dearg is famous for The Inaccessible Pinnacle (or In Pinn for short). The In Pinn is an incredible rock formation on the very top of the summit of the mountain. It is the reason Sgurr Dearg is notorious for being the most difficult Munro. The East Ridge of The In Pinn is a 65 metre “Moderate” graded rock climb, for the vast majority of people this is the ascent. The West Ridge is an 18 metre “Severe” graded rock climb, this is the side we will abseil down from the summit.

Sgurr Alasdair (992m)

This is the highest mountain on Skye, also making it the highest summit of any UK island. There are various different route options. The least technical ascent would be to follow The Great Stone Shoot (a scree gully) to a col below the main ridge. Followed by a good grade 2 scramble up to the summit.

Sgurr a’ Ghreadaidh (973m)

This is the highest of the middle peaks in The Skye Cuillin, and also one of the hardest. Although there are multiple routes to the summit the most straightforward ascent is from the col of An Dorus. From here an excellent grade 3 scramble, followed by a section of easier scrambling leads to the summit. Some people like to combine this munro with Sgurr a Mhadaidh as the two are in close proximity.

Sgurr na Banachdaich (965m)

Sgurr an Banachdaich is often regarded as one of the easier summits in The Skye Cuillin. Its most straightforward ascent is from Coir’ nan Eich and requires no scrambling. This Munro is an excellent introduction to The Cuillin for those looking for a less technical mountain. Located halfway along the ridge, it provides incredible views of the other Munros both to the north and south.

Sgurr nan Gillean (964m)

Sgurr nan Gillean is considered the finest peak in the Cuillin by many. There are multiple ways up including Pinnacle Ridge (one of Skye’s Classic scrambles), but the simplest route is via Coire Rhiabhach. The ascent to the coire is on loose rock and scree but further up excellent scrambling leads to the summit. From which you will be rewarded with incredible views in all directions.

Bruach na Frithe (958m)

The summit of Bruach na Frithe is considered one of the easiest and also one of the finest viewpoints in the Black Cuillin. It is also the only summit in the Cuillin Ridge with a trig point. The simplest and most popular ascent is via Fionn Coire, which requires no scrambling. Alternatively, for those who would prefer a scrambling option we can tackle the Northwest Ridge. A bypass path can be used to remove some of the difficulty of the scramble, therefore it is a possible descent option as well.

Sgurr Mhic Choinnich (948m)

Also known as Mackenzie’s Peak, Sgurr Mhic Choinnich was named after local mountain guide John Mackenzie. It is regarded as one of the most challenging summits in The Skye Cuillin. The simplest approach is via Coire Lagan and up the An Stac scree slopes. From here a challenging grade 2 scramble up the north ridge leads to the summit. For those wishing for a climbing route, the south face of the mountain is famous for the King’s Chimney (V. Diff rock climb).

Sgurr Dubh Mor (944m)

Located at the southern end of The Cuillin Ridge the most popular ascent route follows a path into Coire a’ Ghrunda. After heading up to Bealach a’ Garbh-choire, we follow the main ridge to Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn. Followed by a scramble up to the summit itself. A fantastic alternative route can be taken from Loch Coruisk. This route, called The Dubh Slabs, involves more sustained climbing as well as an abseil.

Am Bastier (934m)

Am Bastier, meaning ‘The Executioner’ is a formidable mountain. It is easily identified by its remarkable feature “The Basteir Tooth”, a jagged piece of rock protruding from the side of the mountain. The most popular (and simplest) route choice is an exposed and excellent scramble up the west ridge from the Bealach Bhasteir. Alternatively, this mountain can be climbed using graded rock climbing routes, the most well-known being the “Bad Step” (graded at Severe).

Blabheinn (Blaven) (928m)

Considered by many as one of the most beautiful mountains in the UK, Blavan is an outlier to the rest of the Black Cuillin. Containing all the character of the mountains of the main ridge, yet it’s location (not of the ridge itself) offers a fine vantage point over the rest of the mountains on Skye. It is also one of the easier munros on the island. The most popular ascent is from Loch Slapin. Initially this route is on a good path. However, a mixture of rough ground, loose stones, a scree gully and some mild scrambling to the very top make for an excellent and varied day out.

Sgurr nan Eag (924m)

The most southerly peak along The Skye Cuillin Ridge, this mountain offers incredible sea views. It is often combined with Sgurr Dubh Mor, although this is certainly not essential. Being the more straightforward of the two mountains tackling it by itself makes for a much easier day out. The most popular route heads up from Coire Ghrunnda, ascending almost directly up a steep boulder field. The boulders are slow-going and awkward, however they have exceptionally good friction. They are made of peridotite, which is a variant of the more commonly found gabbro in the Cuillin, it is even rougher than normal! From the ridge we can either take a scree path or head directly along a moderate scramble to the summit.

Sgurr a’ Mhadaidh (918m)

Sgurr a’ Mhadaidh (The Peak of the Fox) is commonly combined with Sgurr a’ Ghreadaidh, but it certainly can be tackled independently if preferred. The most popular ascent route is from the col of An Dorus (The Door). From An Dorus the route is awkward and steep but it soon turns into an easier scramble. The route continues up more scree until we can scramble onto the crest of the ridge, from which the summit is soon reached. The mountain actually has four summits, but this first is the highest point (the only munro). The view from the top is superb, taking in Sgurr nan Gillean at the north end of the ridge, Loch Coruisk far below and the peaks of Sgurr Alasdair and the Inn Pinn. From the summit we return to An Dorus and then can either head up Sgurr a’ Ghreadaidh or simply head down.

Multiple Skye Munros & Skye Cuillin Munro’s Courses

Each of the Munro’s is a fantastic day out in itself. However, some people choose to combine multiple Munros into one day. Below are some of the popular Munro combinations (other combinations are possible too). If you are hoping to complete all the Munros over 4 days (also known as a Skye Cuillin Munros Course), combining all 4 days below would achieve exactly that.

The Southern Peaks: Sgurr nan Eag, Sgurr Dubh Mor & Sgurr Alasdair

Starting from Glen Brittle we use a mixture of paths and scree to reach Coire a’ Ghrunnda. This is the highest of the great Cuillin Coires. Before ascending further to gain access to the ridge itself. From here a straightforward out and back route will take us to the summit of Sgurr nan Eag, our first Munro of the day. The scrambling then begins. We scramble down to the Bealach a Garbh-choire and pick our way up the formidable Sgurr Dubh Mor, our second Munro. Some of the best views of the ridge can be seen from this narrow summit. Next more scrambling takes us down and around the coire until we reach Sgurr Alasdair. After enjoying this fine position, a final short section of scrambling takes us to The Great Stone Shoot from which we make our way back to Glen Brittle.

Sgurr Mhic Choinnich & The In Pinn

Starting at the Mountain Rescue Hut in Glenbrittle we head up the western spur of Sgurr Dearg. Climbing this provides a great warm up ready for The In Pinn. We always treat the In Pinn with the greatest of respect and guide it as a rock climb. You will be well looked after with ropes, harnesses and helmets to make sure you can fully enjoy this incredible experience. We abseil off The In Pinn, back to the summit of Sgurr Dearg. From here we descend to The Bealach Coire Lagan and easier ground takes us to the foot of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. A narrow and exposed ridge takes us to the summit. We will follow that same ridge back to the bealach before descending down the An Stac Screes and out of Coire Lagan.

The Middle Peaks: Sgurr na Banachdich, Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh & Sgurr a’Mhadaidh

Starting at The Glenbrittle Youth Hostel we head up alongside the stream that runs out of the Coire a’Ghreadaidh. After a short distance, we leave the main path and head up into Coire an Eich. Working our way up the scree leads to our first Munro of the day; Sgurr na Banachdich. From here we scramble down to a col before continuing over Thormaid and around its ‘Teeth’. Next, we will tackle the south ridge of Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh to gain our second Munro. This ridge provides the crux for the day (although easier than the In Pinn). From the summit more scrambling leads to An Dorus, a narrow notch in the ridge, from which we can head out and back to our final Munro for the day, Sgurr a’Mhadaidh. Once back at An Dorus a track takes us back to the Youth Hostel.

The Northern Peaks: Sgurr nan Gillean, Am Bastier & Bruach na Frithe

This day starts and finishes in Sligachan. We begin by heading across the Alt Dearg Mor and gradually work our way to the south east ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean. This scramble finishes on the ‘Table Top’ summit of Sgurr nan Gillean. The descent from here involves some more scrambling and an abseil to the bealach before Am Bastier. This formidable looking summit is infamous for ‘The Bad Step’. We will use a rope to manage this short down climb and continue along easier ground to the summit itself. We descend from here back to the bealach before a short and easy ascent takes us to the top of our final Munro, Bruach na Frithe. All that remains is to descend Coire a’ Bhastier back to Sligachan.

Skye’s Scrambles and Climbs

For those interested in Skye’s classic scrambles we can offer them all! Some of the most well-known are below. However, there are 100’s of amazing climbs and scrambles on Skye, and we couldn’t possibly list them all here. Therefore, if you need a guide for a route we haven’t listed, please do just let us know.

Pinnacle Ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean

One of the best scrambles in the UK, Pinnacle Ridge is an adventure not to be missed. This route follows the most challenging of the three main ridges to the summit of Sgurr nan Gillean. We start along the same path as the popular tourist route up the mountain, however, we head off right below the start of the Basteir gorge. After crossing a stream, exiting the gorge, we reach the base of the lowest pinnacle and the real fun begins! Pinnacle Ridge itself is made up of 4 pinnacles followed by the summit of Sgurr nan Gillean (sometimes referred to as the 5th pinnacle). It offers excellent scrambling throughout. The first 2 pinnacles have a mixture of grade 1 – 3 scrambling. The 3rd pinnacle involves grade 3 scrambling and a 22 metre abseil to descend. The 4th pinnacle “The Knights Peak” is also grade 3. One final challenging move remains to gain access to the final pinnacle (the summit) before a last scramble to the very top. A perfect Cuillin adventure, this route is given 3 stars and a climbing grade of Difficult in guide books.

Clach Glas and Blaven Traverse

Often regarded as the Cuillin Ridge in miniature, The Clach Glas & Blaven Traverse is perfect for those who are looking for a one day alternative. Offering its own unique character, this is a truly fantastic ridge. We will begin by ascending up the shoulder of Sgurr nan Each, to the first section of scrambling. This grade 1-2 ridge is called the East-West Traverse and leads us up to the bealach between Sgurr nan Each and Clach Glas. From here, to reach the summit of Clach Glas itself we will follow the north ridge (graded a moderate rock climb). This is a spectacular scramble which is followed by an equally brilliant descent down the south ridge (again, graded a moderate rock climb). Next, we head up Blaven itself using “The 18m Chimney”, this is graded as a “difficult” rock route, but in reality is of a similar difficulty level to much of the rest of the day. The descent from Blavan is straight-forward, so you can simply enjoy the stunning views from this truly excellent adventure.

The Cioch

The Cioch needs little introduction, it was made famous by the classic 80’s film “Highlander”. It is the epic nose of rock on which Sean Connery famously had his sword fight. But this piece of rock has been a mecca for climbers since the early nineteen hundreds when it was first climbed by Professor Norman Collie and John Mackenzie. Unsurprisingly, there are multiple routes up this complex and impressive piece of rock. If you have a specific route in mind do just let us know. Otherwise, our most popular choice would be to ascend a mixture of Collie’s Route and Cioch Slab Corner, both brilliant and easy graded climbs (Mod and Diff). Descent is complex too and so we will use a variety of ropework techniques to keep you safe. This is a grand day out, full of brilliant climbing in a jaw dropping setting. There is a very good reason this rock feature is so famous.

The Dubh Slabs

If you are looking for a unique, all round adventure, then look no further than this. Situated in the wilds of Loch Courisk the easiest way to start this day is by catching the boat from Elgol. This will save us the 7 mile walk in along a rocky coastal path. Once we arrive at the base of the ridge we have almost 1km of unbelievably good moderate grade rock climbing to the summit of Sgurr Dubh Beag. Unsurprisingly, this is one of the longest climbing routes in the UK. From the summit we have a 25m abseil to take us to a small ledge, then further scrambling brings us out onto a bealach. From here we have a couple of options to end the day. We can either get the ferry back out to Elgol, and in which case we will head straight down some rough ground to the ferry port. The alternative would be to head up from the bealach to the summit of Sgurr Dubh Mor. Then follow the usual route from this Munro back to Glen Brittle. This latter option would need to be planned in advance so that a car gets left in Glen Brittle.

The Skye Cuillin Ridge Traverse from £1100

A successful Skye Cuillin Ridge Traverse is the “Holy Grail” of British mountaineering. Stretching across 12km of jagged gabbro, this legendary outing is widely considered the finest alpine-style challenge in the UK.

With 22 peaks, sustained Grade 3 scrambling, and iconic climbing pitches (up to Severe), the sheer scale of the ridge is immense. Over two days, you’ll tackle 4000m of ascent and descent, punctuated by an unforgettable bivouac under the stars.

It is a huge physical feat that demands high levels of stamina and fitness. By hiring a professional Cuillin Ridge Guide, you gain the expert route-finding and safety skills needed to turn this ambitious dream into a reality.

Find out more about our ratios and pricing

Our Approach: The 2-Day Traverse & Weather Window

We guide the Skye Cuillin Ridge Traverse over two full days, including a classic night spent bivouacking on the ridge itself. On average, a successful traverse takes 20 hours of movement; attempting this in a single day is an extreme undertaking. By splitting the journey, we allow for a more manageable (yet still challenging) pace.

Typically, your first day involves 12–13 hours of mountaineering, followed by 8–9 hours on day two.

Maximising Your Success

To give you the best possible chance of completion, every booking includes a three-day weather window. We monitor the forecast closely and choose the two most favourable days for the traverse. Having this “spare” day is essential for navigating Skye’s notoriously fickle weather.

Please note: the third day is a rest day and is not guided; it is yours to relax and enjoy the island as you wish while we wait for the perfect window to open.

Tailored to You: Your Ridge, Your Way

To give you the best possible chance of success, we listen closely to your aspirations. No two climbers are the same, and we believe your Skye Cuillin Ridge Traverse should be tailored to match your specific goals.

We work with you to define what a “successful traverse” looks like for you. Common approaches include:

• The Full Aesthetic Line: Starting at the far southerly tip of the ridge for the most complete journey.
• The Technical Challenge: Ensuring we include the three iconic climbing pitches: The TD Gap, The King’s Chimney, and Naismith’s Route.
• The Peak Bagger’s Goal: Focusing on reaching all the major summits along the 12km crest.

Whatever your personal aims, your Skye Cuillin Ridge Guide will design the logistics and pace to help you achieve them safely.

Experience & Fitness: What You Need

The Skye Cuillin Ridge Traverse is a world-class mountaineering challenge, but it is certainly not a walk. It is a serious undertaking that requires a high standard of mountain fitness and prior scrambling experience.

Technical Difficulty & Exposure

The ridge is famous for its “gabbro” rock, offering incredible grip but extreme exposure. You should be comfortable with sustained Grade 2 and 3 scrambling. Much of the route is highly technical, and the sheer verticality of the ridge is ever-present.

Physical Requirements: To complete the traverse, you need the stamina to move for 10–12 hours a day across broken, rocky terrain while carrying a multi-day pack.

Not sure if you’re ready? If you would like to discuss your suitability for a traverse, or if you’re looking for a Cuillin Ridge Guide to help you build the necessary skills beforehand, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We are happy to advise on training and preparation.

Our Client Stories

We believe a successful day out is measured by smiles, new skills, and incredible views. We’re proud to share the feedback from clients who have achieved their goals and fallen in love with climbing and walking in this spectacular area.

Ratios and Pricing

In order to provide the highest level of experience and safety I maintain low ratios for guided ascents. Below you can see the details. All trips are considered private bookings so you will not have to worry about the pace of others and will get a trip tailored to your individual needs.

A 50% deposit will secure your booking, with the remaining balance due 4 weeks in advance of your trip. Full payment is only required at the time of booking if you wish to book a date within the next 4 weeks.