Classic Mountain Scrambles in Scotland

By Andrew Dempster

Scrambling is the highly popular pursuit which combines the freedom enjoyed by the hillwalker with the more immediate excitement of the rock climber. An essential guide to the best scrambling in Scotland, this book covers both the mainland and the inner hebrides, and is suitable for scramblers of all skill levels, from complete beginner to seasoned enthusiasts.
This comprehensive guide contains:
Maps and images for each scramble, as well as instructions for OS maps.An introduction to the art of scrambling, and to all equipment that may be necessary.Routes for all scrambles, and easy to follow grading and quality ratings, enabling the reader to pick a scramble for any ability level. Scrambles include mountain routes such as Aonach Eagach and the Cuillin Ridge, as well as the lesser known Northern Pinnacles of Liathach.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Luath Press
• Release date: Dec 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781910324646

Andrew Dempster

Andrew Dempster has almost 40 years’ experience of walking, scrambling and backpacking in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. He has climbed all the Munros twice and the Corbetts, and wrote the only guidebook to the Grahams (mountains 2,000–2,500 feet in height). He has also walked, trekked and climbed extensively in such varied locations as the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Himalaya, Africa, Iceland and Greenland. The Highlands of Scotland are his first love, however, and he lives in rural Perthshire with his wife, Heather and son, Ruaraidh.

Book preview

Preface

THIS NEW EDITION of Classic Mountain Scrambles in Scotland contains over 70 new photographs by the author. The intervening 24 years since its original publication by Mainstream in 1992 have seen a steady rise in the popularity of scrambling with several new scrambling guides appearing, such as Skye Scrambles and Highland Scrambles North, both from the Scottish Mountaineering Club. However, Classic Mountain Scrambles is still the only guide to describe the best scrambles in Scotland.

Some minor alterations and amendments have been made to the text and the maps have been redrawn to incorporate colour, as have the diagrammatic sketches. Martin Moran’s ‘Technical Skills and Ropework’ appears unchanged and thanks are again due to him for this excellent and valuable contribution.

Liathach from Loch Clair

The air was still and a hot sun beat upon the crags. We therefore went shirtless and enjoyed one of the most invigorating ridgewalks that have fallen to us in summer. The ‘bad step’ resolved itself into an easy stride across a cleft in the thinnest part of the ridge. Throughout we walked in the authentic mountain atmosphere where a climber feels poised in the middle air between heaven and earth and knows himself most close to the former. The crest was narrow and bold, like some of the less riven parts of Cuillin, the rock clean; deep glens fell away on either side and carried brawling streams to the sea, which in return sent wheeling round the hills a sparkling halo of gulls – those birds of inhuman beauty, whose wild eye and stainless plume seem to me to have been evolved from the world expressly to embody the true spirit of seaward mountains and by their cry, forlornly echoing among the rocks, to sound the inner music.—WH Murray

On Druim nan Ramh (Skye)

Introduction

The view from Stac Pollaidh

Scramblers: A Neglected Breed?

HILLWALKERS AND ROCK climbers are well defined breeds. They are also well catered for literature-wise, as is expressly evident by the plethora of coffee table books and guides on these popular pursuits. Many hillwalking guides describe only a few of the easier scrambles whilst shunting the harder ones aside commenting that they are ‘beyond the scope of this book’. Rock climbing guides on the other hand tend to mention only a few of the harder scrambles, often with a cursory belittlement. It is only relatively recently that guidebooks have appeared describing scrambles in various localities (for example, Skye, Lochaber and Wales). This book attempts to cover the best scrambles in Scotland and hopefully will at the same time raise the activity from its rather condemned position between the sacred cows of hillwalking and rock climbing.

Somewhere in between the ‘hands in pockets’ rambling of the gentle hillwalker and the vertical escapades of the serious rock climber lies the middleman known as the scrambler. The scrambler revels in exposed situations on sound rock, with a rope usually nowhere to be seen. Of course, scramblers never allow themselves to reach irreversible situations and an unroped retreat is always possible. That is, they never allow ropeless to become hopeless!

Many hillwalkers scramble only out of necessity. For instance, most of the Munros on Skye require some degree of scrambling ability in order to reach their summits. These gentle scramblers regard the Cuillin of Skye with varying levels of trepidation, and many would never venture anywhere near them. Other more serious ‘Munro-baggers’ are cautiously coaxed up the easiest routes by experienced friends or guides, and finally dragged screaming at the end of a rope up the notorious Inaccessible Pinnacle – the hardest Munro. Some of this group discover that scrambling isn’t at all bad and may even admit to enjoying it! This book is partly written for them. It is also written for that last group of hillwalkers who find scrambling as natural as walking and are undaunted by jagged skyline ridges and soaring rock faces. Finally, this book is for those hillwalkers who have yet to take their first tentative steps into this area.

The Nature of Scrambling

The Oxford Dictionary definition of ‘scrambling’ is ‘to make way as best one can over steep or rough ground by clambering, crawling, etc.’. It continues with the unfortunate phrase ‘move hastily and anxiously’. Both of these adverbs are perfect descriptions of how not to move in mountainous terrain. Even the first phrase carries undertones of a rather apprehensive nature. I would certainly not advocate crawling on any scramble! The mountaineer’s definition of scrambling would probably be ‘movement on a mountain which is too difficult to be regarded as a hillwalk, but too easy to be regarded as a proper rock climb’. A moment’s thought should make one realise that this is a very subjective statement. The factors which determine whether a route is a walk or a scramble or a rock climb are largely dependent on an individual’s experience and ability. When does a walk become a scramble? When does a scramble become a rock climb? Both these questions are inherently unanswerable because of their subjective nature. It could be said that a walk becomes a scramble when you have to start using your hands, and a scramble becomes a rock climb when you have to start using a rope. But who is ‘you’? Again the subjective element rears its head. The mountaineer’s definition of scrambling mentioned above is fair enough but with the important reservation that it must be applied individually to each person.

Some of the scrambles described in this book are little more than walks; many are graded as ‘Easy’, ‘Moderate’ or, in extreme cases, even ‘Difficult’ rock climbs. The crucial point is that in good, dry conditions in summer they could all be climbed unroped – albeit some only by experienced mountaineers. Personally, I regard the upper limit of scrambling as Moderate rock climbing with perhaps the odd Difficult move thrown in. Others would disagree and say that Easy rock climbing is the limit; others not even that, such is the nature of scrambling. It is worth pointing out that even rock climbing grades are in many respects highly subjective labels. Taking things to extremes, many Severe and even Extreme rock climbs have been climbed ropeless by nimble rock gymnasts, but to term these as scrambles would be as absurd as calling the Inaccessible Pinnacle a walk. I recently heard of someone who traversed the Aonach Eagach ridge in Glencoe (a classic scramble) without using his hands. Apparently, it was done for a bet with the condition that he kept his hands in his pockets for the complete traverse. I can think of safer ways of earning £10! To make the suggestion that the Aonach Eagach ridge is only a walk would be ludicrous.

Leaving the thorny question of what defines a scramble we turn to the philosophy behind scrambling. Why scramble at all? Scrambling in its purest form offers the untrammelled freedom of hillwalking, and the exposure and more immediate excitement of rock climbing, though without the cumbersome clutter of ropes, slings and assorted paraphernalia (although a rope would be a serious consideration on some scrambles). The catch in all this is that the consequences of a slip whilst scrambling unroped in an exposed situation can be fatal. Free scrambling on exposed rock is potentially one of the most dangerous mountain activities. The safety limits in scrambling are inherently much narrower than in hillwalking or roped rock climbing, and the need for the scrambler to know his or her own limitations is essential before setting out. If in doubt, return another time with a friend who has some rock climbing experience, a rope, and the knowledge to use it safely. Nevertheless, those fortunate individuals who have felt the exhilaration of unfettered movement over sound, dry rock on a glorious summer’s day high above the glens will know there is nothing quite like it.

Scrambling Technique (see also Appendix)

Much of rock climbing technique is obviously applicable to scrambling. This can be summed up in four ‘rules’:

1Use your eyes and head to assess the route ahead mentally.

2Lean out from the rock to preserve balance and a fairly upright posture, and so that you can see hand and footholds.

3Keep hands fairly low and climb mainly with your feet. High handholds should be avoided, if possible.

4Keep three points of contact , ie never move more than one limb at a time.

Having said this, note that good mountaineers (and indeed many other people) will apply these guides intuitively and almost without conscious thought. Scrambling to most people should be as natural as walking. One only has to look at children clambering on rocks at the seashore to realise that it is a deeply ingrained and enjoyable activity dating back far into our evolutionary past. Unfortunately, as many people grow up they partly lose that childish sense of wonder and adventure, which is the stimulus of any mountain expedition. If you have to ask what makes a fully grown adult want to wander along the rocky crest of a mountain ridge then you will never receive a satisfactory answer. Those who don’t ask are either mountaineers already or at least understand the philosophy behind their thinking.

The Grading System

It should firstly be well and truly noted that all the scrambles described in this book are for dry rock which is ice and snow-free only. That is, in the majority of cases they would normally be attempted only in summer, and even then only when the rock is dry. Unfortunately in Scotland this does narrow things down quite a bit. In the depths of winter a summer scramble is transformed into a major mountaineering endeavour, with all the associated equipment and techniques that this encompasses.

Despite the subjective issues previously raised determining the difficulty of scrambles, the following five-point grading system can be used as a reasonable guide. After each grade description, two route examples are given.

Grade 1: Mainly walking, with hands being used for steadying purposes, or possibly some mild scrambling on certain sections: eg Carn Mor Dearg Arête (Ben Nevis); Lancet Edge (Ben Alder).

Grade 2: More sustained scrambling with possibly some exposure, but nowhere serious and most difficulties are avoidable: eg Forcan Ridge (Glen Shiel); Fiacaill Ridge (Cairngorms).

Grade 3: More serious and exposed scrambling, with some parts possibly involving Easy rock climbing: eg Aonach Eagach (Glencoe); An Teallach (Northern Highlands).

Grade 4: Particularly serious and in many places exposed scrambling with some pitches of Moderate rock climbing: eg Clach Glas-Blaven Traverse (Skye); Round of Coire Lagan (Skye).

Grade 5: Extremely serious, highly committing and demanding scrambles consisting mainly of Moderate rock climbing, but with some pitches of a Difficult standard. For highly experienced scramblers only, and preferably those who have some rock climbing experience. A rope is highly recommended – even if not used: eg Tower Ridge (Ben Nevis); Main Cuillin Ridge Traverse (Skye).

The character and quality of a route are to some extent imponderable notions and have a highly personal basis and bias. A star system is used to describe how ‘good’ a route is, ranging from the best at three stars, down to one star. Because of the personal nature of route quality there are bound to be many disagreements on this. Stars are allocated for such factors as length of route, quality of rock, position, and other more emotive factors. Few people would argue that many of the routes given above are in the three-star category.

The Scrambles

Mention scrambling to a Scottish mountaineer and he or she will probably think of the Cuillin of Skye, undoubtedly the British Mecca of scramblers and rock climbers. Indeed, Skye is one of the few areas in Britain for which local scrambling guides have been written. No matter how outstanding and prolific the scrambling routes are on Skye, however, it is the intention of this book to cover as much of Scotland as possible, and to concentrate to a large extent on the really ‘classic’ routes. And, while a few of these may not be most people’s idea of classic, they nevertheless provide worthwhile and exhilarating scrambles.

Superb scrambling on the upper section of the north ridge of Sgurr Ghiubsachain

To a large extent, good scrambles tend to be clustered on one particular mountain or range of mountains. For instance, no less than three scrambles are described on the mountain of Buachaille Etive Mor near Glencoe, whilst nine are described in the whole Glencoe area. In fact, over half the scrambles in the book are on Skye or in the Ben Nevis and Glencoe area. A good scrambling area is also invariably a good rock climbing area but the reverse is often not the case. For example, the Cairngorms contain many excellent rock climbs, but scrambling opportunities are surprisingly limited.

Scrambling routes generally fall into two categories; those which follow the crest of the summit ridge of a mountain or range of mountains (known as a traverse); or those which follow the crest of a subsidiary arête or buttress usually terminating at the summit of a peak. Of course, some may be a mixture of both of these. Around 20 traverses are described and include such classics as Aonach Eagach, Liathach and An Teallach. The remaining 30 or so routes are all mainly of the second category, including routes such as Curved Ridge (Buachaille Etive Mor), the Dubhs Ridge (Skye), and the Northern Pinnacles of Liathach. One important limitation has been placed on this second category of ‘upward’ routes in that the scrambles are almost all at least 150m (approx 500ft) in length. Thus, short, isolated scrambles of 50m or 100m – no matter how good – have rarely been included. Literally thousands of small crags are dotted about the Highlands, many of which must have good quality, short scrambling routes. Readers are left to discover these for themselves. Note that this 150m minimum does not (indeed, cannot) apply to the traverses, some of which consist largely of walking with only small pockets of scrambling, such as the Beinn Alligin Traverse. Chimney or gully routes have been purposely omitted due to inherent dangers such as stone-fall, wet or greasy rock and the presence of large snow pockets which often linger well into the summer season. These factors tend to make gully scrambling a thoroughly wet, cold and miserable experience. Gully climbing only really comes into its own in winter under appropriate freezing conditions when there is less likelihood of falling water from above. Also, from an aesthetic viewpoint, gully climbing severely restricts views and can be rather a claustrophobic experience.

For convenience the book has been divided into four parts, each covering a particular area. These are:

1Skye and other islands ( Routes 1 – 17 )

2Ben Nevis and Glencoe ( Routes 18 – 31 )

3North of the Great Glen ( Routes 32 – 44 )

4South and east of the Great Glen ( Rout 45 – 50 ).

Each part is further subdivided as appropriate.

Other Routes

At the end of each part, an additional selection of routes has been outlined, but detailed descriptions of these are not given. The majority of these ‘other routes’ are either in extremely remote country, or of a Grade 4/5 nature (or harder). In some cases, such as the Beinn Lair cliffs north of Loch Maree, they are a combination of these. Some detailed route descriptions can be found in local rock climbing guides but for many, no detailed descriptions are available and some degree of pioneering spirit is required. These extra routes, therefore, can be seen as an extension to the 50 routes already described and provide much scope for experienced scramblers wishing to extend their repertoire.

Route Measurements

Accompanying each route is information relating to distance, height and time. Unless otherwise stated, the distance given refers to the total distance travelled in order to complete the route (including a