Sgùrr a' Ghreadaidh

Sgùrr a’ Ghreadaidh stands at the northern end of the Black Cuillin ridge on Skye’s wild west coast. The mountain is made of gabbro, a coarse-grained rock that holds firm underfoot and gives climbers confidence on steep ground. Its Gaelic name means ‘peak of torment’, a warning of the challenge that lies ahead. The ridge itself is a narrow crest of shattered rock and jagged pinnacles, one of Britain’s finest alpine landscapes. Glen Brittle lies to the south-west, its sandy beaches and waterfalls a stark contrast to the jagged skyline above. The Cuillin were carved by Ice Age glaciers, leaving deep corries and knife-edged ridges that still bear the scars of frost and storm. The climb is serious mountaineering, not a walk. The easiest line goes over An Dorus, the ‘Door’, a high col between Sgùrr a’ Ghreadaidh and its neighbour. From the col the route turns into a sustained Grade 3 scramble, with slabs and cracks that demand careful balance. The north ridge keeps the scrambling going all the way to the summit, while the south ridge towards Sgùrr Thormaid offers another exposed Grade 3 challenge. The two tops are linked by a narrow crest so thin that a slip on either side would be serious. John MacKenzie reached the summit aged fourteen, having already climbed Sgùrr nan Gillean at ten. He later became Britain’s first professional mountain guide and helped pioneer modern Cuillin climbing. On the summit ridge the wind can strip the breath away and the views open in every direction. To the north-west the Outer Hebrides stretch like a blue smudge on the horizon. Below, Coire Lagan holds a lochan that mirrors the cliffs, and the gabbro slabs glisten when wet. The air smells of sea salt and wet rock, and the only sounds are the cry of ravens and the occasional rumble of stone. The descent is as committing as the ascent, with few safe ways off once committed to the ridge. Those who reach the top understand why the Cuillin are treated with respect, and why the name ‘peak of torment’ still fits.