After a long planning, preparation and waiting I finally had the chance to go to the Isle of Skye, a large island in NW Scotland. I managed to take weigh too many pictures as per usual, so I thought I'd just pick a few from them for now.
A couple of details of the trip:
- distance from home: 1000 km (I couldn't go any closer as usual :) ),
- duration of hike: 6.5 days,
- distance hiked: 95 km,
- total elevation: 7400 m,
- duration of transport: 2 days,
- summits climbed: 24.
Let's see some pics now:
I spent my first night at Camasunary Bay at the shore. Amongst others, this scenery greeted me after waking up: the old bothy at the foot of the rocky Sgurr nan Stri reaching almost 500 metres.
Colours playing on a faraway loch.
Towards the summit of Blaven I take in my surroundings. The dark mass with the jagged top in the background is the northern part of Cuillin.
I met Skye Tweety on the summit of Sgurr nan Stri.
We both agreed the weather was unusually fine today then enjoyed the scenery. Suddenly he/she took wings then a few seconds later a huge, mean eagle came soaring up from the other side of the hill and started chasing Tweety displaying some excellent aerial acrobatic moves.
By the end of the second day I managed to reach the first top on the ridge. I had to carry all my gear weighing about 20 kg up to here so the rather unfriendly expression on my face just after this slog is completely understandable. In the background the Cuillin ridge is visible, all its 12 kms.
Now let's have some scrambling pictures from the ridge. At least one person is pictured on all of these. They were also kind enough to wear conspicuous colours so that one can spot them better at home on their screens. :) By the way, click on the images to get slightly bigger ones.
This formation is the Inaccessible Pinnacle, sticking out of the steep mountainside like a blade. Its longer side is 70 metres, the shorter not visible here is 12. The former was an utter joy to scramble up on while climbing down on the other side proved to be strenuous an tricky. (Severe rock climb)
Hikers on Collie's Ledge with An Stac and just above the Inaccessible Pinnacle in the background.
Folks preferring less strenuous activities were sunbathing by the loch. A day later I spent the night on this huge slab of rock and it proved to be rather comfy... mind you, I was so shattered by then I'd have slept well on an army of hedgehogs too.
If you get tired of the ridge the "easiest" escape route usually looks like this scree filled corrie.
Inaccessible Pinnacle seen from its shorter side. There was a professional photo shooting in progress for a new clothing collection up there.
This pair was a mountain guide and his 60ish client. They overtook me quite easily.
Sunset from the Ridge.
The following morning I descended into a corrie to collect water, have a wash and breakfast. By the time I returned back to the ridge the pair from yesterday were already in action.
Approaching the third summit of the complex Bidein Druim nan Ramh.
On the top.
A stroll.
The Tooth. Climbers on Naismith's route on its right.
The last summit of the ridge was said to be a serious matter by all the descriptions, so I took my time to observe what these climbers were up to there.
Here I was inspecting the problem from up close, which proved to be a 12 m rib with plentiful good holds.
Still before you reach the final summit you have "tread the needle", that is going through that hole between the rocks.
The reason for the happy face: the Cuillin ridge's been completed within 2 days.
The Fairy Pools seem to be really popular and they are to be found on the other side of the ridge. They're pools carved out of rock by the river with a delightful green-blue colour. Originally, I wanted to check them out myself, but then I realized most of the streams here are exactly the same. I'd also dare to say it's even more special, if you get to walk along one of these pools in a remote corrie completely alone. :)
Old Man of Storr about 30 kms to the north.
Loch and sea.
Islands: Soay, Eigg, Rum, Canna.
Back on the first summit of the Ridge once again.
The very end of the peninsula where I had a mind to stroll to. It looks close but it's actually a 20 km long round trip.
The most distant and least visible hump on the horizon is none other than the highest point in the UK, Ben Nevis. About 85 kms from here.
The busy waters of Loch na Cuilce.
The beast: Cuillin ridge.
There've been surprisingly few deer here on Skye, but still that was quite a few. The other interesting thing is that I haven't come across any grouse in a whole week.
I haven't gone to the tip of the peninsula without any particular purpose, I wanted to see this cairn from up close among other things.
Which looked like this from the inside. This was a chambered cairn, probably 2nd or 3rd millennium BC, a Neolithic passage grave.
Something you don't see on photos is how much rubbish the sea deposits on the shore around here... worse that downtown on a Saturday morning. This particular one floated here all the way from Ireland but I've seen staff for example from Shetland too.
Ancient dock and "Viking canal" you can read more about
here.
Micro sea.
The lambs were so adorable, I could've eaten them up... this must have been exactly what the eagle thought too under which's nest I found the end of a leg on Blaven.
Has Hadrian been here too? :)
In this area not only the mountains but some animals have considerable size too.
On a temporary island by the sea.
Compact cooking kit.
In the bay on a particular island the sunbathing seals looked like a well-done filed of sausages.
From up close they seemed serious when they were staring at you...
... but in fact they were playful, enjoyed jumping out of the water, swimming but most of all sunbathing.
Quite possibly
this video must have something to do with the presence of the cyclist around here. To me this activity much rather looked like the endless combination of intense struggle, falling over and bicycle pushing instead... and this was on the "made" path. :)
The northernmost peak of the Cuillin Sgurr nan Gillean straight from a fantasy world.
Small Emperor Moth pair.
I set up camp beside the meandering river for the last time on Skye. I had a swim in the river, washed my clothes then woke up fresh and rested in the morning.
Glen Sligachan. Bye-bye Skye.
