GUIDE TO... SGURR DUBH MOR

Pronunciation: Sgoor Doo More Meaning: big black peak Height: 3097ft Rank: 228

OS Landranger Map 32 Summit grid ref: NG457205 (small cairn on rock)

Start grid ref: NG486195 Distance: 6.8 miles

Ascent: 4,101ft

Time: 9hrs

THE ROUTE

Two vehicles are pretty much essential for this route – the alternatives involve very long walks in/out on difficult terrain. The route starts from Loch Coruisk, so camping or staying at Camasunary bothy are options.

We left a car in Glen Brittle before driving around to Elgol the following morning to get a high-speed rib to Loch Coruisk. It’s a one-way ticket and you do feel a bit abandoned when the boat roars off.

All that lies between you and your car is a 1.2 mile climb – one of the longest graded routes in Britain – an 85ft abseil, hard scrambling, the spine of the Cuillin and Coire a’ Ghrunnda...easy!

A good path leads by the shore of the loch. You can’t miss the Dubh Slabs – they form a great rock ramp rising at 30 degrees from the head of the loch. An obvious – and steep – grassy gully avoids a steep nose at the foot of the slabs. It tops out at a grassy ledge from where a stone chimney takes you to the ridge proper. We pitched this section, as we’d no idea what was above, but it’s a straightforward scramble.

The ridge is very wide and formed of the roughest gabbro – you almost stick to it. It’s a case of picking your line and padding up. You can make it as easy or tough as you like. Some might like the reassurance of a rope.

About 197ft or so before the summit of Sgurr Dubh Beag is a small col with a cairn indicating the start of a bypass route to the bealach with Sgurr Dubh Mor.

It’s on the south side of the ridge, apparently. We didn’t see it. Instead, we abseiled from the well-established anchor.

It’s higher than an older anchor so I’d suggest taking a 197ft rope. The abseil includes a couple of overhanging sections, and it’s not one for a first-timer to try out. From the bealach, the route now becomes much more like an arête. You’ll come to a point where it seems the way is blocked by a great wall of rock – retrace your steps by about 66ft and there are a series of ledges up which it’s possible to scramble.

Above this, more exposed scrambling takes you to Sgurr Dubh Mor’s summit. The descent from here is a stiff scramble and requires good route choice down the south face. The aim is to reach the bealach and then scramble up Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn. From there, stick to the main ridge for a short distance, heading south-west and then picking your way down to Loch Coir’ a’ Ghrunnda.

Skirt the south side of the loch before following the outflow into Coire a’ Ghrunnda. This will involve more scrambling, but after just over half a mile you’ll pick up the excellent track that leads all the way out to Glen Brittle.