Skye Guides specialises in teaching rock climbing at all levels. Mike Lates is author of the forthcoming SMC guidebook to rock and ice climbs in the Cuillin. James Sutton is also working on a follow-up to his innovative guidebook for bouldering on Skye.
A huge variety of spectacular locations on Skye provide a wealth of opportunity for learning and developing your skills.
The courses allow a strong platform of skills to be developed that are applicable to crags throughout the UK. Short courses and single days are held both on and off Skye and can be arranged to suit your availability and ambitions.
This course is suitable for those with limited or no experience of climbing on outdoor rock. At an introductory level emphasis is placed on routes that are well within your standard. Route finding, rope-work, use of guide books and climbing are taught at a variety of venues with Elgol, Flodigarry and the Cioch face being the most popular.
The art of placing good protection is combined with more advanced rope techniques for those who wish to venture on to the "Sharp" end. Flodigarry provides superb crack lines on low grade routes; Kilt rocks' easier routes swallow gear in their numerous cracks; Elgol rock requires cunning thinking both to place gear and to minimise rope drag; Sron na Ciche provides a face of Alpine proportions to put the skills to the test. Skye Guides can provide all of the necessary equipment. Clients with their own gear are encouraged to bring this in order to increase their own familiarity with their equipment.
The Black Cuillin have been called the "British Alps" and are held in high esteem by all good mountaineers that have ever enjoyed their challenge. This course can be used as specific training for your Alps trip or as an intense way to improve your skills and enjoy your holiday. Single days of training can be booked.
Too many Alpine (and Cuillin) expeditions are ruined because rock climbers are only familiar with the slow process of pitching each and every section of exposed, but easy climbing. This course fills the void of experience that British climbers have in moving on exposed but technically easy ground. Speed and confidence is achieved by practising the black art of Alpine Rope Technique (short roping).
Safe practices for setting up abseils and rope retrieval are included in a week of intensive mountaineering. Use of prussic and pulleys for self-rescue can be learnt whatever the weather.
A course for anyone with serious mountaineering ambitions!
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Sample Day
Start at Glen Brittle campsite.
- Eastern terrace of Sron na Ciche: sr.
- The Cioch by Arrow route: 3 pitch
- Collie's route to eastern gully & ascent: sr.
- Sron na Ciche and Sgurr Sgumain: ur.
- Sgurr Alasdair via the Mauvais Pas: 1 pitch & sr.
- Traverse of Sgurr Thearlaich: sr. & ab.
- Kings' chimney on Sgurr Mhic Choinnich: 1 pitch
- Ascend to In. Pinn. via An Stac Direct: sr.
- E. ridge of Inaccessible Pinnacle: sr.
- Descend W. ridge: ab.
- Descend W. ridge of Sgurr Dearg: ur.
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Skye has an abundance of classics at all grades. The Cuillin gabbro has unrivalled friction with sweeps of slab climbing on Sron na Ciche. Follow in the steps of Abraham’s, Mallory, Collie and Naismith. Hamish McInnes and Ian Clough were amongst the many whom developed steeper crack climbs such as Vulcan Wall, Jib and Cons Cleft.
Sea-cliff climbing at Kilt Rock and Neist Point are the best documented of Skye's coastal classics but 700 miles of coastline has more than a few hidden gems.
Ardverikie Wall and Patey's Cioch Nose are some of the most popular mainland routes often climbed on day trips from Skye.
Courses have been run in Snowdonia, the Lake District and Peak district in recent years as well as many locations throughout Scotland. Private guiding can also be provided for clients who choose to take advantage of cheap flights to explore some hot rock. Prices on application.
Numerous possibilities exist for serious adrenalin rushes without the effort needed to climb a mountain first. Initially used as wet weather alternatives for climbers the huge abseils and Tyrolean traverses have rapidly become popular outings in their own right. Suitable for large groups. No experience necessary. All equipment provided.
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