Cuillin Ridge Traverse, Isle of Skye, including accommodation. May 19th - 26th 2012.

Kendal Mountaineering Services is again running its bi-annual residential Cuillin Ridge Traverse trips to the Isle of Skye.

These will be taking place between May 19th - 26th and September 8th - 15th 2012.

This is an excellent opportunity to experience the Cuillin Ridge of Skye. Participants often have differing objectives for attending. Some may wish to "bag" the 11 munros on the Cuillin Ridge, others may want to complete a traverse of the Cuillin Ridge. Here, both can be done together.

Our package allows for considerable flexibility. We will have six full days of which four will involve being guided by Iain Gallagher, Mountaineering Instructor, with the ultimate aim of a complete traverse. There are also two rest days allowing us to be flexible and make the best of the weather when choosing our four Cuillin Ridge traverse days.

The price is £425 per person and is excellent value for what is on offer. This package includes 7 nights self catering accommodation in a comfortable cottage c/w a guided traverse of the Cuillin Ridge of Skye from end to end done, if possible, over a maximum of 4 days. Please note that we cannot guarantee a complete ridge traverse as it is often weather dependant, but we will do our best!

As the accommodation is not too distant from the Cuillins, we make daily forays in to the ridge allowing us to complete the traverse section by section but spending each night in a comfortable bed and getting a good meal at the end of each day - this itinery has been proven to work well. There are a maximum of six places available on each of the two annual Cuillin Ridge traverse trips so - only 12 places per year. All of these places are allocated on the basis of deposits received. First come, first served!

To achieve success on this trip, you need to be a fit and active hillgoer, able to carry all of your own personal equipment for each day out on the mountains and you will be expected to carry additional climbing equipment such as ropes as well.

Everyone must be equipped with a helmet & harness which can be provided as part of the course fee. You will need plenty of liquid each day and high energy food is advisable.

Interested people also need to be aware this is a committing and sustained 13km alpine style ridge traverse often on scrambling ground of grade one standard but also frequently with sections of grade two & three ground where roping up is essential. There are also sections of rock climbing such as the Thearlaich Dubh Gap (severe) and the Inaccessible Pinnacle (an optional but polished Diff) and a number of abseils to be made. Therefore previous experience of scrambling is a must and some previous experience of ropework, preferential. Ideally, you should have a good head for hieghts and be comfortable with a degree of exposure.

If this sounds daunting - don't be put off! If you have the pre-requisits listed here, then you should be fine.

The Cuillin Ridge Traverse is the best of its type in the UK and Iain has a great deal of experience guiding on this ridge. Iain cannot guarantee your success in completing the full traverse, only the weather & your ability will allow us to achieve this, but with his help and your commitment to working together as part of a team, success is a real possibility.

With regards personal equipment equipment for the ridge traverse. People must have good quality foul weather kit and bring plenty of warm clothing plus hats & gloves. On Skye, even in May it can still be wet or cold (or both on occasion). On a number of previous occasions - we have even had snow to deal with!

And on this note. Please do not come expecting to traverse the ridge in approach shoes! They are totally inappropriate for this traverse. Stout leather or fabric boots with good ankle support, a solid and preferably a cleated Vibram sole are the order of the day for this mountaineering journey .

People have ignored this advice in the past and then experienced difficulties on the ridge - slowing down progress for all concerned.

If you would like advice about equipment, additional information about the Cuillin Ridge or would like to book a place on one of these fantastic opportunities, then please contact us at Kendal Mountaineering Services.

Photographs on this post (from top to bottom) are

Looking South along the Cuillin Ridge From Bruach Na Frithe.

The Southernmost part of the Cuillin Ridge from the top of the Great Stone Chute.

Reaching the top of the Inaccessible Pinnacle.

Loch Coruisk From Sgurr A Ghreadaidh.

Sunset over Loch Bracadale and McLeods Tables from our accommodation.

Read about a previous Cuillin Ridge Traverse trip on our blog here. There are many more pictures on the report and reports of other trips between 2009 & 2011 on our blog.

See you on Skye.