Classic Mountain Scrambles by Andrew Dempster sampler

andrew dempster has almost 40 years’ experience of scrambling, hillwalking
and backpacking in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. He has climbed all the
Munros twice, and all the Corbetts, and wrote the first guidebook to the Grahams
(mountains between 2,000 and 2,500ft in height). He has also walked, trekked
and climbed extensively in such varied locations as the Alps, the Pyrenees, the
Himalayas, Africa, Iceland and Greenland. The Highlands of Scotland are his first
love, however. He is a retired mathematics teacher, currently living in rural Perthshire
with his wife, Heather, and son, Ruaraidh.
1
The author on Sgurr na Stri (Skye)

2
By the same author:
The Munro Phenomenon (Mainstream, 1995)
The Grahams (Mainstream, 1997)
Skye 360 (Luath, 2003)
100 Classic Coastal Walks in Scotland (Mainstream, 2011)
The Hughs: The Best Wee Hills in Scotland. Vol. 1: The Mainland (Luath, 2015)
The Munros: A History. (Luath, 2021)

3
Classic Mountain Scrambles
in Scotland
ANDREW DEMPSTER

4
First published by Mainstream Publishing in 1992
New edition 2016
Reprinted 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
isbn: 978-1-910745-12-0
The author’s right to be identified as author of this book
under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 has been asserted.
The paper used in this book is recyclable. It is made
from low chlorine pulps produced in a low energy,
low emissions manner from renewable forests.
Printed and bound by
iPrint Global Ltd., Ely
Typeset in 8.5 point Sabon by
Main Point Books
© Andrew Dempster 2016

Contents
5
Preface to the new edition 9
Introduction 11
part i: skye and other islands 19
Route
Introduction to Skye 21
1 The Traverse of Sgurr nan Gillean 27
2 The Pinnacle Ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean 31
3 The Spur of Sgurr an Fheadain 35
4 The Round of Coire a’ Ghreadaidh 38
5 The Round of Coire Lagan 42
6 The Cioch (Collie’s Route) 48
7 Amphitheatre Arête 52
8 The West Buttress of Sgurr Sgumain 54
9 The South Cuillin Ridge
(Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn to Gars-bheinn) 56
10 The Dubhs Ridge 59
11 The North-east Ridge of Sgurr a’ Choire Bhig 64
12 The Main Ridge Traverse 66
13 The Traverse of Blaven and Clach Glas 73
Other Routes on Skye 79
Introduction to Rum 81
14 The Rum Cuillin Traverse 83
Introduction to Arran (and Mull) 89
15 The Round of Glen Sannox 91
16 The Round of Glen Rosa 95
17 The A’ Chioch Ridge of Ben More (Mull) 97
part ii: ben nevis and glencoe 99
Introduction to Ben Nevis 101
18 The Carn Mor Dearg Arête 103
19 Ledge Route of Carn Dearg 106

6
contents
20 Castle Ridge 109
21 Tower Ridge 111
22 The North-east Ridge of Aonach Beag 115
Other Routes in the Ben Nevis Area 118
Introduction to Glencoe 119
23 Curved Ridge and Crowberry Tower 121
24 Lagangarbh Buttress 124
25 North Buttress 126
26 Sron na Creise 129
27 Sron na Lairig and Beinn Fhada 131
28 Barn Wall Route (of Aonach Dubh) 134
29 Number 3 Buttress (of Stob Coire nam Beith) 136
30 A’Chailleach 138
31 Aonach Eagach 140
Other Routes in the Glencoe Area 143
part iii: north of the great glen 145
Ardgour and Kintail
32 The Pinnacle Ridge of Garbh Bheinn 147
33 The North Ridge of Sgurr Ghiubhsachain 150
34 The Forcan Ridge of the Saddle 152
35 Sgurr a’ Choire Ghairbh Ridge of Beinn Fhada 154
Wester Ross
36 A’Chioch of Beinn Bhan 156
37 Beinn Alligin 158
38 Liathach via the South-east Ridge of Mullach an Rathain 162
39 The Northern Pinnacles of Liathach 167
40 The Black Carls of Beinn Eighe 169
41 An Teallach 171
The Far North
42 Stac Pollaidh 176
43 Lurgainn Edge of Cul Beag 179
44 Suilven 181
Other Routes North of the Great Glen 185

contents
7
part iv: south and east of the great glen 189
45 The Fiacaill Ridge 191
46 The North-east ridge of Angel’s Peak 194
47 Lochnagar: Central Buttress 196
48 Lochnagar: the Stuic 199
49 The Cobbler 201
50 The Lancet Edge of Sgor Iutharn 204
Other Routes South of the Great Glen 206
Appendix: Technical Skills and Ropework by Martin Moran 209
Glossary of Gaelic Names 221
Sgurr nan Gillean (Skye)

8
Scrambling on Clach Glas (Skye)

Preface
9
this new edition of Classic Mountain Scrambles in Scotland contains over
70 new photographs by the author. The intervening 24 years since its original
publication by Mainstream in 1992 have seen a steady rise in the popularity of
scrambling with several new scrambling guides appearing, such as Skye Scrambles
and Highland Scrambles North, both from the Scottish Mountaineering
Club. However, Classic Mountain Scrambles is still the only guide to describe
the best scrambles in Scotland.
Some minor alterations and amendments have been made to the text and
the maps have been redrawn to incorporate colour, as have the diagrammatic
sketches. Martin Moran’s ‘Technical Skills and Ropework’ appears unchanged
and thanks are again due to him for this excellent and valuable contribution.
Liathach from Loch Clair

10
The air was still and a hot sun beat upon the crags. We therefore
went shirtless and enjoyed one of the most invigorating ridgewalks
that have fallen to us in summer. The ‘bad step’ resolved itself
into an easy stride across a cleft in the thinnest part of the ridge.
Throughout we walked in the authentic mountain atmosphere
where a climber feels poised in the middle air between heaven and
earth and knows himself most close to the former. The crest was
narrow and bold, like some of the less riven parts of Cuillin, the
rock clean; deep glens fell away on either side and carried brawling
streams to the sea, which in return sent wheeling round the hills
a sparkling halo of gulls – those birds of inhuman beauty, whose
wild eye and stainless plume seem to me to have been evolved
from the world expressly to embody the true spirit of seaward
mountains and by their cry, forlornly echoing among the rocks, to
sound the inner music.—WH Murray
On Druim nan Ramh (Skye)

11
Introduction
The view from Stac Pollaidh

12
The Nature of Scrambling
The Oxford Dictionary definition of ‘scrambling’ is ‘to make way as best one
can over steep or rough ground by clambering, crawling, etc.’. It continues with
the unfortunate phrase ‘move hastily and anxiously’. Both of these adverbs are
perfect descriptions of how not to move in mountainous terrain. Even the first
phrase carries undertones of a rather apprehensive nature. I would certainly not
advocate crawling on any scramble! The mountaineer’s definition of scrambling
would probably be ‘movement on a mountain which is too difficult to be reintroduction
Scramblers: A Neglected Breed?
hillwalkers and rock climbers are well defined breeds. They are also well
catered for literature-wise, as is expressly evident by the plethora of coffee table
books and guides on these popular pursuits. Many hillwalking guides describe
only a few of the easier scrambles whilst shunting the harder ones aside commenting
that they are ‘beyond the scope of this book’. Rock climbing guides on
the other hand tend to mention only a few of the harder scrambles, often with a
cursory belittlement. It is only relatively recently that guidebooks have appeared
describing scrambles in various localities (for example, Skye, Lochaber and
Wales). This book attempts to cover the best scrambles in Scotland and hopefully
will at the same time raise the activity from its rather condemned position
between the sacred cows of hillwalking and rock climbing.
Somewhere in between the ‘hands in pockets’ rambling of the gentle hillwalker
and the vertical escapades of the serious rock climber lies the middleman
known as the scrambler. The scrambler revels in exposed situations on sound
rock, with a rope usually nowhere to be seen. Of course, scramblers never allow
themselves to reach irreversible situations and an unroped retreat is always
possible. That is, they never allow ropeless to become hopeless!
Many hillwalkers scramble only out of necessity. For instance, most of the
Munros on Skye require some degree of scrambling ability in order to reach
their summits. These gentle scramblers regard the Cuillin of Skye with varying
levels of trepidation, and many would never venture anywhere near them. Other
more serious ‘Munro-baggers’ are cautiously coaxed up the easiest routes by experienced
friends or guides, and finally dragged screaming at the end of a rope
up the notorious Inaccessible Pinnacle – the hardest Munro. Some of this group
discover that scrambling isn’t at all bad and may even admit to enjoying it! This
book is partly written for them. It is also written for that last group of hillwalkers
who find scrambling as natural as walking and are undaunted by jagged
skyline ridges and soaring rock faces. Finally, this book is for those hillwalkers
who have yet to take their first tentative steps into this area.

introduction
garded as a hillwalk, but too easy to be regarded as a proper rock climb’. A moment’s
thought should make one realise that this is a very subjective statement.
The factors which determine whether a route is a walk or a scramble or a rock
climb are largely dependent on an individual’s experience and ability. When
does a walk become a scramble? When does a scramble become a rock climb?
Both these questions are inherently unanswerable because of their subjective
nature. It could be said that a walk becomes a scramble when you have to start
using your hands, and a scramble becomes a rock climb when you have to start
using a rope. But who is ‘you’? Again the subjective element rears its head. The
mountaineer’s definition of scrambling mentioned above is fair enough but with
the important reservation that it must be applied individually to each person.
Some of the scrambles described in this book are little more than walks;
many are graded as ‘Easy’, ‘Moderate’ or, in extreme cases, even ‘Difficult’
rock climbs. The crucial point is that in good, dry conditions in summer they
could all be climbed unroped – albeit some only by experienced mountaineers.
Personally, I regard the upper limit of scrambling as Moderate rock climbing
with perhaps the odd Difficult move thrown in. Others would disagree and say
that Easy rock climbing is the limit; others not even that, such is the nature of
scrambling. It is worth pointing out that even rock climbing grades are in many
respects highly subjective labels. Taking things to extremes, many Severe and
even Extreme rock climbs have been climbed ropeless by nimble rock gymnasts,
but to term these as scrambles would be as absurd as calling the Inaccessible
Pinnacle a walk. I recently heard of someone who traversed the Aonach Eagach
ridge in Glencoe (a classic scramble) without using his hands. Apparently, it was
done for a bet with the condition that he kept his hands in his pockets for the
complete traverse. I can think of safer ways of earning £10! To make the suggestion
that the Aonach Eagach ridge is only a walk would be ludicrous.
Leaving the thorny question of what defines a scramble we turn to the philosophy
behind scrambling. Why scramble at all? Scrambling in its purest form
offers the untrammelled freedom of hillwalking, and the exposure and more
immediate excitement of rock climbing, though without the cumbersome clutter
of ropes, slings and assorted paraphernalia (although a rope would be a serious
consideration on some scrambles). The catch in all this is that the consequences
of a slip whilst scrambling unroped in an exposed situation can be fatal. Free
scrambling on exposed rock is potentially one of the most dangerous mountain
activities. The safety limits in scrambling are inherently much narrower than in
hillwalking or roped rock climbing, and the need for the scrambler to know his
or her own limitations is essential before setting out. If in doubt, return another
time with a friend who has some rock climbing experience, a rope, and the
13

14
knowledge to use it safely. Nevertheless, those fortunate individuals who have
felt the exhilaration of unfettered movement over sound, dry rock on a glorious
summer’s day high above the glens will know there is nothing quite like it.
Scrambling Technique (see also Appendix)
introduction
Much of rock climbing technique is obviously applicable to scrambling. This
can be summed up in four ‘rules’:
1 Use your eyes and head to assess the route ahead mentally.
2 Lean out from the rock to preserve balance and a fairly upright posture,
and so that you can see hand and footholds.
3 Keep hands fairly low and climb mainly with your feet. High handholds
should be avoided, if possible.
4 Keep three points of contact, ie never move more than one limb at a
time.
Having said this, note that good mountaineers (and indeed many other people)
will apply these guides intuitively and almost without conscious thought.
Scrambling to most people should be as natural as walking. One only has to
look at children clambering on rocks at the seashore to realise that it is a deeply
ingrained and enjoyable activity dating back far into our evolutionary past. Unfortunately,
as many people grow up they partly lose that childish sense of wonder
and adventure, which is the stimulus of any mountain expedition. If you
have to ask what makes a fully grown adult want to wander along the rocky
crest of a mountain ridge then you will never receive a satisfactory answer.
Those who don’t ask are either mountaineers already or at least understand the
philosophy behind their thinking.
The Grading System
It should firstly be well and truly noted that all the scrambles described in this
book are for dry rock which is ice and snow-free only. That is, in the majority
of cases they would normally be attempted only in summer, and even then only
when the rock is dry. Unfortunately in Scotland this does narrow things down
quite a bit. In the depths of winter a summer scramble is transformed into a major
mountaineering endeavour, with all the associated equipment and techniques
that this encompasses.
Despite the subjective issues previously raised determining the difficulty of
scrambles, the following five-point grading system can be used as a reasonable

introduction
guide. After each grade description, two route examples are given.
Grade 1: Mainly walking, with hands being used for steadying purposes, or
possibly some mild scrambling on certain sections: eg Carn Mor Dearg Arête
(Ben Nevis); Lancet Edge (Ben Alder).
Grade 2: More sustained scrambling with possibly some exposure, but nowhere
serious and most difficulties are avoidable: eg Forcan Ridge (Glen Shiel); Fiacaill
Ridge (Cairngorms).
Grade 3: More serious and exposed scrambling, with some parts possibly involving
Easy rock climbing: eg Aonach Eagach (Glencoe); An Teallach (Northern
Highlands).
Grade 4: Particularly serious and in many places exposed scrambling with
some pitches of Moderate rock climbing: eg Clach Glas-Blaven Traverse (Skye);
Round of Coire Lagan (Skye).
Grade 5: Extremely serious, highly committing and demanding scrambles consisting
mainly of Moderate rock climbing, but with some pitches of a Difficult
standard. For highly experienced scramblers only, and preferably those who
have some rock climbing experience. A rope is highly recommended – even if
not used: eg Tower Ridge (Ben Nevis); Main Cuillin Ridge Traverse (Skye).
The character and quality of a route are to some extent imponderable notions
and have a highly personal basis and bias. A star system is used to describe how
‘good’ a route is, ranging from the best at three stars, down to one star. Because
of the personal nature of route quality there are bound to be many disagreements
on this. Stars are allocated for such factors as length of route, quality of
rock, position, and other more emotive factors. Few people would argue that
many of the routes given above are in the three-star category.
The Scrambles
Mention scrambling to a Scottish mountaineer and he or she will probably
think of the Cuillin of Skye, undoubtedly the British Mecca of scramblers and
rock climbers. Indeed, Skye is one of the few areas in Britain for which local
scrambling guides have been written. No matter how outstanding and prolific
the scrambling routes are on Skye, however, it is the intention of this book to
cover as much of Scotland as possible, and to concentrate to a large extent on
the really ‘classic’ routes. And, while a few of these may not be most people’s
15

16
introduction
Superb scrambling on the upper section of the north ridge of Sgurr Ghiubsachain
idea of classic, they nevertheless provide worthwhile and exhilarating scrambles.
To a large extent, good scrambles tend to be clustered on one particular
mountain or range of mountains. For instance, no less than three scrambles are
described on the mountain of Buachaille Etive Mor near Glencoe, whilst nine
are described in the whole Glencoe area. In fact, over half the scrambles in the
book are on Skye or in the Ben Nevis and Glencoe area. A good scrambling area
is also invariably a good rock climbing area but the reverse is often not the case.
For example, the Cairngorms contain many excellent rock climbs, but scrambling
opportunities are surprisingly limited.
Scrambling routes generally fall into two categories; those which follow
the crest of the summit ridge of a mountain or range of mountains (known as
a traverse); or those which follow the crest of a subsidiary arête or buttress
usually terminating at the summit of a peak. Of course, some may be a mixture
of both of these. Around 20 traverses are described and include such classics
as Aonach Eagach, Liathach and An Teallach. The remaining 30 or so routes
are all mainly of the second category, including routes such as Curved Ridge
(Buachaille Etive Mor), the Dubhs Ridge (Skye), and the Northern Pinnacles
of Liathach. One important limitation has been placed on this second category
of ‘upward’ routes in that the scrambles are almost all at least 150m (approx
500ft) in length. Thus, short, isolated scrambles of 50m or 100m – no matter

introduction
how good – have rarely been included. Literally thousands of small crags are
dotted about the Highlands, many of which must have good quality, short
scrambling routes. Readers are left to discover these for themselves. Note that
this 150m minimum does not (indeed, cannot) apply to the traverses, some of
which consist largely of walking with only small pockets of scrambling, such
as the Beinn Alligin Traverse. Chimney or gully routes have been purposely
omitted due to inherent dangers such as stone-fall, wet or greasy rock and the
presence of large snow pockets which often linger well into the summer season.
These factors tend to make gully scrambling a thoroughly wet, cold and miserable
experience. Gully climbing only really comes into its own in winter under
appropriate freezing conditions when there is less likelihood of falling water
from above. Also, from an aesthetic viewpoint, gully climbing severely restricts
views and can be rather a claustrophobic experience.
For convenience the book has been divided into four parts, each covering a
particular area. These are:
1 Skye and other islands (Routes 1–17)
2 Ben Nevis and Glencoe (Routes 18–31)
3 North of the Great Glen (Routes 32–44)
4 South and east of the Great Glen (Rout 45–50).
Each part is further subdivided as appropriate.
Other Routes
At the end of each part, an additional selection of routes has been outlined, but
detailed descriptions of these are not given. The majority of these ‘other routes’
are either in extremely remote country, or of a Grade 4/5 nature (or harder). In
some cases, such as the Beinn Lair cliffs north of Loch Maree, they are a combination
of these. Some detailed route descriptions can be found in local rock
climbing guides but for many, no detailed descriptions are available and some
degree of pioneering spirit is required. These extra routes, therefore, can be seen
as an extension to the 50 routes already described and provide much scope for
experienced scramblers wishing to extend their repertoire.
Route Measurements
Accompanying each route is information relating to distance, height and time.
Unless otherwise stated, the distance given refers to the total distance travelled
in order to complete the route (including a return to base), and the figure is
17

18
given in both miles and kilometres
rounded to the nearest whole unit.
The ‘total ascent’ similarly refers to
the total amount of height climbed in
order to complete the route – ie it is
not just the height of the actual scramble
(which would make little sense
on a traverse anyway). This is given
in metres and feet and in most cases
has been rounded to the nearest 50m.
Finally, the time for the route is again
the total for the whole route including
stops. For this reason, and because
of subjective variation in walking
and climbing speeds, a time range is
given (eg 5–7 hours). This will not,
of course, apply to fell-runners or to
people who spend two hours sunning
themselves on the summit of Sgurr
nan Gillean!
introduction
Sketch-maps
Each route is clearly indicated on a
sketch map but there may be more
than one route indicated on any
particular map. The maps show the
main topographic features in diagrammatic
form but should not be used in
place of a proper Ordnance Survey
map. Munros (not Tops) are indicated
by black triangles, while Corbetts
(mountains over 2,500ft ) are shown
by heavy white triangles. Other summits
are marked by black circles. The
main ridges are shown by heavy black
lines and cliffs/steep, rocky ground by
closely spaced thin black lines.
Steep scrambling on the south peak of
the Cobbler

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