Blog: johnloguk

AWESOME RECORD SMASHED!

As a big fan of the Isle of Skye, and the Black Cuillin mountains in particular, I remember how I felt back in 1994 when an amazing new record for traversing the Cuillin ridge was set. Andy Hyslop's time of 3 hrs 32 mins 15 secs was almost beyond belief, and everyone said it would stand for years. Indeed, most people take 2 whole days for the traverse, and 90% of those that attempt it fail. But on 5th May it was smashed by 27 yr old Es Tresidder.

The Black Cuillin ridge is 11km long, with 11 mountains over 3000', over 3000 metres of ascent, most of it being jagged bare rock. There are several sections that are usually only tackled by experienced climbers with ropes, and even the "easy" sections scare the living daylights out of most ordinary hillwalkers. Es managed to knock 15 minutes of Andy's "unassailable" mark, so now 3 hrs 17 mins 28secs is the time to beat.

The Cuillin ridge is such a challenge that you can't just turn up and do it. Even if you are planning to take a couple of days over it most people recce the difficult sections first, and many have already done the whole thing in bits. Many of the speedsters have friends along to help on the rope pitches, or to provide food and sustenance on the route, but Es did it all on his own and without a rope. Of course he had already checked out every inch of the route, finding all the "secret" routes where seconds can be saved, and stashing food and drink along the way beforehand. But to beat Andy by 15 minutes..... astounding achievement.

I've posted several photos of the Black Cuillin before, so if I mention a few names they might make some sense to people. Most do the traverse south to north, bivvying out on Gars-Bheinn the night before so they can get an early start. The highest peak of Sgurr Alasdair comes about a third of the way round and is actually just off the main ridge. Soon after comes the most difficult mountain summit in Britain, the Innaccessible Pinnacle (I think the clue is in the name), a rocky fang on the summit of Sgurr Dearg. The section between Alasdair and the Inn Pinn, is a classic mountain day in it's own right, known as The Round of Coire Lagan.

The section over Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh and Sgurr a' Mhadaidh is an almost continous knife edge with short rock steps. Towards the end the going eases slightly over Bruach na Frithe, the easiest summit for the average walker, followed by a fine scramble onto the beautiful final peak of Sgurr nan Gillean. There is so much more though. To describe the whole ridge would, and often does, need a whole book. The only way to experience the Black Cuillin is to go there. But I would recommend taking a bit more time to discover it's hidden corners than 3 hours!

One of the reasons for doing the traverse south to north is to finish at the Sligachan Inn for a celebratory beer or 6. Almost as unbelievable as his new time is the fact that apparently Es didn't drop in for a pint, he just went straight home. For me this proves that to run the Cuillin, rather than walk/scramble them, you need to be clinically insane! Only joking Es, you are a legend.

by johnloguk on 18:04 on 29th June 2007