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4.9
| 36 reviews

Intro to Mountaineering on the Isle of Skye

Learn essential climbing skills in the spectacular Cuillin Mountains and tackle the renowned Inaccessible Pinnacle

Duration

3 nights

Annual Leave

2 days off work

Group Size

Up to 8 people

Season

April-Oct

Location

United Kingdom

Meeting Point

Broadford, Skye

Classic Accommodation

Guesthouse

Customer Reviews

(36)

4.9

Difficulty

Challenging

From

From

Have a go at climbing the 'Inaccesible Pinnacle', Scotland's most notorious munro, and abseil off the top

Learn key mountaineering skills with a guide to climber ratio of 1:2 providing all the flexibility you need to tackle the climbs

Hike through the indescribable beauty of the Isle of Skye, the most stunning island of the Inner Hebrides

Day 1

Plan, prepare and get ready

Your Scottish climbing adventure begins. Meet your guide at your overnight spot in Broadford. All that’s left to do now is settle in, grab some dinner with your fellow adventurers and get ready for the challenging days ahead.

Day 2

Fairy Pools and into the Cuillin Range

Hiking

6hrs · 10km · 800m up

You'll head off early this morning and start by hiking past the famous Fairy Pools before getting into the Cuillin Mountains and up close with the craggy peaks that will be your focus for the weekend. After a couple of hours hiking you'll do an easy scramble where you'll get kitted up and start to learn the basics - how to belay and how to abseil. Taking on The Spur is a great introduction to climbing in Skye.

Day 3

The ridges of the Black Cuillin

Hiking

8hrs · 9km · 1100m up

Another early morning, this time for a bit of a tougher day. Armed with your new-found skills, you'll step up the terrain and tackle something a little more technical today. You might head to Clach Glas Blabheinn Traverse, a classic Skye scramble along a fantastic airy ridge with a couple of harder pitches of rock climbing, or you may end up doing a climb of the Dubh Slabs and abseil from Sgurr Dubh Beag and walk down. Another option will be to learn some climbing skills on the sea cliffs of the Suisnish Pillar - you might even take on the officially named 'Much Better Adventures' climb route, aptly named by an MBA group in early 2021!

Day 4

The Inaccessible Pinnacle

The big one. This is what your previous days learning have all been about - your chance to attempt to scale the sheer flanks of the Inaccessible Pinnacle, a holy grail for mountaineers. The second highest summit in the Skye Cuillin, rising from the summit of Sgurr Dearg, this is no mean feat. It is the only munro that can only be summitted by a technical climb - for those that make it to the top, the fabulous view of the spurs, summits, crags and corries emerging from the cloud make it all worthwhile. You'll hike back down with a pocketful of memories and some stories to tell.

Included

Guides

Local, certified mountain guides (1:2 ratio)

Accommodation

3 nights in a guesthouse

Meals

Proper breakfasts to fuel you up the mountain

Equipment

All the technical equipment needed including helmet, harness and ropes

Not Included

Some meals as described

Travel to and from the start point

Personal expenses

Travel insurance

Visas where required

Day 1

Guesthouse · Twin or triple share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 2 – Day 3

Guesthouse · Twin or triple share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 4

Departure day

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

What is the food like?

For breakfast expect a typical Scottish buffet breakfast. You will be able to sort packed lunches out before heading out each day and dinner will be in the town where you can find a good cosy pub and local ales. Most dietary requirements can be accomodated, including vegetarian and vegan diets.

What is the accommodation like?

Broadford, Skye

You'll be staying in a small locally owned guesthouse in Broadford, likely either the Dunollie Bespoke Hotel or Broadford House B&B. As Skye can be very busy in the summer season, the exact accommodation will be confirmed closer to the time of departure. You will stay in a twin-share rooms.

Upgrades

We are not able to offer single room upgrades on this trip as accommodation on the Isle of Skye is in high demand and guesthouses charge a flat rate per room regardless of whether there are one or two occupants, which makes it unfeasible.

The Area

map

Logistics

Starts

Broadford, Skye

15:00 on Day 1

Ends

Broadford, Skye

18:00 on Day 4

Transfers

The start and end point of the trip is in Broadford, Skye. Buses are available from Inverness and Fort William for those arriving by air or train. For those driving - you can head straight to Skye. The exact meeting point and hotel will be confirmed prior to the trip.

Travel options

Regular trains and flights run to Inverness from across the UK. You can also drive directly to Skye if you wish.

Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear

In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.

What's included?

  • Climbing harness
  • Climbing helmet
  • Belay device and carabineer
  • Ropes and all other climbing gear

Your host will also carry essential group equipment such as a first aid kit and group shelter.

Please bring your own helmet and harness if you have them.

What do I need to bring?

  • Rucksack (we recommend 40 litres) with liner
  • Waterproof hiking boots (not shoes)
  • Thermal base layer
  • Fleece top – not cotton
  • Polyester, fleece or woollen trouser and tops (no jeans)
  • Heavy-duty waterproof jacket and trousers
  • Hat without bobble so helmet can fit
  • Thick waterproof ski gloves and warm liners/2 pairs of good gloves
  • Neck buff plus spare
  • Head torch
  • Flask or water bottle
  • Energy snacks
  • Whistle
  • Sunglasses and sun cream
  • Towel
  • Emergency survival bag (6’ by 3’ orange poly bag available from any outdoor store)
  • Walking poles (if you like to use them for hiking sections)
  • Approach shoes (these will be useful if you have them already, if not your hiking boots alone will do)
*Requests for optional extras can be made after booking on your “My Bookings” page

Pre/Post Accommodation in Broadford (Single) From:

Payable Before Departure

Pre/Post Accommodation in Broadford (Single) From:

Per Night

Pre/Post Accommodation in Broadford (Twin/Double) From:

Payable Before Departure

Pre/Post Accommodation in Broadford (Twin/Double) From:

Per Night

Louise(November 2023)

Epic adventure on the Isle of Skye. Our guides were brilliant, particularly John, and created an itinerary for us which fit our experience, intentions and the awful weather! We climbed the Inaccessible Pinnacle on the first day, and then did two other climbs on the other days (Lochan Traverse and then Pinnacle Ridge). Both days were challenging, and but were made possible with such supportive and knowledgeable guides. There was a problem with the guesthouse booking, so we stayed at a beautiful self-catering cottage in Portree. There were plenty of places to eat, although do book a table in advance as the island is very busy. I can't recommend this adventure highly enough. It was a challenging but well-supported and fun introduction to mountaineering. Five stars to John the guide!

Anna M.(November 2023)

Awesome few days mountaineering on Skye! Be ready for a challenge and don't expect to follow the itinerary given the unpredictable Scottish weather. We conquered the In Pin on day 1 - quite an experience for someone new to climbing! Felt in safe hands with the guides. John was phenomenal offering so many tips and so much support. Highly recommend this trip.

Thomas(October 2023)

Sick trip! Definitely go :)

Alina M.(May 2023)

This trip was amazing! Connor and his team did a great job at tailoring the trip to the group's needs. The highlight of the trip were rock climbing the Chiogh and of course the In Pinn. Would highly recommend, regardless of the level of rock climbing experience.

Simon(May 2023)

I had an amazing time on the trip on the Isle of Skye, the instructors were caring, knowledgeable and tailored the trip to cater our needs and experience. I would recommend this trip to anyone although I will say not to expect the literary on MBA to be much like you will experience. This is not the fault of the host or instructors, it's more to do with catering to the weather and the groups capabilities and desires for the course. MBA stated on the first day we would do a shorter day, instead we climbed pinnacle ridge which although was amazing, completely wiped me out as it a very long hard day for my self. But this was the choice myself and the group made ourselves, so again the instructors listened to us, asked our previous experience and made evaluations based on this. John the instructor I was with for the weekend was not only leading us, but teaching all the time and caring us for us all the way. Definitely recommend this trip. I just advice to be honest about your fittest and expect quite a challenge, Also Connor makes great porridge in the morning and will loosen your climbing gear if you don't eat it (kidding)

Oliver(May 2023)

Absolutely fantastic experience. The instructors kept us safe whilst sharing their passion for mountaineering and the mountains. I’ve left with a lot of new knowledge and skills and lots of good ideas to continue with mountaineering.

Jethro(May 2023)

My adventure was absolutely incredible. It was one of the most exhilarating and terrifying experiences of my life...

The Isle of Skye and the Cuillin Hills really speak for themselves as a destination - it is simply a breath-taking part of the UK and the world, and never failed to impress me with it's sheer awesomeness over the course of the adventure.

However, what really brought the trip to life was Connor and his team who were simply fantastic. They really were masters in their field; sharing their experiences, teaching us the ropes (!) incredibly well and accommodating everyone by moulding the trip around what the group and the individual teams wanted to do. Despite finding myself in some of the scariest situations I've ever faced - clinging to the side of a mountain (fully kitted up with ropes and harness, though, of course!) - Connor and the team always had me feeling like I was in safe hands. The instructors are what really justify the cost of this particular trip: I have learnt a lot about mountaineering and about myself.

Connor was a great orchestrator of the itinerary and events throughout the weekend, too, and made sure we were always getting the best experience out of it. He's also a great cook which definitely helped in the mornings with his daily briefing and pep talks! He also kept the group dynamic strong with his own anecdotes and questions and making sure everyone was included.

The group itself was well-rounded with individuals all from different backgrounds, making it a refreshing experience as it was quite unlike any other group of people I've ever been a part of. Though of course we all had the common goal of experiencing how awesome this planet is and what humans are capable of by conquering Skye's mountains as best we could!

My highlight from the trip was probably descending the mountains on days 1 & 3 - knowing that I'd made it to the top having mastered my fears was an incredible feeling of accomplishment, accompanied by spectacular views, come fog or shine.

I'll definitely be checking out more trips from Much Better Adventures - the feeling during and after my adventure is just too good to be missing out in my life going forward!

Charles(November 2022)

great trip all round. b&b was super. connor was an amazing guide on and off the mountain and the group was fantastic. skye mountain landscape is awesome. this trip is a no brainer given the lack of 60 metre ladders where i live

Mieke(September 2022)

Great trip! Even solo there is a fantastic opportunity to learn alot of skill and knowledge about the Monroes, plants and local history around you. Connor is super knowledgeable and talented at telling you stories and transfering knowledge throughout the day. The BnB was amazing, the host is so sweet and really cares that her customers have a lovely stay. Freshly poaches eggs and lots of coffee are a great way to start your day! After climbing, down the road there is a coffee bothy with amazing cake and tea! Happy climbing :)

Michael(September 2022)

Amazing experience and trip. The cuillin ridge is totally unique in the UK but be prepared for a lot of hard walking and climbing! Our guides were really knowledgeable of the whole area, always kept us safe and catered the whole trip superbly. In Pinn is the obvious highlight but the whole ridge is totally amazing. Well worth the trip!

Sharon(September 2022)

Our mountain leader Jack was amazing. We have some experience so were given better challenges to help push our skills. So knowledgeable, we learnt tonnes that we can use going forward. Our B&B was superb and Jacqui was a brilliant host. Our only suggestion is that accommodation is allocated at booking. The late finish on a Monday means that an extra night is pretty much mandatory and we'd booked elsewhere. Would have much preferred to stay at the Tigh Blath for that extra night.

Max(June 2022)

Great trip I would definitely recommend

Abhijeet(September 2021)

I had an absolutely wonderful time mountaineering on the Isle of Skye. Connor and team did a great job of making sure we got the best experience, working around the weather forecasts to maximise the climbing experience. The focus was on the climbing and we were taught what we needed to know when we needed to know it. All the instructors were safety focused and everything was done absolutely professionally. I will definitely do more trips with them.

Euan(September 2021)

Had an amazing time met some great people , The guides were very friendly and knowledgeable . Anyone can try one of these trips even if you are a beginner it is paced out very well

David(September 2021)

I'd recommend this trip to others in a heartbeat. It was a thoroughly exhilarating and rewarding experience, even in the rain. I booked the trip with a friend expecting a smaller party but in the end there were eight of us and four guides. Before the trip I was reluctant to share the experience with six complete strangers and four experts, but in the end it became one of the most rewarding aspects. I've done a lot of scrambling and hill walking in different parts of the UK and in all seasons but the experience of scrambling and climbing on the dramatic Black Cuillin ridge knowing we were in safe hands at every turn with Connor and his team of mountain guides, was second to none. Overall the trip was really good value and Much Better Adventures and Connor and his team were a pleasure to deal with.

Ben(September 2021)

The trip with Conor and team was perfect - great challenge and guides!

Natalie(August 2021)

This trip was so much fun. Our guide/host, Connor, really tried to make sure everybody had a good time and got the most out of the trip. Communication was excellent throughout. Connor and Peter obviously have a lot of experience and I never felt unsafe. The flexibility of the itinerary was a big plus. Highly recommend.

James(August 2021)

This was an incredible trip with beautiful scenery, amazing views, and very knowledgeable and fun local guides (Connor and Peter). The guides cater the trip to the goals and experience of the trip participants, allowing them to get the most out of the trip and giving them the necessary experience to continue mountaineering in future. All of us learnt a lot about climbing with ropes, and we were all novices, but came away from the trip having done two quite challenging climbs in amazing surroundings. Each day was topped off with drinks and good food in local pubs/restaurants

Steven(August 2021)

Epic, and worth every penny (if not more). While the Inaccessible Pinnacle may be the literal pinnacle of the three days, I also learned a huge amount. The flexibility in the itinerary, and the breadth and depth of knowledge of the guides means that there is something in this trip for everyone regardless of experience level.

Richard(August 2021)

The introduction into mountaineering course covered everything I expected it to. Our guide Connor asked us what we wanted to get out of the weekend and he did just that. He gave us the skills and confidence to tackle the "In Pinn" and his knowledge of Skye past and present was second to none. I now have the confidence to tackle other scrambles and have a good starting base of knowledge to progress with climbing and abseiling.

Conor(August 2021)

I was looking for an adventure when booking this trip, what I got back was much, much more, the trip gave a great understanding of the mountaineering basics, incredible views and the confidence to take with me on bigger trips. Connor's expertise gave the confidence to push myself way outside my comfort zone and climb peaks I would previously never have thought possible. would highly recommend for anyone that has ever wanted to try out rock climbing/scrambling or just have a great weekend out in the hills!

Susan(August 2021)

I had a fantastic time developing mountaineering skills on Skye, the highlight of which was climbing the Inaccessible Pinnacle. Connor and Sam were very knowledgeable guides and the small group sizes meant that they were able plan safe mountain days that provided the right level of challenge for different group members and made the best of the weather conditions. A great trip on a beautiful island.

Arthur(August 2021)

The trip was brilliant, Skye has some of the most dramatic and breath taking views I've ever seen, felt like we were walking through Lord of the Rings at times. Our guides Conor and Sam were both excellent and we're happy to base each days plan on what the group wanted to do. The day climbing the Pinicle was one of the most exciting and adventurous days in the mountains I've ever had and was definitely the highlight of the trip. Cannot recommend this trip highly enough.

Naomi(August 2021)

The scenery of Skye was stunning and the leaders of the group were very knowledgeable and were able to adapt to the abilities of the group giving us all a great experience.

George(July 2021)

This was a great adventure. Our Mountaineering guide Sam was fantastic. Due to the ratio of instructor to client at 1:2, Sam could be to be flexible to our needs and abilities. This resulted in a personalised experience in a breathtaking location.

I would not change anything about this trip.

Julian(July 2021)

Fantastic! A great introduction to proper mountaineering and a chance to see the stunning mountains of Skye. We'll worth if you done some walking and want to try something harder including scrambling and climbing. Conner and Sam were amazing, super professional, but also did a great job of making us all feel relaxed. They tailored the trip to needs/abilities of the team and guided us up some mountains I never would have tackled on my own. Thoroughly recommend it

Natalia(May 2021)

I definitely recommend this trip and using MBA - our guide Ian gradually built our mountain skills and confidence and I’m looking forward to tackling more difficult terrains in my future hikes. The whole trip was planned very thoughtfully and we had lots of fun while feeling very safe (both from Covid and mountaineering points of view).

Rosie(May 2021)

Fantastic trip, well organised as always and the guides were simply brilliant. Would highly recommend!!

Phil(May 2021)

This was a great trip that was challenging but highly rewarding. Sam our guide was really knowledgeable, friendly and supportive and was able to tailor the trip to match the groups ability and what we wanted to achieve. Summiting the inaccessible pinnacle was a highlight in which the experience of the days before prepares you really well for. Overall, a great experience that I’d highly recommend!

Bec(May 2021)

"This trip was amazing we all had the best time! Connor was very accommodating as we were unable to do the set dates. Second time I've been on one of his trips and will def be back for more! Our guides Jack and Josh were so knowledgeable and great teachers. Some elements of the itinerary understandably had to be altered due to the weather but they planned things to ensure that we would get the most out of the trip 🙂

We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.

What's the number?
It works out on average at 88kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.

The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.

But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:

  • Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
  • A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
  • 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.

What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.

Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.

A good level of fitness is recommended - you'll be out for up to 9 hours in a mountain environment moving over challenging terrain and ascending considerable heights each day. You do not need any previous climbing experience but you should have a head for heights. This is a challenging trip but the reward of bagging a techincal munro and views all across Skye will be worth the effort!

You will have a mountain guide for every two climbers (2:1 ratio) - this gives the flexibilty to the group to break up into smaller groups if needed and allows everyone to go at their own pace as they learn the skills.

In short, no. As the mountain weather on Skye is very unpredictable your guide will be making constant decisions regarding which routes to take and which climbs to tackle. As you will have a guide to climber ratio of 1:2 there will be plenty of flexibility to tackle different routes based on ability and fitness. Your guide will discuss your previous experience with you and you will explore the island based on this and the skills you would like to learn. Your guide will make the ultimate decision on routes based on safety considerations - if you don't manage to climb the Inaccessible Pinnacle you will still be leaving the island with a load of new skills and knowledge.

Each guide holds the Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor Certificate - having been assessed and approved by Mountain Training UK. This is the highest professional certification for Summer Mountaineering in Great Britain. They all hold First Aid certifications as well.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

The Cuillin Hills on the Isle of Skye are among the steepest mountains in the UK and include 15 peaks above 3,000 feet (900 metres). There are two main ridges; the magnificent Black Cuillins and the Red Cuillins around Loch Coruisk to the south. The weather can easily offer all four seasons in one day so you should be prepared as such. Your guides will be assessing the weather constantly and will pick routes based around wind and wet weather predictions. Weather is important in the Cuillin with wet rock taking twice as long to cross as dry rock so this will be factored into the plan for the day.

Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.

Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.

We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

  • 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
  • 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
  • 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.

Our team of Adventure Hunters create exclusive adventures with highly vetted, specialist hosts. We only work with independent, local in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. See here for more info about the local teams we partner with.

TRIP DEPARTURE DATES

Private trip

Go private and split the bill with ease.

Forget complex logistics, we've taken care of all the details to ensure a hassle-free get together. All of the adventure, none of the faff.

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