With a favourable forecast we headed for Pinnacle Ridge on Sgurr nan Gillean. It is the hardest of the 3 main ridges to the munro summit with an abseil off the 3rd pinnacle.
We made good time to the start of the route with the rock drying well and the clouds clearing. There is good scrambling up the 1st pinnacle following lines of basalt through the gabbro. A quick easy walk to the 2nd pinnacle before the main scrambling starts up to the 3rd. A few short rope lengths later and we were stood on top of the 3rd pinnacle getting ready for the abseil.
This abseil has a tricky start point from the fixed chain, a few small foot holds on steep slab before a bit of momentum takes you onto the corner before the 22 meters of slab on the way down.
The walk off from the base of the ab is tricky, from a small ledge down steep narrow slabs into the base of the gully. From there it is pleasant climbing up to the old munro top of Knights peaks (happily for many munro top baggers its be declassified).
Another tricky descent on slabs and a short boulder problem out of the gully saw us quickly on to the West ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean with a short section to the munro summit. Great views out to the rest of the Cuillin ridge. From the summit we descended
the south ridge and then walked back to the pub in the sun.
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