UKC

As I was wandering the gentle grassy slopes and broad plateax of the Cairngorms yesterday, my thoughts naturally turned to narrow ridges and exposed edges. So, after the Cuillin Ridge, what the best ridges in the UK? Aonach Eagach, CMD arete, Beinn Alligin, An Teallach, Liathach, Crib Goch - any more? Cast your votes now.

And as a supplementary, can any geologists tell me why all the best ridges are on the West?

In reply to tony: Heaviest glaciation IIRC.

2nd best ridge....uncontroversial, but mine probably Crib Goch or AE.

In reply to tony:

Liathach, I'd say. Possibly in joint number 3 position with An Teallach (number 2 being the traverse of Clach Glas, if by Cuillin Ridge we do not mean the Greater Traverse). Suilven should probably be in the top ten, too.

In reply to tony:

And as a supplementary, can any geologists tell me why all the best ridges are on the West?

not sure but ridges, aretes are two glaciers eating away at the rock in between them, possibly more so in the west due to higher precipitation rates on the west, due to esterlies,

Id go with aonach Eagach,

In reply to Iain Ridgway: should be westerlies,

In reply to Iain Ridgway: Alright Iain, what's the ridge called on the round from Lyn Ogwen after you come down off tryfan before the plateau on Glyder Fach? i like that one but can't remember what it is called. Did it a few years ago in freezing snow and ice, the dogs bollocks.

In reply to tony:
2..An Teallach
3..Aonach Eagach
4..Liathach
5..Forcan Ridge(in winter)

Several others spring to mind....Both the N and S ridges on Beinn Dearg Mhor, the one on Foinaven(Creag Urbhard??)...can you count Great Ridge On Garbh Bheinn?

In reply to Rick Alves: Bristly ridge I think. Quality ridge but a bit short compared to the scottish options. Alos, do people count things like tower ridge- arguably a buttress...

In reply to Rick Alves: hi, Y Gribin?

or do you mean bristly ridge going up from bwlch tryfan,
always gforget which glyder is first from tryfan,
not sure,

In reply to vscott: Aye, sorry...that should be..
2...Tower Ridge...moves upto no1 in Winter.

In reply to wcdave:
The Cuillin Traverse is surely no. 1, summer and winter. Tower Ridge no 2 in winter.

In reply to Dave Hunter, Rock + Run: what about blaven in winter.

In reply to Dave Hunter, Rock + Run: Not done it in winter, but I'm sure yer right.

In reply to vscott:

I was sort of discounting things like Tower Ridge for reasons which are a bit hard to define but a) it's a bit steep to be a ridge and b) it is more of a buttress, like you say.

In reply to tony: Yep, sort of agree with that, ridges that link several summits perhaps or somesuch.

In reply to tony: tower ridge is very ridge like and it's not even steep but if I can't have that then the AE in winter I think

In reply to vscott:

that's a much better definition!

In reply to tony: Its probably not up there with these, but agreat ridge to walk on is Nantlle rige in N. Wales, runs out from snowdon, down to the llyen, finnish down the back of Cwm Silyn, superb, only a walk, but great views because its on the edge of the mountains.

In reply to Rick Alves:

I agree Tryfan followed by Bristley ridge, good fun in any weather

In reply to tony: Dubhs Ridge - no question

In reply to tony:
2. Liathach including the northern pinnacles
3. A'Chir Ridge

In reply to Iain Ridgway: Agree. The Nantlle ridge is a lovely walk.

Top 5 =
1. Cuillin
2. Snowdon Horseshoe
3. Aonach Eagach
4. Traverse of La Meije
5. Nanda Devi (connecting Nanda Devi East and Main Summit)

In reply to Jonathan Lagoe:

Well, the Dubhs ridge isn't really an arete type ridge, is it? (and I think that is what Tony has in mind) - except for a very short bit between Dubh Beag and Dubh Mor.

In reply to tony:

I've got to dispute your choice of the Cuillin Bridge at No. 1. I've never heard of it. Here's my top five:

(1) Tower Bridge - The original bridge with an innovative opening mechanism to allow shipping to pass.

(2) Humber Bridge - One time longest suspension bridge in the world.

(3) Bridge Over Troubled Waters - Brings a tear to my eye every time I hear it.

(4) Contract Bridge - There's nothing beats that feeling of making a bid of 7 No Trumps, and going on to clean up during play.

(5) Forth Bridge - Just to keep the Jocks happy.

In reply to DazMan: You blethering idiot! Read the thread title properly next time.

Got to be either the Frigidaire 275 or the Hotpoint 322c and maybe the Zanussi 574.

In reply to Marc C: I hate all the little bastards. I remember walking through the Mamore forest and getting bitten to f*ck. Bastard midges.

In reply to rickalves: Personally, as I can't circular breathe, I hate Didge players...

I like walking along Striding Edge though. Right on the top, watching the punters bricking it on the path below.

Tim, TG

In reply to O Mighty Tim: Can't circular breathe?! I think I and all the other poor punters who shelled out $500 for your weekend course "The Healing Didgeridoo" found that out. Took us to Day 2 (when we eventually got round to handling a didgeridoo - after a whole day listening to you talking about sexual healing with kangaroos and koala bears) to rumble your 'octagonal' breathing technique as a total load of b*llsh*t.

In reply to tony: No-one's mentioned the Devil's Ridge (Ring of Steall). Maybe because it's not as good as the others. Not bad though, I'd say.

In reply to tony:


Here goes,

It's to do with the climate during the ice ages. You get more snow and hence more extensive glaciation in the west as that's where the weather fronts come from during ice ages. Lots of fast-flowing glaciers come roaring off the western spreading centres (e.g. Rannoch Moor) and carve out great valleys leaving a little bit of ridge standing proud.

Sometimes these ridges are themselves smoothed by the ice such as Ben Achaladair and the area east of the white Mounth but others are open to the effects of frost shattering during the ice ages and have a pinnacled form as found in Torridon or at least rocky carns and stobs, e.g. Wester Ross, Glencoe, Snowdonia and the higher peaks in the Lakes.

In the east it's drier so you get very cold and slow-moving plateau glaciers similar to what you find in, say, Lyngen in N Norway nowadays. They're not as active and hence don't incise as much. Instead, wind-blown snow collects in depressions and eventually forms smaller cirque glaciers giving the corrie complexes exemplified on Braeriach and Ben Avon and, to some extent the Carneddau.

In reply to tony: 5 sistersl or s shiel ridge are both pretty damn good too, though not scrambly types, nice long days out though. LIked Ben Alligin too though it's a bit shorter than the others.

In reply to Duncan Irving:

excellent, thank you very much!

In reply to Anita:

aye, I thought about those ones too, but they don't have the exposure of most of the ones mentioned. But like you say, good days out.

In reply to tony:

In no particular order, I'd add votes for An Teallach, Liathach, Beinn Eighe and Stac Pollaich (if you go end to end).

The Aonach Eagach is good, but not up there with the very best, imho. I've done the likes of Crib Goch, Tryfan/Bristly Ridge and Stiding Edge, and would rate them as comparable to the AE - good, but not the very best on offer.

Beinn Alligin likewise is fun, but the only really intersting bit is over the horns, plus one wee awkward step on the way up the southerly top from the north. Where it does score points is for setting and views.

I've not done the Blaven - Clach Glas traverse, but imagine it would be right up there too.

In reply to Stuart S:

Dear Stuart

I was off checking the spelling of Stac Pollaidh, but you beat me to it.

Norrie

In reply to tony: The An Chir(spelling??) ridge on Arran is not a bad day out, probably better than the likes of striding or sharp edge...

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Except I typed "ch" instead of "dh" at the end of "pollaidh".

Stuart, who only thinks he can touch type...

In reply to tony: a'Chir - surely nothing else outside Skye compares for sustained difficulty. Lots of the others mentioned are great days out, exposed and entertaining but the technical side of most of them is well overblown by guidebooks aimed at your granny. For example Stac Pollaidh is a cracking afternoon jaunt but for scrambling its a one mover. The Aonach Eagach (in summer) is a great walk as well but again the scrambling boils down to 2 or 3 short steps.

In reply to Anonymous:

hmm. so we've got someone else saying

In my book, being better than Striding Edge is damning with faint praise, and you're saying it's the most sustained difficult ridge outside Skye? Well I suppose I'll have to go and find out for myself.

In reply to Anonymous:
"Lots of the others mentioned are great days out, exposed and entertaining but the technical side of most of them is well overblown by guidebooks aimed at your granny."

Dear Anonymous

One should not get too elitist when going on about scrambling ridges in the UK.

Norrie

In reply to Anonymous:

Fair comment, if the thread was after the hardest ridges in the UK. But ridges can be good even if they're not technically hard. Even some sections of the Cuillin are pretty straightforward (ok, they are few and far between). As you say, Stac Pollaidh is a cracking afternoon jaunt and for that reason alone, I included it in my list of suggestions...

In reply to tony: a'Chir is a wee bit harder than Striding Edge! You should get yourself over there. The views are superb.
Apart from that (probably because no Munros are involved) the experience is not really comparable as you will meet a fraction of the people you would on Helvellyn. Was up there on a perfect day at the Jubilee weekend last year and met one other party.

In reply to Stuart S:

Dear Stuart

I thought you may have suggested the ridge on Angel’s Peak,

PS Tony, this is a ridge not in the West Coast.

In reply to Norrie Muir:

I've not actually done Angel's Ridge, but did have a grand day doing Cairn Toul coming up out of the Lairig Ghru via it's south-east ridge, contouring up to it from Corrour bothy.

The ridge is nothing compared to those getting mentioned here, but it was at least on a par with your "average" west coast ridge, with some fine scrambling up blocks towards the summit.

In reply to Norrie Muir: Sorry Norrie, just dashed off a thoughtless reply in a break from some extreme dry tooling escapades in the Campsies.
Seriously I'm a fat bumbly not an elitist, but it is true that some of the guidebooks about by Sir Cameron McNeish etc do exaggerate the difficulty of some ridge walks such as the so called Devils Ridge in the Mamore. I don't think it is untrue to say that many peoples' grannies would enjoy such excursions but may be put off doing them by the purple prose of McNeish and his colleagues.

In reply to tony: What about the ridge (well connection I suppose) between Meall Greigh (sp) - Ben Ghlas with An Stuc in the middle - only a wee bit of scrambling or Tamachan ridge again only a wee bit of scrambling but both very pleasant days. Don't compare to Aonach Eagach ect though. Cruachan that's a pretty damn good ridge too.

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Funnily enough, this is where I was yesterday! Absolutely fantastic day out, terrific views, very few people (which is always a plus for an anti-social git like me), but I didn't include it in my lists because it doesn't have the exposure on both sides, which is really what I was getting at. But it's definitely recommended as a day out.

In reply to tony:

Dear Tony

By any chance, were you suffering from the sun – hallucinating seeing “terrific views”.

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Now Norrie, don't be too harsh on the 'Gorms - the Garbh Coire, Coire of the Chockstone Gully, Falls of Dee etc are not exactly uninspiring!

In reply to Norrie Muir:

well I know what you mean, but the views across to Ben Macdui, along the Lairig Ghru, and up across the corries to Braeriach were pretty damned good. I must admmit I'm still getting used to the size of the Cairngorms compared with everything else, so I'm easily impressed by the scale of the place.

In reply to Stuart S:

Dear Stuart

Even I would doubt my sanity, if, I sit on the top of Angel’s Peak gazing at the inspiring sight of the Falls of Dee. Apologies for the last sentence. I find the spring to be the best to be in the Gorms. I do like coming over to the Gorms now and again - honest.

Norrie

PS One gets a bit blasé about the West Coast sometimes.

In reply to Norrie Muir:

No worries - just sticking up for my wee corner of the country!

In reply to tony:

2 Clach Glas
3 A Chir

In reply to Offwidth:

Agreed Clach Glas probably no 2, but no way A Chir 3. I don't think it would even make my ten.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

top ten

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I'm definitely getting interested in A'Chir - it's getting such mixed reviews. So why don't you rate it Gordon?

In reply to tony:

Its a very variable ridge. I expected it to be more difficult at the start and climbed every granite lump. Some of the other ridges are longer with better views but this was a real rock climb by the easiest line and unexpectedly difficult looking when you finally get to the hard bit. An Teallach may be better but thats one of the few famous ridges I havent done and I'm not counting ridges that go up to peaks (otherwise Observatory ridge or something similar might make No 2) just ridges between peaks.

In reply to tony:

It's very pleasant in superb setting, but not enormously exposed, with just one shortish section of awkward scrambling on highest quality granite. Strangely, not very memorable. Something a little bit disappointing about it.

In reply to tony:

Here's my controversial attempt at a list, in very rough order:

Cuillin Main Ridge
Clach Glas traverse
Tower Ridge*
Dubhs Ridge*
Pinnacle Ridge, Sgurr nan Gillean*
Liathach
An Teallach
Aonach Eagach
Traverse of Suilven
Crib Goch and Crib y Ddysgl
Forcan Ridge
Ballachulish Horseshoe in winter
Ben Alligin
Stac Polly
Carn Mor Dearg Arete
North Ridge Tryfan, south ridge, Bristly Ridge
A' Chir, Arran
Beinn Dearg Mhor ?
Fiacaill Ridge, Cairngorms
Devil's Ridge, Mamores
Sharp Edge, Blencathra
Striding Edge, Helvellyn

Those with asterisks may be considered to steep/buttress-like (as opposed to horizontal/arete-like) to qualify.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

"but not enormously exposed"

You are kidding right?

I remember gingerly sliding off a ramp to land on a 1m wide ledge above a 50m vertical cliff. Someone followed later and nearly lost their balence: waving arms and everything, that was memorable for my stomach. Lower down the path dissapears over the cliff and you think 'it goes down there?' and it does and with surprising ease. If you dont think its exposed I guess you must have done it North to South and always looked up. I'd recommend the other way round with an ascent of Goat Fell to end the day.

In reply to Offwidth:

I meant hugely exposed, with drop of many hundreds of feet.

I may have a biassed memory of it, because I did it on a 'rest day' during a superb week's climbing on Arran, and I guess it was completely eclipsed by the rockclimbing we did.

In reply to Offwidth:

PS Arran whisky is currently pretty poor but the local beer and cheese is good if you fancy treating yourself after A Chir.

In reply to tony:

Keeping it to ridges where a rope is (generally) not required, and in no particular order:

A'Chir, Arran ***
SE Ridge of S. Peak, The Cobbler **
Curved Ridge, BEM **
Garbh Bheinn-Clach Glas-Blaven ***
Sgurr Beag-Sgurr Uhamh-Sgurr nan Gillean***
Pinnacle Ridge, Sgurr nan Gillean ***
Great Ridge (wandering scramble route), Garbh Bheinn ***
Northern Pinnacles, Liathach ***
West Rib/Ridge (for want of a name?), Ben Hope **

Also, the preponderance of ridges in the west reflects the 'wetter', higher velocity, more erosive alpine (coire/cwm) glaciation along the west coast of the UK during the last glacial period relative to the colder, ice-cap style of glaciation (where the basal ice is frozen to the ground surface) that was predominant in the east (e.g., the Gorms). If anyone is really interested, then email me an I'll provide a treatise on the subject!

seismicscot

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

If you stick to the direct line then it definitely is enormously exposed. I'm thinking of the bit after the bad step (going north) where you either take a path round the difficulties, or head straight on up Mod/Diff scrambling above several hundred feet of nothing.

My votes would vary depending on what is and isn't defined as a ridge, but would include
- A'Chir with continution over Chir Mhor (sp?) and down the ridge with the Witch's Step.
- Bla' Bheinn via Clach Glas
- Suilven east-west traverse
- Snowdon horseshoe (done clockwise to avoid the hoards). Or a variation, up parson's Nose arete, along Crib Goch, down CG North ridge)
- Beinn Eighe east-west traverse
- Beinn Alligin (though not sure this counts as a ridge)
- Carn Mor Dearg/Ben Nevis
- South Glen Shiel ridge (possibly including the Saddle but was too knackered to do this one too)

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

You seem to have a useful exposure switch in your brain: only 30m that's not high, tally ho!

The rockclimbing did look excellent but not in the rain (hence the ridge)

In reply to seismicscot:

Is that where you wander along the foot of the hill to the left of the tourist route until you get to the end, then go up the ridge, along the tip, and down the other end by the big waterfall? If so, then I agree. There's a hugely exposed step on the ridge on the way up, which I bottled out of and went round

In reply to seismicscot:

An interesting list

Yes, I am probably not rating this high enough in my list

Is this the quite short, very exposed scramble up from the col to LH peak?

Although called a ridge a think too rib/buttress like in nature to qualify.

Yes, I should have mentioned the whole traverse, but CG is the absolute highlight

One could argue that the best of this is part of the main Cuillin Ridge

Agreed

Havent done it, looks superb

This looks loose and dead scary. Do you really not need a rope?

I chickened out of this years ago in mist/drizzle, on my own. After that tricky rock step does it go on quite a long way? or is that more or less it?

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

We definitely didnt walk round anything.

The Parson's Nose, Clogwyn y person Arete, CG and CG North Ridge is a superb circuit - but right on limit of unroped scrambling. I remember one very exposed and tricky section on the CyP arete: felt about V Diff. Maybe I was off-route.

Haven't done. Is it really ridge-like enough? Surely nothing on it like Horns of ...



I think (again haven't done) things like the Five Sisters of Kintail, Beinn Sgreithall (sp?) and Ladhar Bheinn may be in same category as above but just not rocky, ridge-like enough to qualify.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: how can you possibly say the A'Chir ridge didnt have much scrambling? if taken properly it has some of the hardest Ive done (hillwalking). better than most youve listed IMHO of course.

Too many folk seem to be putting in cliff scrambles rather than 'ridges'

of course we're talking winter here arent we? surely not summer? clean your mouth out laddie!!

In reply to EB:

Well I didnt actually say that. It's got quite a lot of scrambling, but only one (very) awkward section. I do remember one very tricksy move, I think just on the right of the crest, heading southwards.

Agreed; but it's very difficult to draw a hard and fast distinction in some cases.

My assumption is that all these will have to be very good in summer as well as winter (when they will always be much more serious and spectacular) in order to qualify. Ballachullish Horseshoe (Beinn a' Bheithir) is probably nothing like so good in summer, which is why I said specifically, 'BH in winter'

In reply to EB:>

Why not summer? Mountains can be enjoyed any season. Seems a bit stupid to rule out half the year.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

SE Ridge of the South Peak of the Cobbler is the skyline ridge on the left as you walk up the coire from Sucouth. I think you are meaning the normal route/descent between the South and Central Peaks? The SE Ridge provides a nice wee Grade II in winter and a great wee scramble in summer - follow the crampon scratches! Murder in the wet mind, as the mossy/turf ledges ooze slimy peaty water, much like any vegetated Arrochar mica schist!

I included Sgurr Beag to Sgurr nan Gillean as it is rarely included in the Cuillin traverse. It is a great day out on it's own, especially if you climb Sgurr Beag by the face above Harta Coire (a great wee scramble in itself).

If I remember correctly, the west ridge/rib of Ben Hope is described in the old SMC regional guide for the Northern Highlands. The route starts as a disjointed scramble up a buttress/rib, up short walls separated by grassy terraces. At the top it flattens out to a narrow ridge leading to a "mauvais pas" (do the SMC still use that term in their guidebooks?) with big drop on the RHS. This takes you out a short distance to the north of the summit. Must be great in winter.

Northern Pinnacles of Liathach are not really loose - like any other Tsst, there are a few precarious blocks. Its a great way to start the Liathach traverse. It is very similar to Pinnacle Ridge on St. Sunday Crag in the Lakes - longer walk-in though!

seismicscot

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


That reminds me of a one of my all-time favourites that I am always recommending: Sgurr a' Chaolais. This is the wee peak that rises above Ballachulish that is cradled by the Beinn a' Bheithir horseshoe. It is written up in Noel Williams "Scrambles in Lochaber". Great scramble up the front of the peak leads to a fantastic narrow ridge - good scrambling with moderate exposure. This joins the main ridge at the bealach between the two Munros. Excellent in both summer and winter (when it requires a short abseil or a hairy ice-axe dreepie descent).

seismicscot

In reply to seismicscot:

Doh! That should be Sgurr na h-Uamha to Sgurr nan Gillean traverse and climbing Sgurr nan h-Uamha from Harta Coire. Sgurr Beag is best climbed from Lota Coire.

Sorry for the obfuscation. 6000 mile separation and sun-addled brain to blame.

seismicscot

In reply to seismicscot:

Ah, yes, that is what I mean. I remember looking at the SE Ridge and deciding it looked a mite serious, so opted for the easier option. It certainly looks impressive.

This sounds like a v good, remote variation on the Tourist Route. But I take it you are missing out Sgurr Na H'Uamha (graded RII in the Wilson Parker guide)?

The Mauvais Pas was where I got to. Superb term - hope they are still using it. OK it just means Bad Step but it's somehow more mysterious and romantic in French!

Sounds great and obviously a fantastic improvement on the already great Liathach traverse. I thought PR on St Sunday Crag was very good. All quite friendly and spikey. Can't believe NP of L are that reassuring.

In reply to seismicscot:

Ah, our messages crossed. Sgurr na h-Uamha (pronounced Hoo-er if I remember rightly) looks a superb scramble.

In reply to seismicscot:

Sounds like another really good suggestion. Must have a look at that next time I'm thereabouts.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


Yeah, I thought that. I've looked at these hills many times - well, every time I've driven past them - and wondered about the wee one in the middle. The Horseshoe is a good day out, but a wee bit scrambling would make it even better.

I was a little disappointed with the Liathach traverse, mind you I did it after just spending 3 days on the Cuillin so this may have warped my views. The Aonach Eagach in winter did not disappoint though.

Crib Goch is excellent as is the Clogwyn Person Arete, combine the 2 and you have one of the best mountain days in the UK. I just hope this comes into condition this winter as it's high on my tick list.

For sheer concentration of excellent ridge routes the Snowdon/Glyder massif in Wales is unsurpassed by any Scottish range bar the Cuillin.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: Went to the NW ridge of Ben Hope one Easter got to the bad step and it was covered in slush / snow. No one fancied it (no rope / axes as no snow lower down!) and the gully off to the N looked like slushy avalanche hell so we just had to descend. Tried to do it again a couple of years later at New Year and the road was blocked! Third time lucky and all that....

Sounds from a later reply like you were heading south, in which case you definitely wouldn't want to descend the bitv I mentioned, indeed you probably wouldn't even have noticed it.

Possibly, I found all the hard bits were unexposed above big ledges, and all the exposed bits were easy. I've done it many times, including with non-climbers, and only had to use the rope to get people up on 1 occasion.

The Black Carls at the eastern end are pretty similar, though a bit shorter. And there's also a great narrow scrambly bit at the western end. In between it's pretty broad but definitely a ridge.


The 5 Sisters and S Shiel ridge may not be rocky and narrow but they're definitely ridges in the normal sense of the word. Beinn Sgritheall while one of my favourite hills is not really a ridge.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
I chickened out of this years ago in mist/drizzle, on my own. After that tricky rock step does it go on quite a long way? or is that more or less it?

I chickened out (in glorious sunshine, not on my own) and went round it. From memory that's the last of the scrambling, the rest is a walk.

In reply to Anonymous: Dont agree with that about sheer concentration of ridges better than anywhere in scotalnd,

as already mentioned, the balachulish horseshoe, totally forgot about it, a superb walk, scramble. Ive done loads of the scrambles/walks in snowdonia, lived in bangor for 4 years so was out every week, they are great but didnt find grib goch anything really, same with striding/ swirral edge, there just a run.

in glenoce you have sron na lairig? is it, AE, balahulish horshoe, curved ridge, theres loads snowdon glyder massif doesnt match it, sorry.

In reply to tony: Fom my limited personal experience my not very original suggestions would be.....

2. An Teallach (hands down, no competition!)
3. Liathach
4. Beinn Eighe (personal favourite mountain I've set foot on)
5. Forcan ridge

In reply to Iain Ridgway:

Snowdon has Crib Goch, Clogwyn Y Parson arete, Crib Y Dysgyl. The Glyders have North Ridge Tryfan, Bristly Ridge, Y Gribin, Cnefinion arete, east ridge Y Garn, Ne Ridge of Foel Goch. There may be more.

I can't think of that many decent ridges in Glencoe.

The Snowdon massif alone itself can hold it's own against any of the Scottish hills bar the Cuillin.

Have to agree to disagree on this one.

In reply to seismicscot:
A wee gem that's nows escaped to public knowledge! There are grade 2 gullies giving access on either side which can be another good way to the start. Another couple of "ridges" not mentioned in the thread: Sron na Lairg (winter) and the Beinn Fhada > Sgreamach Ridge which has terrific atmosphere.

Got to keep the side of the Coe up !

Davy Gunn

In reply to Anonymous:

I take it you've never actually been there then?

In reply to Anonymous: Agree that snowdons great, just spoilt by the number of visitors and the track, but if it was in west scotland it would be far more highly thought of,

Must have gone up 10 times when i lived in bangor, but only once in the day, always went up 4-5 in the morning or late at night, its got everything.

but just think for great scrambling teh rest of snowdonia doesnt match the seriousness exposure of glen coe, Ok i mainly climb winter in scotland and summer in wales so that probably explains that.

In reply to Anonymous: thats me, didnt log in.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:


Many times, great climbing, superb walking and scrambling is on offer in Glencoe but I don't think there are as many decent 'ridge' scrambles as there are in Snowdon/Glyders. If there are more in Glencoe please tell me where they are and I will look forward to checking them out next time I'm up there.

In reply to Anonymous:
Well there's the BEM ridge traverse (and BEB). And the Bidian traverse. Bheinn a' Beithir (sp?). The one whose name I can never remember next to the White Corries ski centre. Aonach Eagach of course.

Since you're including things like the Cneifion arete, you can included Curved Ridge (and all the others) on BEM.

A few miles travelling seems to be allowed, so you've got things like Ben Starav down Glen Etive. And of course the Mamores above Kinlochleven.

A little too far, but I've just remembered it should be included on the original list of fab ridges, Ben Cruachan.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:



Are these really ridge srambles in the mould of the AE or Clogwyn y Person Arete or even Crib Goch. i.e rocky, narrow ridges with a lot of exposure? From looking at a map they don't appear so.

In reply to Anonymous:
No I'll grant you that, I'm thinking of ridges in a more general sense. There are many that do compare though, but as far as I can remember the only one I've actually done is Curved Ridge so can't comment on the others from first hand knowledge.
I agree Snowdonia is a top area though.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

I think we may have been comparing different things. I was purely looking at the narrow rocky ridges and you probably at the broader, long mountain ridges. From your perspective I agree that Glencoe is finer but for the narrow rocky ridges I still think Snowdonia beats it.

I'm just happy that we have both to enjoy!

In reply to tony:

Am I missing something, why is everyone voting for Aonach Eagach, I thought it was the biggest letdown ever. I know this is probably only my own view, but thought it lacked any sense of Airiness, like you get on Crib Goch and the only exciting bit was seeing the Clachaig at the end of it.

I know I'm opening myself up to getting shot down in flames here, perhaps it's more interesting in Winter.

Agree that the Cuillin is the best, though, my brother is off up there today to do the greater traverse as his office mail water pipe leaked all over the computers and they are getting a free week off, lucky git!!!!

In reply to Glencoeperson:


Excellent winter combination: Sron na Lairig and return over the Beinn Fhada. A much better day out than the Aonach Eagach - not so many cragfast numpties to climb over!

Sgurr a' Chaolais is probably safe from the hordes. The shitty approach will keep them at bay; used to be dense conifers, now it is just a ploughed-up disaster zone (Tenuous aside: I'm sure this is the area described by Alan Warner in "The Man Who Walks" when the The Nephew shows the American the battle site?)

seismicscot

In reply to David Evans:


I'd agree that the Aonach Eagach was a bit of a let down, but I still thought it was airy enough in a couple of places, and the scrambling was ok. I was actually more disappointed at Crib Goch - I thought the scrambling up onto the ridge (done as the first part of the Snowdon horseshoe) was more fun than the ridge itself, which was all over far too quickly.

In terms of somewhere to compare with Snowdonia for ridge walking, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Torridon yet. All the big hills are classic ridge walks/scrambles in their own rights, and then you can add in the likes of Beinn Dearg etc a little further north.

And in order to come up with a geographical area comparable to Snowdonia, you might even be able to justify including An Teallach, Beinn Mor Dearg, A'Mhaighdean, Slioch etc. If you do that, then I don't think there's really much of a contest... (imho, of course!)

In reply to Stuart S: Great stuff mentioned so far, but I cannot make my mind up between A'Chir and the Rum Cuillin.

In reply to Stuart S:

Torridon has been mentioned frequently - Liathach, Beinn Eighe, Beinn Alligin have all had quite a few votes

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

What is Ben Alligin like? We did it in thick mist and most of the way round I had my hands in my pockets trying to keep warm. Never saw a thing, and wondered if the horns are spectacular when clear or it is all in the perception.
I mostly remember trying to keep a ciggie lit, with water running down my face onto it and putting it out

In reply to sutty:

Dear Sutty

I now use a baseball cap when on the hill as I find the skip ideal to keep my fags dry.

Norrie

PS The views are OK.

In reply to sutty:

Sounds familiar! Not on Ben Alligin, but my first ever trip to Skye saw us on Sgurr Mhadaidh and Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh in thick cloud, and coming down via a very steep slab. Didn't see a thing, and it wasn't until I went back in good weather that I realised just how exposed that section of the ridge is.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


Yeah, but the "no where in Scotland can compete with Snowdonia" part of the discussion seemed to centre on Glen Coe alone as an alternative (unless I missed something)...

In reply to Stuart S:

and the benefit of Torridon is that there aren't going to be as many people. And it's in Scotland. And the mountains are fantastic. Shame about the midges tho'.

In reply to tony:

Got a mate over in the west coast looking for midges as part of her research, but can't find many. At the same time, you've got Colski's comment on the midges thread over on DTP where he was eaten alive in the Cairngorms, and they seem to be making there presence felt in the Peak too.

Has the midge population of west Scotland gone on it's holidays? Or have they finally got bored with the views and are off for pastures new?!?

In reply to Stuart S:

so maybe now is the right time to go to Torridon! Hmm, check the weather forecast ....