Sgùrr Dubh Mòr

Sgùrr Dubh Mòr, at 944 metres, is a Munro on the southern spur of the Cuillin Ridge on Skye, reached via the dramatic Dubh Ridge — coarse, rough gabbro terrain that forms the southern extremity of the range, described as among the "real boot wreckers" of the Cuillin.

The route starts from Glen Brittle, following the approach into Coir' a' Ghrunnda — itself a serious undertaking involving scrambling over huge boulders and slabs to reach the coire's remote upper reaches, home to a beautiful, austere lochan enclosed by cliffs. From the coire, the ascent onto the Dubh Ridge involves further sustained scrambling on rough, grippy but unforgiving gabbro, climbing over or around the Dubhs — a series of rocky summits including Sgùrr Dubh Beag before reaching Sgùrr Dubh Mòr itself, the highest point of this southern spur.

The connecting ridge to Sgùrr Alasdair, the highest peak in the Cuillin and the Hebrides, continues north via An Caisteal, a further serious scrambling obstacle, before the terrain eases somewhat towards Sgùrr Alasdair's summit — most parties tackling Sgùrr Dubh Mòr do so as part of a wider traverse taking in this connection, given the remote, committing nature of approaching this peak in isolation.

Views from the summit are magnificent, taking in the length of the Dubh Ridge, Coir' a' Ghrunnda's dramatic lochan and cliffs, and the wider sweep of the southern Cuillin.

The round trip taking in Sgùrr Dubh Mòr, whether via the Dubh Ridge alone or combined with Sgùrr Alasdair and other Cuillin summits, is a full and demanding day, typically eight to ten hours or more depending on the extent of the traverse.

This is genuinely serious mountaineering terrain — the gabbro rock, while providing excellent friction when dry, becomes notably harder in wet conditions, and the sustained scrambling throughout demands full competence and a confident head for heights; this should not be attempted without prior Cuillin scrambling experience.

Parking at Glen Brittle is free; there is no public transport to the start.