Sgùrr nan Eag

Sgùrr nan Eag, at 924 metres — "Peak of the Notches" — is the southernmost of the Cuillin Munros on Skye, its ascent involving moderate scrambling and considerable scree, though generally regarded as one of the more approachable summits on the ridge for those with some scrambling experience.

The route starts from parking just before the campsite at the end of the Glen Brittle road. An excellently constructed pitched-stone path (replacing what was once an eroded swamp) leads up towards Coire a' Ghrunnda, crossing a burn before the trail divides into several routes across a large boulder field. Above, a slabby wall appears to bar access to the upper corrie; bypassing this involves aiming just left of a prominent waterfall and scrambling easily up an open gully to reach Coire a' Ghrunnda itself — one of the most beautiful and impressive of all the Cuillin corries, considerably less visited than the more popular Coire Lagan, its austere lochan cradled beneath towering crags.

Crossing the loch's outflow and skirting the southern shore, the ascent to Sgùrr nan Eag's northern slopes can either follow the ridge fairly directly (moderate scrambling) or use a path through scree lower down on the right (no scrambling, but careful route-finding needed). The summit cairn sits in the centre of a long, narrow summit ridge with several tops, offering expansive views south towards Gars-bheinn and the sea, with the finest sea views of the whole Cuillin range.

The easiest return retraces the ascent; keen scramblers and Munro-baggers often extend the day to include Sgùrr Dubh Mòr, following the ridge back to Caisteal a' Garbh-choire and bypassing this obstacle around its base before the harder scramble to that summit.

The round trip taking in Sgùrr nan Eag alone from Glen Brittle is typically eight to ten hours — several regular visitors specifically warn against underestimating this "easier" Cuillin Munro, given the sheer length and roughness of the terrain throughout; combining it with Sgùrr Dubh Mòr and potentially Sgùrr Alasdair makes for a substantially longer, more technical day.

The scramble into Coire a' Ghrunnda and the ascent itself demand genuine scrambling competence, and wet conditions make the gabbro and any basalt sections considerably more serious — full mountain competence and dry weather are both strongly advised.

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