Summit special about Skye's triple crown; Marvel at the magnificent

It was Sorley MacLean, the bard of the Gael, who once referred to the "antlered Cuillin". He could well have been describing the three peaks that form the northern portals of the Cuillin itself - Bruach na Frithe, Am Basteir and Sgurr nan Gillean.

This triple-stack of mountains forms the classic view of the Skye Cuillin from the Sligachan Inn. The bare, rocky walls of Coire a' Bhasteir form an impressive north-facing rampart, bounded on either side by prominent pointed peaks - the magnificent Sgurr nan Gillean on the left and the lower Sgurr a' Bhasteir on the right - and is dominated by its central peak, Am Basteir, the executioner, and its distinctive "tooth".

I first gripped the rough gabbro rock of the Cuillin as a teenager. During a week-long camping and climbing adventure, and innocent of any knowledge of Munro-bagging, we simply climbed the peaks because they were there. More recently, with a bunch of friends, I traversed these three northern Cuillin on a wet and cloudy day, getting back to the Sligachan bar just before closing time. A rather over-ambitious and adventurous descent of Am Basteir had delayed us - we had to use the rope to abseil into the narrow gap between the summit and the Basteir Tooth. In swirling mists we scrambled down wet and slippery ledges into the Lota Corrie. It was perhaps just as well the mist obliterated the sight of the big drops that lay around us.

Later on I climbed the trio with a friend from Cumbria. David, a strong fell runner and experienced climber, had never been to Skye and I caught something of his excitement as we scampered up the length of the Fionn Coire between Sgurr a' Bhasteir and Bruach na Frithe. The dark walls of the mountains on either side of us pressed in as we climbed higher over seas of rock and boulder scree.

It didn't take long to reach the crest of the ridge, and we wandered up towards the summit of Bruach na Frithe, rejoicing in the Alpine-like surroundings. David had never, in his own words, seen anything to compare with this view of the Cuillin ridge.

Am Basteir was next so we retraced our steps to the Bealachn nan Lice and followed the rough path round the foot of Am Basteir to the Bealach am Basteir where the route climbs up the rocky ridge to the summit, dropping at one point into a narrow recess which calls for a fairly agile bit of scrambling or an abseil. This gap in the ridge has been made worse by a rockfall and many Munro-baggers now avoid it by following a series of ledges on the south side of the ridge.

Nicholson's Chimney, a steep 80-foot gully, offers access to Sgurr nan Gillean's west ridge which would lead to our third summit. The ascent is probably more of a rock climb than a scramble but we went for it anyway, relishing the big solid holds in the steep chimney and delighting in the narrow, steep and sinuous ridge crest that took us to the summit of the mountain.

This has to be the finest mountain summit in the country, an airy crest thrown up by steep rocky slopes on all sides. It was no wonder that great Skye-based scribe, Sheriff Alexander Nicholson, once described it as "the upheaval of Sgurr nan Gillean".

FACTFILE Map: OS Sheet 32, or Harveys Superwalker map, Skye: The Cuillin.

Start/finish: Sligachan.

Distance: 10miles/3,800ft ascent.

Approx time: 8 hours.

Route: From the hotel at Sligachan follow the road west for a short distance to where a footpath crosses the moorland to reach the Allt Dearg Mor. Stay on the northern bank and follow the footpath past Alltdearg House. Leave this path as it begins to bend south towards the Bealach a'Mhaim and take to open grassy slopes which lead into the mouth of the Fionn Coire between Sgurr a' Bhasteir and the north-west ridge of Bruach na Frithe. Climb increasingly rocky slopes to reach the crest of the Cuillin Ridge at the Bealach nan Lice. Head west from the bealach up easy slopes to the summit of Bruach na Frithe. Return to the Bealach nan Lice and follow the scree path round the north side of Am Basteir to the Bealach a' Bhasteir. From here follow the eastern ridge of Am Basteir to an awkward scrambling descent, which has been made even more difficult by a rockfall. You might have to abseil into the gap, or alternatively, descend a sloping ledge in the south side of the ridge to gain a lower ledge that can be followed back to the ridge close to the summit. From the summit of Am Basteir return to the Bealach a' Bhasteir the way you came and follow a gravel path east-north-east to the foot of Nicholson's Chimney which, after a steep scramble on good holds (moderate rock climbing) gives access to the western ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean. Scramble up this ridge to the summit. Descend the steep and very narrow south-east ridge to a col and follow the well worn- path down Coire Riabach and back across the moors to Sligachan.

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