RGU’s Climbing Club recently took on the UK’s toughest peak: the Inaccessible Pinnacle on the Isle of Skye. Led by Climbing Club President Finlay MacCallum, the trip saw 15 students successfully summit despite unpredictable weather and other challenges along the way.
The trip was a true showcase of adventure, teamwork, and what student life can look like beyond the classroom. Hear from Finlay in this blog about their experience.
Pushing Through Unexpected Challenges
The group set off from RGU at 11.00, stopping off in Inverness to gather supplies for the weekend. We successfully arrived at the Glenbrittle hut that evening. Equipment was distributed and a plan made for the following day.
Monday morning saw a deceptively dry start lull everyone into a false sense of warmth. Four groups set off towards various locations in the Cuillin mountains at around 8.00. The initially dry weather quickly turned sour, with some groups getting rain and snow, others getting hail and rain, but overall a very wet start to the day.
Within one group, a member had an unfortunate and unexpected dunk during a river crossing, resulting in a visit back to the hut for warmth, a change of clothes and a change of plans. Other groups were forced to shorten planned routes and adapt due to the unexpectedly wintery conditions. However, the weather began to clear up in the afternoon, allowing for some spectacular views and alpine like conditions.
An Evening of Team Bonding
The evening meal on Monday was group nachos. This involved a massive number of nachos on top of a tin-foiled table and various sauces and toppings. Following this was group activities, games and a film evening with popcorn.
The evening ended with a briefing for the following day’s activities. Surprise spread through the group as the plan for a 7.00 breakfast, followed by cleaning and out the door by 8.30, was announced.
Reaching the Summit of the Inaccessible Pinnacle
The following morning after cleaning, packing, and consuming large quantities of tea, everyone headed towards the Inaccessible Pinnacle (Inn Pinn). This is the hardest mountain to ascend within the UK – due to the required mountaineering skills and often challenging weather conditions found on Skye. Often viewed as a lifetime challenge for hill walkers from around the world, the inaccessible pinnacle sits dramatically atop Sgurr Dearg, 986m above sea level.
Conditions on the morning appeared challenging and while the original goal was to have all members atop the pinnacle at once, students were warned this might not be possible. To reach the base of the pinnacle is a challenge in its own right – with scrambling and careful route finding required.
Upon reaching the pinnacle, conditions were deemed suitable. Students were quickly assigned groups and experienced leaders before beginning the ascent. Ascent of the Inn Pinn involves splitting of the route into multiple rope lengths while moving carefully over a narrow ridge with exposure to large drops on either side.
Stunning weather conditions on Tuesday morning combined with residual snow provided a truly alpine experience for students atop the most challenging mountain in the UK, the views offered from this position are second to none and the photos simply do not do it justice. Having 15 students atop the Inn Pinn at once was a challenging feat, especially given the only way down from the top involves abseiling. Following the mandatory group photo, students were safely lowered off the pinnacle.
Back to Reality and Next Adventures
Descent down to the vans was followed by a successful drive back to Aberdeen and a return to essays, exams, and normal life.
Next year, we would love to see the Skye trip last an extra day to allow students to make the most of the long journey (6 hours each way!). Looking towards the rest of the remaining year, we have a trip to Glen Clova planned for a weekend in June.
What I Learned From This Trip
The challenging conditions on Skye during the trip pushed my decision-making abilities, particularly as students had travelled so far to come and experience the hills. Balancing expectations with safety is always difficult but ultimately safety must always come first.
My group member falling in the river was unfortunate; however, I was already questioning how ambitious our objective for the day was. We had set out to complete a challenging rock climb involving multiple pitches (rope lengths). This means changing our mind to escape the route should we decide it’s too dangerous requires complex abseiling and route finding down the mountain. From above the rock, features tend to blend into one, meaning you can easily descend the wrong way and enter dangerous territory.
Deciding to regroup at the hut allowed us to instead target an easier climb, in a different part of the mountain range. We had some successful but cold climbing and managed to make it back to the hut just in time for nachos.
I think these types of days are when you learn the most on the hills. Not only for decision making skills but students learn how to push themselves despite being cold and wet. Type 2 fun is very often a correct way to describe days like this!
At RGU, we have a range of sport clubs for you to get involved in. Find out more on the Students’ Union website: Societies, Sports Clubs, Groups & Networks.
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