Hike Guide to Sgùrr a Mhadaidh & Sgùrr a Ghreadaidh | Cuillin Ridge, Isle of Skye
Rising like jagged teeth from the heart of the Cuillin Ridge, Sgùrr a Mhadaidh and Sgùrr a Ghreadaidh are not for the faint-hearted. These two dramatic peaks offer an exhilarating challenge for hikers and scramblers seeking to experience the untamed beauty of the Isle of Skye.
The route combines steep ascents, scrambling, and impressive views of the Isle of Skye. For hikers with a good head for heights and a sense of adventure, these peaks provide a memorable day in the mountains.
This Hike guide will provide all the key information on the route up Sgùrr a Mhadaidh and Sgùrr a Ghreadaidh, including where to park, maps, photos and a GPX file.
Key Hike Information
Hike Type: Out and Back
Difficulty: Very Hard
Distance: 10km
Duration: 5-8 hours
Elevation Gain: 1,060m
Terrain: Steep, rugged, and rocky with lots of scree
Technical aspects: Elements of steep and exposed scrambling
Start Point and Parking: Glen Brittle Youth Hostel
Getting there & Parking
From Sligachan, the drive to Glenbrittle takes about 30 minutes. Follow the A863 before turning onto the winding Glenbrittle road. Although the road has been resurfaced in 2024, it is still very narrow. During peak months the narrowness of the road can cause a significant amount of gridlock and tailbacks, so I would advise travelling early or late to avoid getting stuck.
Limited free parking is available outside Glen Brittle Youth Hostel; there is space on the left hand side of the road both before and after the bridge.
The route
The route begins by following a well-built path on the right-hand side of the river. It will gradually climb up past a series of beautiful waterfalls and pools.
Along the way, several paths branch off to the right, but stick to the main trail that follows the stream. After about two kilometres, the well-maintained section of the path comes to an end, giving way to a more worn and eroded route. Shortly after, the trail crosses the stream by a natural waterslide.
The path will level off slightly before re-joining the stream and branching left. It gets steeper again here but isn’t technical. After 3km you will cross the stream again and the gradient will begin to ease. Here the scree chute Coire An Dorus will come into view.
An Dorus ‘The Door’
After 3.8km the steep scree slope of An Dorus will begin. It’s a bastard, gaining around 280m of elevation in 500m. The gully narrows part way up, and then narrows even more a short distance from the top. The last 20m consists of sold rock and requires scrambling.
You’ll emerge into the door, which looks directly down to Loch Coruisk.
Exiting the door to the left requires a short tricky scramble, but once done the exposure and technically eases. From here it’s a short and steep 150m scramble up and around to the first munro.
The final scramble to the door
The final scramble to the door
The view from above the door
Sgùrr a Mhadaidh
Sgùrr a Mhadaidh, which translates to "Peak of the Fox" in Gaelic, is one of the central peaks of the Cuillin Ridge on the Isle of Skye. Standing at 918 meters (3,011 feet), it offers a commanding position with views of the rugged Cuillin mountains, Loch Coruisk, Glenbrittle, and the surrounding sea.
Route to Sgùrr a Ghreadaidh
Enjoy the epic views before carefully retracing your steps back down to An Doras. You will have short, steep and awkward scramble to exit the other side of the Door and get onto the ridge.
Once this is cleared the scrambling is relatively straightforward and much less technical and exposed.
The scramble up and out of the door towards Sgùrr a Ghreadaidh
Follow the sloping ridge for 300m up to the second munro. The striking chasm of the Eag Dubh is navigated with relative ease by descending slightly to the left. The next challenge is a prominent rock feature known as the Wart, which can be bypassed to the right over slabby rocks. Beyond this point, the summit is reached shortly afterward.
Sgùrr a Ghreadaidh
Sgùrr a Ghreadaidh, meaning "Peak of the Torrent" in Gaelic, is the highest peak in the northern section of the Cuillin Ridge, standing at 973 meters (3,192 feet).
From the summit of Sgùrr a Ghreadaidh, the views are some of the most dramatic on the Isle of Skye. To the south, the Cuillin Ridge stretches like a sawblade, with Sgùrr na Banachdich and Sgùrr Dearg visible among its peaks.
To the west, the Glenbrittle valley and Loch Brittle unfold, with the shimmering waters of the Atlantic Ocean beyond. On a clear day, you can see across to the Outer Hebrides and the mainland peaks in the distance.
Looking north and east, the jagged contours of the Cuillin Ridge dominate the skyline, offering an incredible sense of the ridge's scale and beauty.
The section of ridge which continues to the slightly lower south peak is perhaps the narrowest arête in the whole of the British Isles, and is very exposed.
Return and alternative extension
The return route is to retrace your steps back down the ridge to An Dorus, down the scree gully, and back to the youth hostel.
Only extremely experienced and competent scramblers should attempt to continue along the ridge. This route is highly committing, with no viable descent options until reaching Sgùrr na Banachdich, this route involves a km of continuous grade three scrambling which is very technical and incredibly exposed.
After a thrilling descent down to a saddle, you then had to hike up and over Sgùrr Thormaid, a steep and technical slab of rock, before making the final short scramble up to the third munro
Only attempt this if you have the skillet, weather and equipment to do so.
Once you have bagged the third munro it’s a non-technical steep and scree covered descent back down to the youth Hostel.
Final thoughts
As epic as the Cuillin Ridge is, it’s a dangerous and difficult route which I would only recommend hiking if you have the skillset, knowledge and weather window to do so.
The hike is extremely technical and exposed, so shouldn’t be taken lightly. If in doubt, give it a miss or hire a guide.
That being said this is one of the best and most impressive routes I have ever done, it’s extremely thrilling and offers some jaw dropping views. So, make sure you do it on a good day to fully enjoy it.
So there we have it, a hike guide Sgùrr a Mhadaidh and Sgùrr a Ghreadaidh on the Cuillin Ridge.
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