Am Basteir

About Am Basteir

Often described as a narrow blade of rock, this formidable Munro sits in the heart of the Black Cuillin. The ascent involves a relentless scree grind from Sligachan, leading to a sharp, exposed ridge. It is famous for the 'Bad Step', a tricky notch that tests the nerves of even seasoned scramblers.

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Did You Know?

• •The name Am Bàisteir translates from Scottish Gaelic as 'The Baptizer', though its sharp, guillotine-like profile has led many mountaineers to prefer the more atmospheric translation of 'The Executioner'.
• •The notorious 'Bad Step' on the eastern ridge was once a manageable scramble, but a significant rockfall in recent years has smoothed the holds, making it a much more serious obstacle that many now choose to bypass via a narrow ledge on the south face.
• •The summit offers an intimidatingly close view of the jagged pinnacles of Sgurr nan Gillean across the deep drop of Lota Corrie, while to the west, the distinctive profile of the Inaccessible Pinnacle can be spotted further along the ridge.
• •Guarding the western foot of the mountain is the Basteir Tooth (Na' h-Eignichean), a spectacular 900-metre rock tower that requires technical climbing skills to summit and remains one of the most photographed rock features on Skye.
• •If you find yourself enjoying the approach through the loose, shifting scree of Coire a' Bhasteir, you may be the first person in the history of the Cuillin to do so; for everyone else, it is a two-steps-forward, one-step-back test of resolve.