Bruach na Frithe

About Bruach na Frithe

Widely considered the most accessible Munro in the Black Cuillin, this gabbro peak offers a straightforward route into the heart of Skye's formidable mountains. While nearby summits require technical scrambling, the ascent through Fionn Coire reaches the ridge without drama, rewarding walkers with a dramatic vista across the jagged pinnacles of the main ridge.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is Gaelic for 'Slope of the Forest'. While the Black Cuillin is now a world of bare rock and scree, the 'forest' likely refers to a historical deer forest—a designated hunting ground—rather than actual woodland on these high slopes.
• •Despite not being the highest point in the range, this is the only summit in the Black Cuillin to feature an Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar. Most other peaks are far too narrow or jagged to accommodate one.
• •The summit offers a spectacular, close-up perspective of the Bhasteir Tooth and the formidable northern face of Am Basteir. To the south, the entire arcing spine of the ridge is visible, leading the eye toward the distinctive profile of Sgurr nan Gillean.
• •From the popular viewpoint at Sligachan, the peak most people mistake for the summit is actually the lower subsidiary top of Sgurr a' Bhasteir. The true Munro remains tucked away, out of sight from the hotel.
• •It is often referred to as the only 'hands-in-pockets' Munro on the main ridge. While the terrain is steep and the scree can be punishing, it is the only peak in the range that a fit walker can reach without needing to use their hands for scrambling.
• •In the Black Cuillin, 'easy' is a strictly relative term; while you won't need a climbing rope, the abrasive gabbro rock will still happily shred your gear if you happen to stumble.