UKH

In mid May James Gibson set a mountain running milestone, with the first completion of the Trans Cuillin, a link-up of all the peaks in Skye's Black and Red Cuillin. James now holds an impressive list of long distance records. But it's the Trans Cuillin that really blew our minds, with its blend of punishing distance and unrivalled technicality. Here he tells us all about it.

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So what’s the difference between the ‘trans’ Cuillin and the previous ‘Grand’ Traverse?

Was I the only person who started to read this thinking that the article was about a trans athlete who had completed the Cuillin traverse?

Dunno...

In my day we called it going for a walk

If your walk usually starts with a 5.5 Cuillin Traverse then I'll give you a like ... 

Could do with a map to show the line after Gillean

Yes, could also do with an answer to the question about Grand vs Trans traverse

Didn't Menlove Edwards do something similar in July 1944?

Hi all, I asked Rob Woodall to help clear things up, as I was getting pretty confused by the many variations, routes and names for rounds. Here's what he told us:

"A bit like with the Bob Graham, there's a lot of history, and a lot of big days out in the Skye Cuillin have likely gone  unrecorded.

Clive Rowlands as I understand it, added three Red Cuillin tops to the Greater Traverse. For convenience I've called this the Sligachan Horseshoe. Clive may have been the first to do it, taking 31 hours including a 3hr bivvy. Various other folk have done it, as it's a pretty logical extension, several completing in under 24 hours. Clive's son Will Rowland did it in 2021, IN WINTER, possibly including Pinnacle Ridge. I've just come across this interview with Will which I've yet to listen to  https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/go-mountain-goats/episode-7-winter-gre... 

The Cuillin Round adds to the  Horseshoe the following tops: Sgurr Sgumain, Knights Peak, Sgurr na h-Uamh, Belig and Sgurr nan Each, Sgurr na Stri and Druim Hain, making a circuit. As far as I know, I was first to do this. Yiannis Tridimas added Sgurr a' Bhasteir ; James Gibson did the extended version too, in a new record time.

The TransCuillin also adds the remaining Red Hills east to Broadford, ie Glas-Bheinn Mhor, Beinn na Cro and the Beinn na Caillich group, also Ruadh Stac west of Garbh Bheinn; these represent a big additional effort. James Gibson is the only known completer. The timing is from Gars-bheinn in the west to Beinn na Caillich in the east. James completed in under hours (23:13)." 

And for further clarity, the Sligachan Horseshoe starts and ends at the door of the pub, the task being to get back in time for beer, and the benefit of not having a remote start or finish to be assisted with.. Yes, the name was a joke but it seems to have stuck, thanks to Rob.

There's a new opening there for someone

The Cuillin round can also start and finish at the pub, which is what I did.