Sgurr Alasdair routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 1 measured route up Sgurr Alasdair, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Sgurr Alasdair routes, easiest to hardest

There is one measured route so far, graded Scramble. Grades run Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble.

Sgurr Alasdair route times by Naismith's rule

The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.

Each Sgurr Alasdair route

Glenbrittle via Coire Lagan and the Great Stone Chute

A path climbs to Loch Coire Lagan. You then labour up the Great Stone Chute and scramble the short ridge to the summit. It starts from Glenbrittle (campsite area). 4.8 km one way with 943 m of ascent. About 2h 30m to the summit and 3h 30m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Scramble.

Sgurr Alasdair route GPX

This page doesn't offer a GPX download. To get a GPX file for a Sgurr Alasdair route, use the Peakify iPhone app: open Sgurr Alasdair, plan the route in the route planner (or import a GPX you already have), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.

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Before you pick a route

The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Sgurr Alasdair today and the Sgurr Alasdair 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Sgurr Alasdair routes

The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.

Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.

Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.

If you are new to Sgurr Alasdair, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.

Questions about Sgurr Alasdair

What is the easiest route up Sgurr Alasdair?

The one measured route listed here is Glenbrittle via Coire Lagan and the Great Stone Chute (Scramble).

How much time does each Sgurr Alasdair route take?

Glenbrittle via Coire Lagan and the Great Stone Chute: about 2h 30m up and 3h 30m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.

Can I get a GPX file for a Sgurr Alasdair route?

Not from this page. In the Peakify iPhone app, plan the route in the route planner (or import one), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.