Sgurr nan Gilleann, Minginish, Isle of Skye, Scotland

The profile of the Cuillin is one that can be seen all over the Isle of Skye and that includes Portree and the Old Man of Storr too. What you see here beyond Loch an Athain is but a sample of their number. Summits like Sgurr nan Gilleann, Am Baisteir and Bruach na Frithe lie among the chunk of gabbro seen above. These are among the most northerly members of the Cuillin, a range that requires a little more than hillwalking to ascend their heights. Scrambling skills are a must in lot of cases and climbing ability is a useful asset, a necessity in fact for the Inaccessible Pinnacle (or In Pin as it is called by those in the know). This is the closest to Alpine climbing terrain that you will find in the U.K. and, in winter, they are a proposition solely for the well-prepared.