Hiking Collection by BMC
Sublime Ridges and Superb Rock – Awesome British Scrambles
12 routes
72:32
156km
11,920m
So, what defines a scramble? Well, as soon as you use your hands to aid progress across rocky terrain, you’re scrambling. Many of the UK’s finest hill walks contain the occasional little scramble, where a slab or a chimney of rock suddenly stands in the way of your ascent. If you’ve spent any time at all in the British uplands, you’ll be familiar with the odd scrambling move.
However, when this sort of terrain becomes more sustained, named scrambles arise. Adventurous hikers often seek out these routes specifically and the level of challenge is graded from one to three. There’s everything from easy scrambling (grade one), which is really just adventurous hiking; to harder propositions (grade three), which can be more like rock climbing lines and often involve difficult route finding.
This Collection brings together a dozen essential UK scrambling routes. Lovers of Lakeland will revel in the icons of Striding Edge, Sharp Edge and Jack’s Rake. The northern part of Eryri (Snowdonia) is a scrambling mecca. The region is represented here by the classic Snowdon Horseshoe, which includes the notorious knife-edge of Crib Goch; the Bochlwyd Horseshoe, taking in Tryfan’s sensational North Ridge and Glyder Fach’s Bristly Ridge; and the Llech Ddu Spur, a hidden gem in the wild Carneddau.
Then, there are six magnificent Scottish ridges to explore. In Lochaber, there’s the awe-inspiring Aonach Eagach, often cited as the mainland’s quintessential ridge scramble, and Ben Nevis’ exciting Càrn Mòr Dearg (CMD) Arête. Further north, four magical routes in the remote North West Highlands complete the selection. The Saddle’s Forcan Ridge is arguably the finest outing in Kintail, while Torridon’s Beinn Alligin and Liathach are simply life-affirming adventures. Finally, the legendary An Teallach, with its fearsome Corrag Bhuidhe Pinnacles, is like nothing else in Britain in terms of thrilling exposure.
The routes are roughly ordered in terms of difficulty, starting with the easier grade one outings. It’s important to note that conditions on the day will have a huge bearing on the level of challenge. For example, the Lake District’s Sharp Edge is much more dangerous when wet, while strong winds make routes on exposed ridges a very bad idea. In winter conditions, all of the routes become the domain of experienced and equipped mountaineers.
Nevertheless, in decent, dry weather, competent scramblers should be able to tackle these routes without climbing equipment. The exception, for many, will be An Teallach’s Corrag Bhuidhe Pinnacles if taken directly, though a bypass path avoids the main difficulties. If you’re new to scrambling, it’s best to build up your confidence on grade one terrain before moving to more challenging ground.
Regardless of the season, you should always carry waterproofs and warm layers, as well as plenty of food and drink. You can tackle scrambles with standard hiking footwear, though approach shoes and mountaineering boots give greater purchase and are ideal for the trickier propositions. Whether or not to wear a helmet comes down to personal judgement, though it’s obviously wise on any routes that contain sections where rocks can fall from above.
Many of the routes are accessible by public transport, though you’ll need a car for the more remote Scottish adventures.
See you in the mountains!
Visibility:
Anyone
Activities
13.4km
05:24
830m
830m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
9.64km
04:30
700m
700m
Hard hike. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
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10.9km
06:12
1,050m
1,050m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
20.5km
07:25
1,070m
1,070m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
8.29km
03:32
670m
670m
Hard hike. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
18.3km
08:16
1,410m
1,410m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
12.5km
05:52
870m
870m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
9.12km
05:02
1,010m
1,010m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
13.9km
07:31
1,170m
1,170m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
11.3km
05:33
1,080m
1,080m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
11.8km
06:31
940m
1,060m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
16.7km
06:46
1,120m
1,120m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
Collection Stats
Activities
12
Distance
156 km
Duration
72:32 h
Elevation
11,920 m
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