Am Basteir

Am Bàsteir, at 934 metres, is a striking Cuillin peak on Skye whose name translates as "the executioner," standing alongside its distinctive neighbour the Basteir Tooth in the classic view from Sligachan.

The route starts from the layby at Sligachan, crossing the high footbridge over the Allt Dearg Mòr and continuing on the right side of the stream rather than crossing towards Sgùrr nan Gillean, into the dramatic Basteir Gorge. The path climbs steep scree slopes to the right of the gorge, zig-zagging up rocky ground with short, easy scrambling sections that can be hard to follow, before levelling out and entering the grassy bowl of Coire Basteir — a spectacular, enclosed spot with a small lochan at its floor. A scree path leads up and out of the back of the corrie to the bealach between Sgùrr nan Gillean and Am Bàsteir, from where the ridge is followed up steepening rock to the summit.

The route includes a well-known obstacle called the Bad Step — an abrupt, awkward downclimb on the ridge that looks intimidating but is more straightforward than it first appears; many parties choose to use a rope here for reassurance, and a bypass route exists for those wishing to avoid it, though this is not always easy to find.

The round trip from Sligachan is around 10 kilometres, and given the technical, exposed nature of the terrain most parties take six to eight hours.

This is a serious mountain route rather than a walk — the direct descent of the Bad Step is graded a rock climb in its own right, the surrounding ground is loose and exposed throughout, and sudden fog is common on this part of the ridge. This is not a suitable objective without scrambling experience, and many hillwalkers choose to hire a qualified guide for their first ascent.

Parking at the Sligachan layby is free; buses from Portree, Broadford, and Kyleakin stop at the Sligachan Hotel nearby.