The Cuillin of Skye are Britain's most technically challenging mountains. Great bastions of gabbro forged from the guts of an ancient volcano, they form a darkly atmospheric mountaineering arena that is intimidating and awe inspiring in the same breath.

Nowhere else in the UK is nature's architecture so savage and to get close, there's few experiences that can rival a wild camp beneath the Cuillin peaks. I chose to hike into Camasunary Bay from Elgol, a beautiful coast route where you'll find yourself stopping every minute to take in the scenery, watch the sea birds or catch yoru breath.

Camasunary itself is just gorgeous. Nestled below Sgurr na Stri and Bla Bheinn, it is the site of a lovely beach and a newly built bothy (the old one having been reclaimed by the landowner). It's a great place to strike out to Bla Bheinn's spectacular summit for sunset, which is exactly what I did here.

The next day, full of enthusiasm, I took on the mountain that had been top of my British hit list since I'd ascended Liathach a couple of years earlier. It was time to ascend Sgurr nan Gillean. Gillean is one of Britain's pointiest mountains and the "tourist route" to involves a short grade three scramble. Once on the summit though, the views to the rest of the Cuillin Ridge are mesmerising. It is undoubtedly one of the finest mountain scenes in Britain.