Sunday 05/12/04

Went out for a bit of walk at 11 o'clock in the morning. After a night of rattling windows, doors and what have you, it was a perfect morning. Not a breath of wind, quite acceptable temperature (10C). Went on to the moors, first across to Gravir Glen. Oh, the Gaelic name of that township may make some of you smile. Grabhair. The 'bh' is pronounced as a 'v', and the 'ai' as a short 'ee'. It was the usual bogslog, but I am familiar with the walk, and managed to avoid the deep water at the southern end of Loch nan Eilean by going down right to the shoreline of the loch before crossing that treacherous little stream. Reached Gravir Glen at 12.30, and crossed the valley. Climbed onto the hills on its southern side for some lunch, then continued south, with the aim of reaching Orinsay. The going was quite difficult, lots of bogs and tussocks. The orientation was quite tricky as well. The lie of the land, the hills and valleys, makes you divert off the southerly course. You're forever tempted to head southwest, but that is wrong. You'll end up in all sorts of bother by a major loch system a bit further west, and you might even find yourself in the Eishken Estate. Getting onto the road at Orinsay is simple, once you have crossed that blinking stream, that decides to go meandering at that point. Do NOT go right, as you'll run into an unmountable fence. Reached the road at 2.30. The weather was changing gradually but inexorably all the way through the hike. First the sun went. I did not really mind that. It is very low in the sky, only 8 degrees at noon, so it is right in the eyes. Then the wind started to pick up. Walked up the road again, which passes right on the northern edge of Lemreway, and proceeded back towards the centre of Gravir (only a small village, but very strung out). Once out of Gravir, at 3.45, the rain came. The roadsign at Eishal Junction quotes an incorrect roadnumber: B8066, which should be B8060. I was offered a lift about 3 miles east of Kershader, which I did not decline. The light had virtually gone. There was no traffic on the road for the 2 hours I walked along it. Returned to the hostel at 4.20. The gale came back, as did the rain.

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