Late news - 03/12/04
Thursday 02/12/04
This morning started very cold, with rime on the pavements and ice on the puddles. Took the bus to Balallan, in order to climb Ròineabhal, a hill of 281m / 940 ft altitude. The name is pronounced Roynyaval. The altitude quoted is not very high, when compared to the giants I climbed around Fort William in October and November, But it should afford quite a nice view over Lewis. Walked down the track that actually starts at the busstop in Balallan, and had to branch off left at a fork. Took the left hand track, as this appeared to lead straight towards Ròineabhal. Found myself at a ford, and I was about to cross it when a mighty splashing in the water stopped me. The stream is only a couple of inches deep, and this fish was jumping through the ford. When I approached the point where it was resting, it splashed down the stream, the Abhainn Mhòr, out towards Loch Erisort. When I spoke to local people later in the day, they told me it was very late for salmon. I kicked myself, because with some adroit handwork I could have picked it. Fat chance, I can hear some readers say. Anyway, the track ran out shortly after the stream and I was left to my own devices to cross the moor and reach Ròineabhal. I merrily did so, having to cross only one fence and this one not crowned by barbed wire. The moor undulated around me, and I could see Loch Stranndabhat to the south, where it stretched out towards the A859. By 11.15 I was starting on the foothills of Ròineabhal itself, and the more serious business of gaining altitude began. I had already hugged upper contours on the way in, and now I started up its southern ridge. Not too complicated, until I reached the second escarpment. If you check the map at gridreference NB230210 to 237210, you'll see several of these escarpments, and it would have required a very uncomfortable 15 foot scramble onto rocks. And I'm not into that. So I wandered along, looking for a more amenable gap, which I duly found. Still not straightforward, and I kept looking back to make sure I would be able to find the way back. Reached the summit shortly before 12. Fantastic view, you see the interior of Lewis from there, which you would normally never see from the road. Just quoting from the map: Lochs Langabhat and Trealabhal. These are not ordinary lakes, but intricate mazes of water, bound together by narrower or wider channels, stretching out the entire distance between the hills of Harris in the south and southwest and the Barvas Hills to the north. One could wander for days in there. There is actually a fantastic walking route, which I hope to do when the days are longer. It starts at Morsgail Lodge and leads right through the wilderness to the Huisnish Road in Harris. Distance as the crow flies about 15 miles, but probably nearer 20 on the ground. As there are effectively only 8 hours of daylight (the sun is above the horizon for only 7 hours right now), this is impossible. In the wilderness, you average 2km/hour (1¼ mph) on foot. There is an alternative start at Ard a Mhulainn, on the Tarbert Road, where you go straight west towards Stuabhal, then turn abruptly south. A tent might by a solution, but bearing in mind current temperatures (8C by day, 0C at night), not for a novice like me. The east coast was fairly clear as well, Loch Odhairn (Gravir) and the inlet by Lemreway to the southeast, leading through to the Eye Peninsula (east of Stornoway) right up to Tolsta. I forgot to mention it was blowing hard (force 7) on the summit of Ròineabhal, and the temperature was a mere 5C, compared to 8C at the foot of the hill. This is sheer windchill. Had lunch in the shelter of a small stone circle that crowns the summit of the hill, then went down again. Not via the same route, I should add. I wanted to get out of the wind as soon as possible, so headed east rather than south. I did find a way down, but quite tricky and slippery. Had to stop one slide by putting my mitt into a bog. Nice. Returned to the busstop in time for the 2.50 to Kershader.
Later on, a helicopter flew up and down Loch Erisort, with a searchlight trained on the water. Wonder what that was all about
Wednesday 01/12/04
Tuesday 30/11/04
Last day of the month, and the weather this morning is bright and fairly sunny. It was lashing down with rain overnight, but it looks pretty cheerful out there. A bit nippy in the wind, but 10C is not bad. Noticed yesterday that the sun rises at 8.50am and sets at 3.40pm. The busdriver was so overwhelmed by my changed destination (Tarbert) that he let me do the run to Balallan for free. Had to wait there for 20 minutes for the Tarbert bus. Glorious journey that, can not get enough of it. At Tarbert, another wait until the little Scalpay bus materialized. Got to the island, via its new bridge, at 11.45, which gave me just over an hour until I'd have to get the bus back in order to maintain my northbound connection. Scalpay is a fishing community, with all the houses strung out along the one main road (which does have some branches). Quite cute really. The road to Scalpay leads past the start of the walks along Loch Lacasdail and to Rhenigidale. Until recently, the latter settlement could only be reached on foot. It's a 3 mile hike across the hills. Returned to Tarbert at 1.15, where I just nipped into the library to update this journal.
The weather today was quite bright, but the instability was plain to see. A magnificent anvil, topping a showercloud, was visible at around 1pm, and a real downpour turned up just as the bus back north was about to leave Tarbert at 3.45. The driver decided that he'd better not risk the long journey through derilict wilderness back to Stornoway (all of 37 miles / 60 km) on a half-empty tank, so he stopped off at Ardhasaig, just outside Tarbert to fill up. God. As we crossed the mountains, darkness began to fall. Lights of other vehicles coming south along the A859 blinked, as did the warning lights of the workmen who are busy doubling the single-track road. Would you believe that there is still a total of 2.5 miles of single-track road on this main road? Oh, it's good fun. Reached Balallan at 4.30, in time for the connecting bus into South Lochs. The southbound bus turned up a few minutes later, disgorging loads of secondary school kids from Stornoway, all heading for home in South Lochs. Checked out the local news at 6.30, to get more background info on the community buy-out in this area. Currently, the land is owned by a private individual who doesn't do a lot apparently. Under new legislation, approved just this June, a community can mount a hostile buy-out, i.e. buy the land from the owner without his consent. Very controversial. Pairc Trust now has 6 months to submit a proposal to the Scottish Executive (this is the devolved Scottish government) who can then approve. They have to prove that they can do better than the landowner. Not difficult, if the present one does nought. I wish them luck.
Monday 29/11/04
Sunday 28/11/04
Left at 10.30 with the half-formed idea of going to Roineaval, the high hill (281m) about 2½ miles west of Balallan. However, this involves a 5 mile road walk to the aforementioned village, which I really didn't fancy. So I diverted onto the moors and reset my aim for today to: Airidh a Bhruaich. This village is located about 2 miles southwest of Balallan along the main road to Tarbert. Left the B8060 South Lochs road at Habost, 1 mile west of Kershader, and proceeded onto the moors. Orientation is always of prime importance, and I have been warned repeatedly about the dangers of the moors. Apparently, you should avoid walking onto any green patches in the middle of the heather, as these are sinkholes. You'd disappear without trace - only to reappear as green growth on top of the bog. Not nice. Headed west southwest along the northern shores of Lochs Chragoil and Loch na Ciste. Then on to the very northern tip of Loch Sgiobacleit. There were fences about, but that did not prove too much of a problem, as I always seemed to turn up at a gate, somehow. Headed uphill from that point onwards, right to the summit of Mullach Breac Mhalasgair, grid ref 301166, at an altitude of 172m, 570ft. This is one of the highest hills in the vicinity, leaving the much higher Eishken hills (up to 572 metres) to one side. The view was quite spectacular. The west side of Lewis was visible, as was the east coast beyond Stornoway. The bays behind Gravir and Lemreway could be made out, as could the high hills of Eishken. At 1 o'clock, after lunch, I proceeded on a beeline almost exactly due west towards the road, which I reached half an hour later. At the point where this veers north, I went downhill towards a house which stands on the shore and headed west towards Airidh a Bhruaich. The going was a bit awkward at times, as the route led along the shore of Loch Seaforth. This is tidal. A lot of flotsam is washed up on the shore. At about 2.30, I reached a ruined house and a little further on the first of dozens of fences. The village is strung out along 1½ miles of shoreline, and each house has a strip of land leading down to the water. Fenced off, obviously. Turned north, still having to negotiate the fences, up to the point where I could rejoin the A859 northeast to Balallan. Road walking is no great hobby of mine, but about a mile before Balallan I could rejoin the old road. Met a pleasant lady walking her dog there, and we had a little chat. She went into her house at the beginning of the village, and I proceeded down the South Lochs Road. Nipped into the Claithair bar for a drink. Two gentlemen were having a game of pool. The barman was building a stack, or rather a wall of 2p coins around a bottle of whisky, and it was nearly 1 foot high. He glued them together by using - coke! The sugar stuck them together, which is better than glue. The sugar can be dissolved easily, the glue can not. The poolplayers gave me a lift to Kershader, whilst swigging beer. Drinking beer whilst driving a car? Oh help.