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Waterstein Head

Waterstein Head


Postby litljortindan » Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:53 pm

Date walked: 05/12/2021

Time taken: 5 hours

Distance: 8.7 km

Ascent: 561m

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I don't know if it is my verve or the road that has deteriorated most but I gave up on driving to Ramasaig after hitting a pothole and scraping the car exhaust. That also meant changing my plan from The Hoe to the conveniently situated Waterstein Head though I dare say I could have just walked the last part of the road and stuck to plan A. I was quite keen on catching the early morning light though so plan B won out.

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The superb Biod an Athair with a vague hint of snow capped Clisham. Biod an Athair was my recovery hill after a kidney stone episode in 2016: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=66752

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The excellent viewpoint of Ramasaig Cliff with The Hoe beyond. My 2015 visit there is burned into my memory; the sun set behind Neist Point: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=54558

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Sunrise a bit obscured by cloud but still some nice light shining through.

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The Hoe again.

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To add a bit of difference to my 2015 visit I decide to walk on the other side of the fence -there's plenty of space but I maybe wouldn't do this if it was windy.

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Ramasaig Cliff and The Hoe.

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Ooter Hebrides showing up quite clearly today.

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It is chilly but enthralling.

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A Table to the east.

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Clifftop sheep dyed red by the sun.

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Biod an Athair again. Not sure if the translation is "peak of the top of the sky" or "peak of the top of Skye" but either is fitting.

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Cloudy to the east.

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Looking south east.

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Not the most aesthetically pleasing trig point.

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Waterstein Head casts a giant triangular shadow across to the foot of Biod Ban, another excellent clifftop walk.

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Looking south east again, from the jumble of rocks at the top.

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Camas nan Sidhean and its waterfall.

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Lens flaring across Moonen Bay.

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The next thing I do differently to my 2015 visit is to descend slightly to try to photograph the summit crags with the sea behind. This keeps me entertained for a good half hour.

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Biod Ban -an excellent wee walk if you have a couple of hours to spare. Not as spectacular as Biod an Athair but very enjoyable, I found: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=76958

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The Hoe -waiting for another day. Maybe I have to climb The Hoe separately to the planned onwards continuation along the coast; otherwise a long day if I can't persuade myself to get the car to Ramasaig. Or maybe from Orbost instead.

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The descent north is very pleasant going, ideal for my slowly recovering knees.

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Loch Mor.

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The walk back along the road is pleasant enough. I stop at the Ramasaig junction to stretch my quads. That seems to help the left knee a bit.

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The Ramasaig coos and bull are strung across the road so I talk to them as I skirt past, in the no doubt deluded belief that this will prevent an undignified chase back to the car. They don't seem the stampeding kind, but you never know.

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Interesting surface. Actually the road is in quite a bad state. Wasn't helped by the potholes being full of water so you couldn't judge what was driveable but I didn't go far past the cattle grid before deciding to reverse back there; the sudden bump into a pothole and the scrape of exhaust pipe as I reversed out did not fill me with confidence.

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Once into the car I thought my troubles were over with a bit of careful driving. This chap had other ideas though as he purposefully march up the middle of the road, only sidestepping the car at the last second. I opened the window and said good morning but I did not get a reply.
Once past the ram I thought my troubles really were over but I'd forgotten about the coos. Fortunately they all knew the routine and slowly ambled off to the roadside. All except one, that is. One very reluctant coo stood its ground and only very grudgingly moved after two horn toots. In fact it still left its not inconsiderable backside technically blocking part of the road but I diverted right as a compromise.

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The vague but dramatic Black Cuillin.

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Rubha nan Clach -rough walking!

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litljortindan
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