Conachair (Hirta)

[Hantswalker]

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As a hill rated purely upon its own merits, Conachair would struggle to attain 2 stars. It is grassy, the walking route under foot is nondescript and uneventful and the lowly summit at 1411ft is scarred by MOD paraphernalia. Yet I and another Walk Highlander rate it as 5 star. Climbing Conachair is an event, taking in far more than the ascending its steep slopes. For most people it is a once in a lifetime experience. You climb it for where it is rather than what it is.

This account is from my visit 3 years ago. Some of the detail may be sketchy but the overall memory will live with me for ever. Planning the trip is important and for most people means you have to be on Harris or North Uist to start with. The weather is the next big issue: you don't want to go to St Kilda on a misty day, and if like me you are a poor sailor, you need favourable sea conditions.

So I found myself in the Tarbert information centre on a Monday afternoon to find that Angus Campbell had a couple of seats left for St Kilda the next day on his Orca 11 cruiser (http://www.kildacruises.co.uk/). At £140 each (now £190) I had to think twice, but this was a lifetime ambition, the weather was set fair and it had to be done. It turned out to be the best money I had ever spent.

The boat leaves Leverburgh at 8.00a.m. for a journey of approximately 44 miles and the challenge starts almost immediately. Winding through an archipelago of islands the cruiser begins to lurch as a tidal race is encountered. People are throwing up over the side and we are barely 20 minutes out from the jetty (remember - this is a really good weather day so goodness knows what a bad day is like). I sat calmly in my seat, feeling queasy but maintaining my dignity and we at last cleared the archipelago. We settle in for what seemed like a long haul. Sea birds skim the waves and new islands appear, floating on the southern horizon.

Map of St Kilda - Conachair is on the island of Hirta

After about 2.5 to 3 hours St Kilda appears ahead and excitement builds. Half an hour later it seems to be no closer but there are more birds now so we must be making progress. I am on deck now and suddenly it starts to loom closer - nearly there.The boat moors up in Village Bay (Loch Hiort) and we go ashore by a small inflatable.

Orca 11 in Village Bay

The jetty steps are incredibly slippery and on jelly like legs I feel insecure. Fifteen minutes are needed to recover from the journey before I can start climbing. I can see the steep SE slopes of Conachair but the view is spoiled by the ugly grey buildings close at hand and the access road up to Mullach Mor which is used by the military.

Conachair's "corrie" from the Village

Nearly everyone is content to mooch about the Village but I know the best views are to be found higher up. Very soon I am walking past cleits, the small stone stores in which the villages kept food (principally fulmars).

Cleits - bring your own lunch as there are no fulmar drumsticks left

Climbing higher, the line of the old street becomes clearer and the Soay sheep are left to graze pastures below.

The Street

I was keen to take in as much as possible in the limited time available and made my way to the summit of Oisebhal which lies close to sea cliffs.

Western cliffs of Hirta

The descent from Oisebhal to The Gap opens up breathtaking views.

Boreray and Stac Lee

Conachair from just above The Gap

Stac Lee with Boreray right and Stac an Armin behind

No Morrisons for the Villagers - this is where most of the fulmars were caught on Hirta

The view to the Boreray group evolves

From The Gap easy climbing leads toward Conachair but attention is fixed upon the Boreray group and the western cliffs of Hirta, close at hand to the right. As the summit gets closer, the line of sea cliffs draws the eye to Soay (of sheep fame), Britain's western most island of any size.

Soay

A last glimpse of Boreray from Hirta

The summit is reached but all attention is on the expansive views but there is no time to linger. Steep slopes lead back to the village, the last part of the descent utilising the military road.

Village Bay from "the corrie"

Back at the village there is just enough time to wander around the deserted houses before meeting the boat.

Village House

Since the weather was so good, Angus took us for a trip around the Boreray group. The boat was heaving about and photography was challenging but I managed a few shots.

The Gap

Soay

Boreray and Stac Lee

Hirta from the Boreray group with Stac Lee centre and Soay far right

The journey back to Leverburgh is over all to quickly and the bouncing over the waves seems insignificant.

This is not a cheap trip. There are other operators from other starting points but I do not know the fares. However, if you can find the cash it is well worth it and you will not regret it.

[retrogear]

Wow! Some fantastic photos there. I really liked the photos of The Gap (both from land and sea). They're really make the islands more "real" rather than the more familiar postcard scenes.
You said that most people were content to walk around the village - how many people were on the boat trip, and how many others ventured a bit further, like yourself? If I'd paid that amount of money I would try and tramp round everything I could
Great report - I'm very jealous!

[Hantswalker]

Thanks Retrogear.

I think the boat had about a dozen passengers but no more than 15 or 16. Of those only a couple climbed as far as the gap, no doubt to see the view to Boreray. Hillwakers would regard that as a stroll but I can understand why more elderly people and those with young kids (yes there were some) would want to stay put. To be honest, there is lots to see within a few hundred metres of the jetty and photographers could have a field day. The frustration for walkers and hill baggers in particular is that there are 5 more Marilyns within sight of the route I took, but all are out of bounds, being on other islands.

[tomband]

Great report, must surely be the most remote walk in Scotland. Fantastc photos too, think you were lucky wth the weather. Thanks for posting even though a couple of years ago, St Klda is such a majcal place. I sailed round St Kilda on the SS Uganda on a NTS cruise about 30 years ago but as a teenager I didn't appreciate that not many people see such a special place, would love to go ashore there.

[pollyh33]

What an amazing report! I've only ever seen film footage of St Kilda on TV and it definitely didn't convey how magical the place is in the way that you have- fantastic, thankyou!!

[FestinaLente]

23 years ago I was on Archaeological Trip for 10 days with NTS. Cost back then in 1988 was £250. Those pics sure brought back memories. In 1987 had given up on Marathon running and into hillwalking, but was able to run most of way from Village Bay up to summit of Conachair.

[foggieclimber]

Thanks for report.
I am really looking forward to visiting St Kilda sometime in the future.

[walksmelbourne]

From St KIlda on the other side of the world (in Oz) where I am now, to the original St Kilda in Scotland - how inspiring! Only made it as far as the beautiful, gentle hills of Lewis and Harris when up in the NW of Scotland, but was intrigued even then to want to visit remote St Kilda. Your photos are just spectacular. Are you able to stay overnight if you take your own kit???

[Hantswalker]

Are you able to stay overnight if you take your own kit???

I think the short answer is no but I am no authority on this and things may have changed. Landing is controlled, I think boat operators need to be licensed to land (and possibly to do the circuit of Boreray) and once on Hirta you cannot leave anything or take anything away (rocks, plants, St Kilda wren).

If you are keen to stay, I think (as FestinaLente mentions) you can go on a NTS working party or join the army to get a posting there.

[ndhudson]

Truly spectacular!!! Gorgeous photos! Thanks for posting this report, Hantswalker. I hope to make this trip someday. My great great grandmother was from St Kilda (the Gillies name still in the family), made it to Clackmannan, married and ventured all the way to Beaver Utah, USA! Amazing people from an amazing place. I can't imagine that life.

Being 1000's of miles from any ocean...I'm afraid my sea legs have yet to sprout. Was the boat trip out and back really uncomfortable? I have no doubt the trip would be worth the money...but I wonder if it's worth public humiliation?

[malky_c]

Great stuff - I'd love to do this one day

My great great grandmother was from St Kilda (the Gillies name still in the family), made it to Clackmannan, married and ventured all the way to Beaver Utah, USA! Amazing people from an amazing place. I can't imagine that life.

If you support this bonkers guy's proposals, you could probably go and live there!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-10963580

[Hantswalker]

Was the boat trip out and back really uncomfortable? I have no doubt the trip would be worth the money...but I wonder if it's worth public humiliation?

I am a very poor sailor and I wasn't sick. I listened to the crew (2 guys) before we set off. Their advice was to stay seated at least until the tidal race was cleared so I did. The children on board were fine. About two hours in, with no sight of St Kilda, feeling sick and cold I had to question why I had paid to endure the journey. But I think it is part psychological because nobody was sick after St Kilda appeared and I felt a lot better too. The journey back, though just as long and bumpy caused few problems for anyone.
I think some of the other operators have less substantial craft and I didn't fancy skimming the waves for four hours in a rigid inflatable, but I realise that some people would regard it as the best way to get there.

Thanks to everyone with their kind comments.

[ndhudson]

If you support this bonkers guy's proposals, you could probably go and live there!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-10963580

hmmmm...not sure I'm that tough.

I think some of the other operators have less substantial craft and I didn't fancy skimming the waves for four hours in a rigid inflatable, but I realise that some people would regard it as the best way to get there.

Wow, me neither...hats of to those who do! Thanks for the valuable insight, Hantswalker.

[hollyshills]

Your report has just moved St Kilda onto the list of my 100 things to do before you die. £ 190 for that feeling of isolation seems like a bargain but maybe that's just me.