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Grahams: Beinn Mhor.
Sub 2000k Marilyns: Beinn Coradail.
Date: 01/05/2013.
Distance: 16km
Ascent: 1010m.
Time taken: 4 hours, 50 minutes.
Weather: Sunny but cool with light breeze. Clouding over later.
I've been lucky at work over the years in Inverness, getting regular site visits all over the highlands, with endless possibilities to get out on the hills. Karma finally balanced that up by sticking me in a cabin in the middle of the biggest sewage works in the Midlands for 6 months, but finally I have managed to escape back north. So despite being much more office-based these days, I couldn't turn down a visit to Lochmaddy, with all of the hill possibilities it presented (not to mention just the joy of being out in the Western Isles full stop).
Up at 5am for the drive over to Uig, and the weather was foul the whole way. Things started to turn as we left Skye, and the trip over was calm and scenic. In Lochmaddy, it took me all of 5 minutes to drive from the ferry terminal to site, and I wondered if I should have left the car on Skye. However no-one showed up to let me into the waterworks, and the mobile networks were down, so after lounging around in the sun for a bit, I drove down to Benbecula to call into the regional office. Glad I brought the car over after all!
Leaving Uig
First sighting of North Uist:
Harris hills. Clisham is in there somewhere:
Approaching Lochmaddy; North Lee in front:
All of this to-ing and fro-ing meant I wasn't ready to leave site until after 3pm. I still thought I could squeeze in Beinn Mhor at least, and hopefully Beinn Corradail and Hecla too at a push, so I drove south again, giving a lift to a couple of German backpackers en route. Given the unreliability of the weather at the moment, I couldn't have asked for a better afternoon
.
Hecla, Beinn Corradail and Beinn Mhor across Loch Druidibeag:
You don't get anywhere fast in the car out here, so it was 4:30pm by the time I set off walking from Loch Dobhrain. I don't know what the usual start point is, but I used a short length of peat-cutting track to get me going, then plunged across the soft heathery ground towards the low spur of Maola Breac.
Approach to Beinn Mhor:
Beinn Corradail across the peat cuttings:
As I gained height, a faint path developed leading me to the foot of the NW ridge of Beinn Mhor. The ground improved greatly here, being mainly short moss and grass and flat slabs. While perhaps not as exciting as ascending from the eastern coastline, this was lovely walking in spectacular scenery. 70 minutes or so saw me at the 608m spot height at the NW end of the narrow summit ridge.
Hecla and Beinn Corradail:
Towards Iochdar and the north of the island:
Eagle above Hecla?
Loch Heilisdail and the Minch:
Loch Ainort:
Hecla:
This ridge is very easy, but one of the most spectacular summit approaches in the UK. While the crest can be avoided, most of the small pinnacles are barely more than walking, and have a lovely carpet of moss underfoot. The ridge reminded me slightly of the approach to Beinn Mor Coigach, but with even more water scenery round about.
Beinn Mhor:
Stulaval and the summit ridge:
Loch Ainort:
Summit cliffs:
The summit was perched right on the edge of a north-falling precipice, with great views down to Barra and the southern end of the island chain. Due to a slight haze, I could only just make out the Rum and Black Cuillin, and Clisham and the Harris hills were completely invisible.
The top:
North Uist, Hecla and Beinn Corradail:
Looking west along the summit ridge from the top:
West across Gleann Heilisdail and the Minch:
South from the summit over to Barra:
Summit photo:
Loch Ainort and Stulaval:
I walked further SE to a significant cairn, hoping for more views down the wild eastern flanks of the hill. While slightly obscured by the continuation of the ridge, it was a good place to stop. It was just after 6pm now - teatime. A perfect end to a good day at the office
.
I had a good 15 minutes sitting around before it began to get a little chilly, then headed back over the narrow ridge. I very much doubted that I would get as far as Hecla now, but I decided to carry on to Beinn Corradail at least.
South across Lochainort and Eriskay to Barra:
Last look along Beinn Mhor summit ridge:
West across Stoneybridge:
The sun had gone in now, but there was plenty of interest on the descent. There were a number of small rock steps to negotiate - nothing large but needing hands the odd time.
Northern cliffs of Beinn Mhor:
The way up Beinn Corradail looked steep and rocky, so I made a rising traverse left for a short while. This could have been used to outflank all of the outcrops, but once past the steepest section I moved right again for some easy scrambling.
The route up Beinn Corradail:
Beinn Corradail is the smallest of the trio, and being stuck in the middle means it has the smallest range of views from the top. It was still better than the view from scores of other hills though! I could see over to Ushnish Bay from here, where I had briefly contemplated working a bothy stay into my trip. However, needing to be back in Lochmaddy at 6:45am the next day soon had me reconsidering this!
Towards Ushnish bothy with Macleod's Tables on Skye in the background:
West:
Towards Benbecula and North Uist:
Glamaig and the Black Cuillin, Skye:
Rum in the distance:
Hecla was looking good, but I discovered that I had left my torch in the car. It was now 7:40pm and I knew including it would involve some walking in the dark. I wasn't too keen on crossing the boggy moorland in the dark and also had to look for somewhere to camp once I got back to the car, so I decided to give Hecla a miss this time. However it would combine well with a stay at Ushnish bothy - something to look forward to on a return trip
. Instead I enjoyed the improving views over to Skye and Rum (which seemed clearer as the light got worse) and dropped down a short damp gully towards Gleann Dhorcaidh.
Hecla:
Towards Stoneybridge and the west coast of the island:
Some great atmospheric views into the sun, followed by a longish tramp out, avoiding lots of the sort of jelly-like bog that quivers 15m away from where you are standing.
Looking back up Gleann Dhorcaidh to Beinn Corradail:
Sun setting over the Atlantic:
Looking back to Beinn Mhor:
Back at the car, I knew I had made the right choice, as I now only had 20 minutes or so to find a camping spot. I had seen some stunning coastline photos in one of Mountainstar's reports in this area, so I set off towards Stoneybridge to find a similar spot. I didn't really manage as I had no intention of walking any distance from the car. Instead, I pitched up in the shelter of a newish coastal defence wall (just a big pile of boulders), and retired to the car to eat another tea. It rained heavily overnight, and by the next morning, there was a light dusting of snow on the highest summits.
Camping at Stoneybridge. Taken at 5:30am the next day - note new snow on Beinn Mhor:
Far too short a time to get a full appreciation of the islands, but an excellent walk and many reasons to come back!
