walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Ben Mhor, South Uist: A ridge right up there!

Ben Mhor, South Uist: A ridge right up there!


Postby Stefan1 » Fri Oct 13, 2017 7:10 pm

Route description: Beinn Mhòr and Hecla, South Uist

Fionas included on this walk: Beinn Mhór (Uist)

Sub 2000' hills included on this walk: Beinn Corradail (South Uist)

Date walked: 12/08/2017

Time taken: 7 hours

7 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

Yesterday I wrote my first ever walk report. And you know what? I thoroughly enjoyed doing it. A nostalgic hour of looking at the photos and remembering a great day out a month or two ago - not too shabby a past time for an otherwise dull evening. As a result, here is another one!

The annual visit of Chris, an old friend of mine from school is an exciting event. Firstly, of course, it is always good to see him, and secondly, I do not currently have a car... and he always comes by car. This means mountains. This August, I had decided that it was time to see the Outer Hebrides, somewhere I had never been before. A whistle stop tour, 2 nights on South Uist, and 2 nights on Harris, cramming in as much as possible. Sounds fun. While the mountains of Harris are rightly famed, South Uist is probably less well distinguished, certainly, a Google image search revealed a scarcity of photos of them. Nonetheless, I had glanced at the map for long enough to know that there were indeed mountains on South Uist, and, if the weather allowed, I planned to go and investigate them.

I don't much like walking in the rain, and sadly, the first day we were there was pretty horrible. We managed a quick climb to the top of the hill on Eriskay, and a bizarre 30 minutes on the beach when suddenly there was blue sky everywhere. Other than that, the rain was relentless.

Image
View from the peak on Eriskay, looking towards South Uist.

Image
I promise that this idyllic weather lasted only 30 minutes, then it was back to rain, rain and more rain.

The next morning, however, was better. Actually, that's a lie. It was worse. The wind had picked up and the rain was as relentless as ever. The forecast was set to improve though, and indeed by the time we had finished breakfast, we were able to just about convince ourselves that it was a bit brighter. Slightly. Maybe... A bit. Whatever, we hadn't come all the way to the Western Isles to sit indoors all day, so off we went. We parked (unsurprisingly no competition for the one parking space available), and by the time we had put our boots on, the clouds had indeed lifted, and we could actually see the top of Beinn Mhor. Off we go then!

The walk is described as "boggy in places" and "some boggy areas but is not as bad as you might expect.". Right... Well, if that is the case, I'd hate to see what a seriously boggy walk is like. I walked around the moors in Glen Esk a couple of years ago, just as the temperature warmed and that year's heavy snow was rapidly melting. That had nothing on this was. And this was summer! Without a doubt, this was the boggiest approach I have ever had the misfortune of 'enjoying' A 2 hour slog through bog, which was unavoidably knee-deep in places. In fact, the only other people we saw all day were a group of local shepherds, all of who were wearing knee high wellies. I think that local knowledge tells you all you need to know. Anyway, I'm done grumbling. Honestly. Because it was so worth it.

Image
Bog dealt with, up we go.

Image
Looking back on the bog. And this was one of the higher, and significantly drier parts of it.

The slog through the bog over, and the cloud breaking up, the mountains came into better view, and we started to pick out a rout up the gentle narrowing ridge. The views and weather had colluded to improve with each step, and the relatively simple climb took us to the start of the narrow section of the ridge. And what a ridge! While technically there was nothing at all challenging about this ridge, it was spectacular. The massive cliffs loomed to the left and the ridge itself was full of knotted character. The views all around, of the entire island were just an afterthought, really, completing a near perfect little ridge. I think I'd best let the pictures do the talking.

Image
The wonderful, imposing cliffs.

Image
It is not a long ridge, nor a tricky ridge, just a pretty ridge.

Image
Views to the South.

Image
I spotted Chris opting for a hand down in a couple of places, but this was mostly not really needed.

Image
Just another wide shot of that view!

We had made good progress, and were on the summit in under 3 hours, so decided to just keep on going to the next peak. The descent between the peaks was very tough, steep and rocky in places, and the climb up the next peak (Beinn Corradail) even steeper, though less rocky and significantly easier than the descent had been. The views couldn't really match those that had gone before.

Image
Resting on the summit of Beinn Corradail.

A combination of the unexpectedly arduous approach and my general levels of unfitness meant we were now a little pushed for time, and so had to give Hecla a miss. So we cut down the steep descent to the Bealach and, then turned West, to cut across that damn bog again. Wet feet dried fast, as the sun had managed to persist, and the wind was ever present, so we were soon off in the car, up to more adventures further North on Harris.

Image
Down we go.

Image
Hecla, pity I didn't have time/fitness for it.

Image
Looking back at the end of a lovely Hebridean Day

Image
My friend had one of those thingies on his phone to track his walk... I should get me one of those, they're quite fun to look back on!
Stefan1
 
Posts: 35
Joined: Oct 12, 2017

Re: Ben Mhor, South Uist: A ridge right up there!

Postby Mal Grey » Fri Oct 13, 2017 7:45 pm

You're getting good at this! That ridge more than makes up for the bogfest.

I remember seeing a picture of the ridge of Ben Mhor in a book many years ago, and thinking it looked wonderful. I'm still to visit the Outer Isles, and definitely need to sort out that omission!
User avatar
Mal Grey
Wanderer
 
Posts: 4617
Munros:113   Corbetts:23
Fionas:12   
Sub 2000:9   Hewitts:116
Wainwrights:71   Islands:6
Joined: Dec 1, 2011
Location: Surrey, probably in a canoe! www.wildernessisastateofmind.co.uk

Re: Ben Mhor, South Uist: A ridge right up there!

Postby litljortindan » Wed Nov 08, 2017 8:49 pm

Beinn Mhor is a truly superb peak and you've captured it very well. Haven't been on its neighbours but would like to one day. Possibly drier to approach Beinn Mhor from the south west.
User avatar
litljortindan
Ambler
 
Posts: 2377
Munros:153   Corbetts:67
Fionas:29   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:47   Hewitts:12
Wainwrights:10   
Joined: Dec 11, 2011

Re: Ben Mhor, South Uist: A ridge right up there!

Postby John Doh » Thu Nov 09, 2017 3:53 pm

Great report and fabolous pictures of Ben Mhor. I have spent a holiday on South Uist but did not tackle Ben Mhor because of that long and boggy access. It's a pity because it is a fascinating hill. Check this book out, it's about the hill:

https://islandsbooktrust.org/products/mhor-and-more-hill-walks-in-uist

On the other hand, I have climbed Ben Sciathan on Eriskay in much better weather than you did. Check my report if you like:

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=35133
User avatar
John Doh
 
Posts: 259
Sub 2000:2   
Islands:39
Joined: Aug 14, 2013
Location: Switzerland

Re: Ben Mhor, South Uist: A ridge right up there!

Postby Sgurr » Sun Nov 12, 2017 10:06 pm

Hecla is well worth a return. Like you we ran out of steam and are probably the only people to have needed 3 visits.
User avatar
Sgurr
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 5679
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:219   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:569   Hewitts:172
Wainwrights:214   Islands:58
Joined: Nov 15, 2010
Location: Fife

7 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: elaine61, moirabee and 88 guests