Tiorga Mor

[thederi]

This is a favourite walk we have done several times and essentially we use the route described here which is very accurate. We started from just west of Amhuinnsuidhe Castle which increased our distance by ~2km. The mountain forecast predicted the cloud that was hanging around on the North Harris summits to clear during the day, and also said that though there would be a fresh breeze that the effect on walkers would be negligible... The parts on the tracks are very straightforward. As the description says there is no path from the bridge on the track over the Abhainn Leosaid though the path leaving on the far side of the shielings is clearly visible from the bridge. We crossed the bridge and headed for the path more or less directly trying to keep to the dryer sections - though it was not very wet underfoot on this occasion, it was still squishy in places. Having gained the path we walked up the valley which was delightful, and went over the top of the bealach to get a good view down to Crabhadail with its beaches beyond Loch a Ghlinne.

We then climbed up the peat hags and rocks to reach Loch Braigh Bheagarais - it always takes longer than expected to come into view and the lower section was wet in places. The summit was in and out of the cloud at this point and indeed was so for most of the day. We usually end up passing to the west of the loch and did so on this occasion. From the loch it is an easy walk to the bealach where we turned right and started up to the ridge. This start is broad, grassy and quite steep - any boulders are easily avoided - and can be navigated by a series of deer tracks. On this occasion an eagle rose from a crag about halfway up the ridge as we ascended and circled for a while before disappearing over the summit. Once the ridge narrows it also flattens out and one can follow a series of deer tracks over the ridge - it was very windy once we gained the ridge proper so the effect of the wind was considerable and required some care as the ridge is rocky and narrow in places and best tackled by sticking to the ridge proper most of the way to the trig point. The best views are to be had just SE of the trig point and despite the cloud which was on and off the hill it was still worth going down to look. The visibility was not good enough to see St Kilda though it can be easily seen from the summit on a clear day.

We navigated down the slope NE avoiding the boulders in the main and onto Lag Glas, circling gradually around to the SE to see Sron Uladail and to avoid the crags above Loch Aiseabhat. This slope, criss-crossed by streams, is probably the most challenging section of the walk when the ground is wet as it steep and slippy. On this occasion it was not too wet and it was pretty easy to make our way down to Loch Aiseabhat and the path. After this it was plain sailing down the path by the side of Loch Aiseabhat and Loch Chliostair (which is dammed and provides hydro-electric from the station at the bottom of the hill), and back by the castle.

[weedavie]

Utterly excellent walk in an utterly excellent place. I've got to decry your inclusion of Tinto as fantasy, but. Perhaps Ullaval would have been more plausible while still seeming demanding.