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Final day on Skye so I decided to walk somewhere I hadn’t been before and as we were stopping in a cottage called Ben Edra View; Beinn Edra seemed an obvious objective.
Drove the short way to Bealach Ollasgairte to find the car park empty except for the “food van”, so no problem finding a spot to park.
Not long after 9 o’clock everything checked off I set. Weather was damp, cold and windy: so windy that the trusted flat cap had to go into the bag otherwise I could envisage it gliding over the cliffs of Bioda Buidhe.
May 18th and gloves and lightweight Balaclava already on: they were on and off like a….you know what!!
The route is easy, simply follow the edge of the escarpment to Bioda Buidhe with it’s spectacular cliffs and the pinnacles of Dun Dubh and Druim an Ruma. The rock scenery is almost a match for the Quiraing but I wonder how many people actually venture in this direction. Walk Highlands' own route to Beinn Edra starts in Glen Uig: probably because this is a there and back.
Dropping down to Bealach nan Coisichian where there is some new fencing to stop the sheep falling down the gullies; respect for the fencers.
Next minor rise is Druim na Coille with spectacular views towards Quiraing and the mainland.
A small drop to Bealach Uige before the final slopes of Beinn Edra are ascended. The summit has fine views in all directions:south along the Trotternish Ridge, east to the mainland over Staffin Bay, west over Uig Bay and north to the Quiraing.
The top is furnished with a walled trig pillar which gave a bit of shelter to eat my Jaffa Cakes: my staple diet on the hills.
There were little patches of snow on the ground and by now it was snowing lightly.
Returned by the same route and met another walker at Bealach nan Coisichian but not another sole until I hit the fleshpots of the car park at Bealach Ollasgairte: it was now very full.
- The day's destination:Beinn Edra
- Pinnacles
- The Quiraing from Bioda Buidhe
- Staffin Bay seen beyond Loch Cleat and Cleat
- A view to the Quiraing
- Follow the escarpment
- Across the sea from Skye
- Bioda Buidhe
- Onward to Beinn Edra
- Loch Corcasgil
- Uig Bay and the Fairy Glen
- View from the summit: south
A fine walk deserving more recognition.