Burnmouth to Moaness via Craig Gate and Lyrie Geo.

[litljortindan]

Hurt my left knee playing football last month and still a bit stiff and sore so was looking for an easyish walk. Hoy appealed because of its low pollen count, supposedly low midge count (ho ho) and an extant plan to walk along the cliff tops south of Rackwick Bay.
I took the precaution of booking tickets in advance just in case but needn't have worried -plenty of room on the giant Scrabster ferry. I had parked here before but had to be reminded of the slightly bizarre ten pounds for any part of a week charge and couldn't quite persuade myself to believe the locals who assured me that on street parking restrictions are never enforced so into the tenner car park it was.
I had also debated over whether to hire a bicycle or order a taxi to help reduce the knee burden and phoned Clark's taxis en route. Seven pounds sounded reasonable for a trip from Moaness to Rackwick Bay so we agreed to meet at 4.30pm. Also cycling even for only five miles might have been a bit much for me on a warm afternoon and it costs at least ten pounds per day to hire a bike. Maybe next time.
Fantastic views of the Hoy cliffs on the way round to Stromness and a pleasant enough hour spent wandering around the town with free art exhibitions to view.
Got to Hoy and found that I was to join a group going over to Rackwick where I was only charged three pounds, presumably because I was now part of a group. I also noted from the taxi driver that the Burnmouth bothy was now open; a possible option for the night, the alternative plan being to kip in a survival bag on a carry mat near the beach.
The burn crossing that had put me off in March was now easily negotiated via stepping stones and the rest of the way along the dunes was easy going though my knee was reminding me a little bit that it wasn't quite right. Got a bit rougher after cutting inland but then got easier but steep once onto the second and second steepest path up. That path petered out at the flatter area above and I was then able to double back across the grassy hillside to reach Craig Gate. By this point my knee seemed to have settled and didn't bother me very much at all until later the next day.
Easy walking thereafter but a lot slower than anticipated as it was both very interesting and quite warm. My original plan of a much longer walk out to a waterfall beyond the Sneuk was soon ditched in favour of a slower and more detailed examination of a couple of the geos along the way. Kept going until about seven thirty then doubled back to find a place to watch the sun going down. That change of plan was greatly aided by my water filter that enabled me to top up from a dribble of water in the moss without necessitating a lengthy continuation south or a premature retreat north.
On the way back to the bothy I was amazed to see dozens if not hundreds of what looked like bath white butterflies (identified afterwards by my wife) in the heather and grass behind the dunes.
Got five hours of light sleep then set off along the road back to Moaness. Had though about taking the Berriedale path but thought the road might just be a bit better for the knee. In fact no knee problems really until nearing the ferry when I got a few twinges.

DSC00543c by John Little, on Flickr
The Berry. I visited these wonderfully colourful cliffs in March.

DSC00550c by John Little, on Flickr
Rora Head, Candle of the Sneuk and The Berry.

DSC00581c by John Little, on Flickr
The Old Man of Hoy.

DSC00587c by John Little, on Flickr
Caithness hills in the background.

DSC00595c by John Little, on Flickr
Rounding the magnificent St. John's Head.

DSC00612c by John Little, on Flickr
Graemsay lighthouse.

DSC00616c by John Little, on Flickr
The cliff tops that I am headed for.

DSC00618c by John Little, on Flickr
The Caithness hills again.

DSC00636c by John Little, on Flickr
Rora Head in the distance with Black Nev in front and the path to the Old Man atop.

DSC00637c by John Little, on Flickr
No problem crossing the burn today and not bad going up the hillside once I had cut onto the second and second steepest path up.

DSC00643c by John Little, on Flickr
Loyal and Hope.

DSC00647c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00654c by John Little, on Flickr
Reminiscent of the bay below Menawn Heights.

DSC00655c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00657c by John Little, on Flickr

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DSC00661c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00663c by John Little, on Flickr
At the top of Craig Gate.

DSC00676c by John Little, on Flickr
Not quite as I imagined it would be but still good.

DSC00669c by John Little, on Flickr
Looking a bit like the Canary Islands here. Think this might be Red Geo.

DSC00683c by John Little, on Flickr
Slowly working my way along the many mini geos.

DSC00698c by John Little, on Flickr
Not exactly sure where I am here but it might be White Chest.

DSC00703c by John Little, on Flickr
Morven prominent again.

DSC00704c by John Little, on Flickr
Lots of bog cotton.

DSC00711c by John Little, on Flickr
Zooming back to Rackwick Bay -the camera, not me!

DSC00712c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00719c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00727c by John Little, on Flickr
Always like to be beside the seaside.

DSC00735c by John Little, on Flickr
Possibly Geo of the Lame.

DSC00736c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00740c by John Little, on Flickr
The Hamnavoe.

DSC00744c by John Little, on Flickr
One more of Morven and co.

DSC00763c by John Little, on Flickr
Santoo Head from Lyrie Geo?

DSC00766c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00771c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00778c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00842c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00843c by John Little, on Flickr
Picked my spot to watch the sun go down, back at Red Geo.

DSC00844c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00848c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00855c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00870c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00871c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00875c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00876c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00883c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00901c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC00902c by John Little, on Flickr

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Next morning.

DSC01006c by John Little, on Flickr
Opted for a bit of road walking.

DSC01012c by John Little, on Flickr
Passing Ward Hill's south east corrie.

DSC01014c by John Little, on Flickr
Looking back to Black Nev -I was doing one post per minute and two hours forty five minutes for the whole of the road walk.

DSC01015c by John Little, on Flickr
Dwarfie Hammars.

DSC01016c by John Little, on Flickr
Last leg to the coast.

DSC01019c by John Little, on Flickr
Dwarfie Hammars again.

DSC01041c by John Little, on Flickr
Coulags -my first WH report.

DSC01042c by John Little, on Flickr
Haist.

DSC01047c by John Little, on Flickr
Coulags again.

DSC01055c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC01056c by John Little, on Flickr
Ward Hill and Coulags.

DSC01059c by John Little, on Flickr
Almost there.

DSC01062c by John Little, on Flickr
Handy waiting room with loos and books.

DSC01063c by John Little, on Flickr
The last few metres.

DSC01079c by John Little, on Flickr
Rora Head and yesterday's route up beyond.

DSC01084c by John Little, on Flickr

DSC01098c by John Little, on Flickr
Back soon hopefully.

Two videos; one with my flip camera and one with my new camera:

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

[litljortindan]

First outing for my new camera and I'm reasonably pleased with it so far. In retrospect a good walk for a bad knee and a walk where my water filter came into its own.

[Alteknacker]

What an amazing place, and really great pics. Apart from the "Old Man" I had absolutely no idea what Hoy was like.

This reports joins quite a few recently that demonstrate that you don't have to be flogging up/on top of an high hill to be in a great place.

[litljortindan]

What an amazing place, and really great pics. Apart from the "Old Man" I had absolutely no idea what Hoy was like.

This reports joins quite a few recently that demonstrate that you don't have to be flogging up/on top of an high hill to be in a great place.

Thanks. Can definitely recommend Hoy if you like coastal scenery.