Aird Laimisiadair circuit, Na Gearrannan

Summary

A circular walk around this rugged, rocky headland from the Garenin Blackhouse village. The route offers great clifftop scenery and superb seascapes as well as visiting the deserted township of Laimishader.

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Rating

Terrain

No path, rough, rocky and boggy coastal clifftops. Navigation skills required, and care needed on steep sections above cliffs.

Public Transport

Bus to An Gearrannan blackhouse village; the walk could as easily be started from the junction with the main road in Carloway.

Start

Na Gearrrannan (Garenin) Blackhouse village car park. Open in Google Maps.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 8.25km / 5.25 miles
Time: 2.5 - 3.5 hours
Ascent: 232m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NB194441

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Accommodation

Walk Description

User reports (2)

Stage 1

Park at the car park for the Garenin Blackhouse village (Na Gearrannan in Gaelic). Begin the walk by walking down between the thatched houses. The last residents left the village in the 1970s but it was restored by a trust established in 1989; amongst the blackhouses are a cafe and museum (open summer only). From the seaward end of the village ignore the sign for the West Side coastal walk and instead head through the gate, following the track down to the pebbles above the shore. Head left over the pebbles and then up a gully to reach a fence, then go through the pedestrian gate to the left.

Stage 2

There is no defined route on the peninsula. Bear right initially, making a rising traverse above the coastline then bearing to the left of the cairn atop the first headland to cut across to the next inlet. From here there is a good view of much of the walk, with the tiny lighthouse visible together with a cairn above the cliffs on the prominent headland of Rubha Talanish. Pass round the back of the bay on grassy ground; a fence soon bars the route but can be crossed by heading to the left to reach a stile. Cross this, then climb over to the next inlet north of Loch Dubh na Glaic.

Stage 3

Take care on the steeper ground, keeping safely away from the cliff edges. Pass through a tumbledown drystone wall and, further on, a narrow gap in a second wall. Eventually the route reaches some old stone sheepfolds above the sea; pass this and climb up to the cairn atop Rubha Talanish - a great viewpoint for looking back along the coast. Descend to cross the stones to the right of Loch Rinn na Geodha, then at the next inlet take great care to descend safely away from the sea on a steep section of rocky ground.

Stage 4

To ascend the final rise to the lighthouse it is better to aim well to the left away from the sea to find the easiest slopes, then head to the right along the top of the ridge. The lighthouse is small and modern - looking something like a miniature lighthouse on top of a square metal tower - but it commands grand seascapes. The island of Great Bernera is well seen to the southwest together with countless smaller islands and skerries. The walk now returns round the southern side of the peninsula. Pass a small cairn then aim across wet ground to pass between the south end of Loch na h-Airde and the sea. The broch of Dun Carloway is prominent across Loch Carloway.

Stage 5

Once on the coastline a narrow path made by sheep leads the way, though it occasionally cuts across steep heather slopes leading down to the cliffs - sheep often fall off, so don't feel sheepish about taking a slightly higher route to avoid the danger. After crossing the southern side of Ben Laimishader a series of ruins are reached. These are the remains of Laimishader, one of the first townships on Lewis to be cleared in 1796. Cross the grassy land behind the bay, aiming towards a gap in the drystone wall beneath the steep ground beyond. Pass through the gap to pick up the remains of the original path to Laimishader; mostly still easy to follow, this slopes to the right, then zig-zags left and right again to thread a route up the cliffs. There are grand views looking back; when the path emerges on easier ground bear left a littler to reach a clearer track.

Stage 6

Follow the track to the right to reach tarmac road at the crofts of Borghastan. Continue along the road until a t-junction with the road to An Gearrannan blackhouse village, then turn left along this to return to the start.

Route Profile

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