Bonnet Laird Walk: Carloway to Callanish

Summary

This linear walk was created by the local estate, owned by a Community Trust (Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh). It crosses boggy moorland with some extensive views over the moors and coastline, as runs from Carloway to Callanish. Both ends are on a road with public transport. The Callanish stones are 1.3km from the end, whilst the Dun Carloway broch is 1.6km from the start (both along roads).

Grade

Bog Factor

Rating

Terrain

Varied - some tracks but mainly rugged peat moorland, pathless and very boggy in places, mostly waymarked but some navigation skills needed.

Getting there

Start

At NB202420 on the A858, south of the former school which is being redeveloped as a community centre.

Public Transport

Buses to Carloway and Callanish.

Start Grid Ref

NB202420

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 15km / 9.25 miles
Time: 4 - 5 hours
Ascent: 310m (Profile)

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Walk Description

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Stage 1

A Bonnet Laird is a lowland term for someone with a bit of land to call their own, as opposed to a "proper" laird who would be wearing a deerstalker or other hat of the landed classes. The Carloway Estate Trust gave the route this name after their community buy-out of the local area as all the residents are now bonnet lairds. The walk leaves the A858 0.5km south of Carloway Free Church and community centre (in the old school) at a gateway next to a house. There is a blue/white striped waymarker. Go over the stile next to the gate and straight ahead to head towards Loch Fasgro, the route soon getting indistinct underfoot but well waymarked. From the west corner of the loch the route bears slightly right and climbs over the rough ground to eventually reach the stone cairn at the 97m summit of Buailebhal Mòr.

Stage 2

Continue in the same direction along the summit ridge before bearing slightly right to descend to cross a stile over a fence, then head to the left again. Before the fence turn right to cross lumpy ground to reach the road. Turn right to backtrack along the road until a lochan and the Doune Braes Hotel is reached on the left. Now waymarked in green, the route turns left and crosses in front of the hotel on a grassy track. Go through the gate and continue ahead on the track.

Stage 3

The grassy track descends gently; ignore the track going off to the right and continue through a pedestrian gate and along the track to emerge on a minor road. Go straight ahead soon overlooking Loch a' Bhaile and its islands. At the road junction go straight ahead and climb up past some of the houses of Tolastadh a' Chaolais. Ignore a pedestrian gate on the right and soon after, at the crest of the hill, turn right onto a waymarked grassy track.

Stage 4

Climb the stile and continue ahead uphill over the pathless heather, keeping the fence on your left. There are good views from the top of Beannan Mòr from where the route descends to reach a gate then bears slightly right to reach the road. Turn left uphill and almost immediately turn left to head through a farm gate and a boggy moorland track. Look out for a gate and stile soon on the left and go through the gate and follow the raised turf path down to the road. Bear left along the road for 0.6km then turn left part way along Loch na Muilne.

Stage 5

The route is now waymarked in pink but care and navigation is needed to stay on the correct route for the next section. Head straight up through the gate and follow a very indistinct ATV track keeping well north of Loch nan Goirtairean before aiming south to reach a gate and stile leading onto the heather moorland. The route now climbs over a low shoulder and becomes increasingly waterlogged. Head just to the right of a stone outcrop with a painted waymark and then cross open ground to pass just south of a lochan.

Stage 6

The next section is very peaty and boggy in places as the route aims south with waymarkers on a couple of knolls (no need to actually climb these) keeping to the low ground east of Beinn Leathann Amar na h-Eit and crossing a stile after the second knoll. Pass between Loch Dubh and Loch Beinn nan Sgalag and climb directly up to the 122m summit of Beinn Bheag which is marked by a cairn. Continue south on the broad ridge passing just left of a second cairn and then descending directly to the road with a view of Loch na Beinne Bige ahead. Turn left along the road, passing a concrete sheep fank.

Stage 7

The next section is waymarked in purple. It leaves the road again 300m after joining it, turning right to cross a stile over a fence. It heads across the moor, keeping a fence on your left, until crossing another stile to leave the enclosed land. The route is pathless but with marker posts and generally keeps to the highest ground. Soon it descends to cross a footbridge over the Abhainn Breascleit, then crosses another stile and climbs once more. There's another stile at the hilltop, then the route passes a rocky outcrop. After yet another stile and fence, the going becomes very boggy on the final stretch. There's an old stone cairn before the route eventually reaches the road and the end of the walk.

Stage 8

Before leaving, be sure to visito the stone circle of Cnoc Fhillibhir Bhig / Calanish III. Turn left along the road, then right onto the marked footpath. After the end of the fence on your right the path becomes boggy - continue up the grass slope to the obvious stone circle. There are twenty stones in a double circle, an impressive sight that remains very atmospheric, even in peak season when the nearby Callanish I site is crowded.

Route Profile

Where to stay

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Isle of Lewis cottages

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