Ceapabhal, Taobh Tuath

A glance at any map will suggest that Ceapabhal would be an excellent viewpoint, and this short but very steep ascent rewards with stunning views along the beaches of Harris as well as out over a myriad of islands in the Sound.

Terrain

Sandy track across the machair, then steep and strenuous ascent, pathless in the lower section.

Public Transport

Bus service from Tarbert or Leverburgh to Taobh Tuath.

Start

Roadside parking at the road end at Taobh Tuath (Northton), NW of Temple Cafe. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

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Walk Description

Stage 1

Park at the road end at Taobh Tuath (Northton) where there is some road-side parking near the gate onto the machair, on the way passing the innovative building which used to be the MacGillivray Centre and now houses a cafe with a fine outlook northwards over Scarista beach towards the mountains of North Harris (no parking at the cafe itself). Start the walk at the road end by going through the gate onto a track out onto the machair.

Stage 2

Machair is fertile, well-drained grassland formed by sand being blown over the peat; it forms a unique habitat, rich in bird-life and meadow flowers in early summer. The machair here at Northton is the finest in Lewis and Harris, though North and particularly South Uist have perhaps the most extensive examples. Continue through a second gate, with Ceapabhal looking unfeasibly steep ahead.

Stage 3

Near a corner post in a fence the track forks; take the left branch that soon reaches the dunes behind Tràigh na Cleabhaig, a magnificent south-facing beach. Continue along the track until a gate - with the ruined medieval chapel on Rubh' an Teampaill visible ahead. The chapel is worth a detour to visit, but to climb Ceapabhal do not pass through the gate, instead turning right alongside the fence. Pass through a pedestrian gate to reach the open ground beyond.

Stage 4

There is no path for the next section of the walk, aiming northwards up the moorland towards Ceapabhal. The going is rough and boggy in places until the rockier upper slopes are reached. The route now becomes very steep but the ground is drier and traces of paths wind between the rocks to rapidly gain height. The views - looking across the machair and its beaches to the southern end of Harris - are sensational.

Stage 5

After a great amount of effort the gradient finally begins to ease and a clear path leads up the final slopes to reach the trig point. This isn't quite on the summit, which is actually at a cairn a short distance further across flat, boggy ground. Ceapabhal is a really unique viewpoint; the views north along the beaches to the mountains of North Harris, and south over the islands in the Sound to the Uists beyond, are superb.

Stage 6

On a clear day St Kilda can be seen in the wide Atlantic, whilst in the other direction the Skye Cuillin are prominent. It is possible to continue northwest along the boggy ridge and eventually return around the northern coastline of the peninsula - a grand walk, but tough going with bog and deep heather - a much longer walk. Our route instead retraces the route of ascent - no hardship with such superb views along the way.

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