Hebridean Way Stage 8: Leverburgh to Seilebost

Summary

This long, tough stage starts by crossing a low mountain pass, followed by the beautiful dunes of Scarista and then a challenging moorland walk over sometimes pathless, often boggy terrain with a very steep final descent. The reward is superlative views of Harris' famed beaches.

Grade

Bog Factor

Rating

Terrain

Short sections of road, pathless moorland with occasional waymarking, boggy in places, sandy dune path.

Getting there

Start

Leverburgh ferry terminal.

Public Transport

Buses pass both ends of this stage (slight detour to reach bus route road from end of stage).

Start Grid Ref

NG013863

Open in Google Maps

Services

Leverburgh has showers/toilets at the ferry terminal, a hostel, B&Bs, takeaway van, and shop. Hotel and B&B at Scarista on route. No facilities at the end of the stage at Seilebost but B&B nearby.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 21.5km / 13.25 miles
Time: 7 - 8 hours
Ascent: 585m (Profile)

Mapping and GPS

ROUTE MAP
View detailed map of walk

OS Paper map
Explorer 455 - South Harris

Get our App FREE
Full GPS mapping &
descriptions when offline

Export GPX

Export KMZ

Open on Big Map showing all our routes

Want to sponsor this route?

Walk Description

User reports (0)

Stage 1

From the Leverburgh ferry terminal follow the road straight ahead, going right and then left to pass through the village. Follow the road up to the A859 and turn left. The Hebridean Way takes the next right (a short detour straight on leads to the shop). After 2.4km climbing gently on the minor road take a path signed for Scarista just beyond a passing place sign on the left (not the track in front of the signpost which just leads to peat banks). The path leads down to a gate and a footbridge beyond.

Stage 2

Another gate leads to a section of raised turf path (boggy in places) and soon another bridge as the route climbs up Gleann Uachdrach. This is a great area of moorland for birds of prey, particularly Golden Eagles. Once over the brow of the pass the route becomes harder to follow. It stays on the slightly higher ground to the right of a fence and soon the sands of Tràigh an Taoibh Thuath come into view ahead. Continue until a gate in the fence on the left. Go through this and directly uphill to a marker post. Turn right here on a vague path to traverse the slope heading slightly downhill.

Stage 3

As more sand comes into view ahead, backed by the hill Ceapabhal, the route aims more directly downhill before aiming left (ie. not to the farm gate directly ahead) to cross grassier ground and descend steeply to the road at a sign. Turn right and walk along the road for 1km and take the signed track on the left signed for Scarista.

Stage 4

Go through the gate and follow the track around the edge of the fence until a gate ahead leads onto the sands. Bear right after the gate to follow a sandy path around the bottom of the first dunes. Soon the route climbs up onto a turf path which runs alongside a fence on your right with stunning views of the beach and sea and the mountains of Harris in the background. Keep following the dune path, descending and climbing back up in a couple of places, eventually crossing a deeper dip which is sometimes waterlogged (if so cross nearer the beach). Eventually a gate in the fence on the right is reached. Go through this and then through the smaller gate straight ahead. Now bear diagonally right to cross the short grass to reach a gate just to the right of a house. Go through this and to another gate next to a post box to reach the road opposite Scarista House Hotel. Turn left along the road.

Stage 5

After 100m turn right at the signpost, heading through a gate and then uphill on a green strip between a wall and a fence. Go through the kissing gate at the top of this, continuing uphill to the wall corner. From here bear slightly left to continue diagonally uphill to the next post, eventually reaching the remains of an old shieling. Note the terraces around here - these are lazy-beds, once used for growing crops before people were cleared from the west to the rockier east side of Harris.

Stage 6

The route - marked by posts - joins the line of an old turf and drystone dyke that may have once marked the upper limit of cultivation; the dyke helps keep your feet out of any boggy sections. There are stunning views over Harris' beaches to the mountains beyond. At one point the dyke leads downhill slightly; cut across a corner (ignore the dyke heading straight uphill from here) and continue along the dyke beyond; the posts help. Eventually a fence corner is reached - the route keeps to the right of the fence, through pathless boggy heather. Eventually it joins another old turf dyke.

Stage 7

Follow this, eventually passing through a pedestrian gate and past the ruins of more old shielings. The going becomes more difficult now, with coarse heather and only a few posts to help keep you on track. There's another pedestrian gate, and later the route slopes down to reach another footbridge above Glen Horgabost. It rounds the northern end of Beinn Sheileboist before turning east, keeping above the main fencelines of Glen Sheilebost (later there is a section of fence off right - so don't venture too far south). Cross the footbridge over the Abhain Sheilebost.

Stage 8

Continue to the fence corner. From here the route is quite poorly marked but climbs quite steeply up the rough northern slopes of Carran. Eventually you should be able to pick up the posts once more, but it's tough going. The reward is an unforgettable view over Seilebost to Luskentyre Sands, with the river cutting a route through a beautiful estuary. Continue following the posts round the hillside.

Stage 9

Soon the route descends extremely rough slopes to the east. It's steep, rocky in places and very wet in others, as well as being pathless: the worst terrain on the whole Way, so take care. The gate in the fence to more improved ground will be reached with some relief, and the going is then easier down to another gate that gives access to the Seilebost track. This is the end of the stage but there are no facilities; road access is a short distance left along the track (and Seilebost's houses left along the road), whilst the Hebridean Way continues to the next stage by right along the track.

Route Profile

Report error

Let us know if you've found an error in our route, or if it needs updating.

Write walk report

Share your story and photos from this route.
£150 of Highlander Outdoor gear to win every month.

Can you help support walkhighlands?

This website and app are run by 'Walkhighlands for All' - a not-for-profit set up to serve walkers' needs.
We rely on the generosity of our users - can you help?