Gil Bhigurra - An Oasis in the Pairc

Take a look at the OS map that covers the centre of Pairc, in the southeast of Lewis. And as you do, see if something unusual stands out; for there is something odd there. Don't see it yet?  Here's a hint: look two miles southwest of the head of Loch Sealg. There, in amongst all the swirling brown countour lines, you will see a small bit of green, possibly the only green on the map of Pairc. That bit of green is Gil Bhigurra.

Hiking into Gil Bhigurra

Gil Bhigurra

Gil Bhigurra is a geologic wonder, and a beautiful one at that: a short, narrow gorge, running east-west for about a quarter-mile, that is host to a rare native woodland. The trees growing on its steep sides are a mix of rowan, birch, holly, aspen, and several varieties of willow.

There is no easy way to visit Gil Bhigurra. It is about as remote as you can get in Lewis; lying as it does some five hard miles from the nearest road at Eisgean. I visited it as part of a eight-mile one-way walk with John Randall from Tob Smuaisibhig to Eisgean. The route we took is shown in the following map, and the walk is described in the August 11, 2017 post.

Lying somewhere near, if not in, Gil Bhigurra, is Airigh Nighean an Airgiodach: the shieling of the wealthy daughter. Walking up the south side of the ravine we kept on the lookout for any ruins, but all that could be seen was a cluster of stones down in the ravine that may have been a structure a long time ago.

It would be interesting to know the story of the shieling of the wealthy daughter. A clue to it is that five miles to the northwest lies Sidhean an Airgid; the hill of wealth. Perhaps the daughter found her own Uamh an Oir, one of the fabled caves of gold, high atop Sidhean an Airgid.

When I hiked into Gil Bhigurra in the summer of 2017 it was on an exceptional Hebridean day. The temperature was in the 80s (F); and the gully, gorge, ravine, or whatever you might call Gil Bhigurra, was an amazing sight; a green oasis of tall trees buried in the vast moorland of central Pairc. It would be interesting to know what the Gaelic name means. 'Gil' is a small mountain stream; but I have been unable to decipher 'Bhigurra'. If anyone out there has an idea please let me know.

East end of Gil Bhigurra 

Looking east from Gil Bhigurra to the head of Loch Sealg 

The interior of Pairc is a vast and fascinating area; one usually only visited by folks who stay on the Eisgean estate. But you can see some of it without doing that. Just be courteous, visit outside stalking season, and let the estate know you might be leaving a car near road's end, and that you'll be walking through the grounds of the lodge, which is pretty much the only way to access the track along the northeast shore of Loch Sealg. It is worth the effort to be a good visitor, for many treasures of the Pairc, like Gil Bhigurra, await the hardy hiker who sets out on foot into this remote area.

You can read a little more about Gil Bhigurra in this Woodlands Restoration Survey Report.