The Beehives of Airigh a' Chlàir Mhòir

When I last left you I was battling the midges of Gleann Shanndaig, a remote part of Lewis, three miles east of Kinlochreasort. After a night in the tent I packed up and, walking fast enough to keep ahead of the pursuing midges, set out to find the shieling site known as Airigh a' Chlàir Mhòir.

A bit west of Gleann Shanndaig I rounded the north shoulder of Beinn a' Bhoth, where the vast interior of the Morsgail moorland came into view. Off to the west lay the narrow end of Loch Reasort, and the old lodges at Luachair (Harris - to the left) and Kinlochresort (Lewis).

It was a pleasant, warm day, but dark and wet-looking clouds loomed over the Harris hills to the south. As I walked towards them something fascinating slowly became visible in the distance: two grass grown humps rising from the rolling green terrain on the far side of a small stream.

Only after fording the stream did I realize just how fantastic these two structures are. Possibly the most impressive pair of multiple cells I've ever seen - a double double - the Epsilon Lyrae of beehive cells sites.

The easternmost double cell (at left in the above photo) stood six feet tall, and 25 feet in total length. About 80% intact, only the last couple of courses of its two corbelled domes have collapsed. I crawled into the north entrance of the first cell, and was able to continue on my knees through to the second compartment. 

After crawling back outside, over the damp, moss-grown stones that floored the connected cells, I made my way over to the main attraction - one of the biggest beehives I've seen - a double cell with much of its turf covering intact. The largest of the pair was 100% intact, but the adjoining mother-in-law cell has collapsed.

The big cell - collapsed connected cell in the foreground - the other double cell at left

It was a joy to push through the grass that blocked the northern entrance and make my way inside. Once through the low doorway I could stand up, the top of my head just a few inches below the top of the intact dome.

Top of the dome

It had been well worth the two days of hiking it took to reach Airigh a' Chlàir Mhòir. It, and Upper Fidigidh, five mile to the northwest, are the most amazing beehive settlements still standing. After exploring the site I set a course to the northwest, where I hoped to camp for the night by the ruin of the postman's house, where Murdo Crola lived a century ago.