Barra - Over the Tops

No visit to Barra is complete without a hike over the tops. Many visitors are happy just climbing Heabhal, at nearly 1300 feet the summit of Barra. Aside from the view, the highlight of the climb is spending some time with Our Lady, Star of the Sea.

Standing there, high atop Barra, you can congratulate yourself with having the hardest part behind you. Don't throw that hard work away and just descend back to Castlebay. From the summit of Heabhal three grand walks are available. I have written before of the hike over to Hartabhal and back to Castlebay. I've also written of the long walk from Heabhal down through the Dark Glen (see Book 2, chapter 6). But I've not written about another walk, one I made several years ago: the walk from Heabhal to Beul a' Bhealaich, and then down to the sea at Craigston.

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The rolling hilltops were especially appealing on the dry, spring afternoon, when I made the easy traverse from Heabhal to Hartbhal. Then, a magnificent ridge walk, a gradual descent of 600 feet, took me down to Beul a' Bhealaich; the main hill pass between east and west Barra.

Along the way I was granted a view to tiny Loch Uisge, with Beinn Tangabhal in the distance.

From the pass I carried to the northwest for a half-mile, where a giant pile of stones came into view. That pile was Dun Bharpa, a massive Neolithic chambered cairn, 20 feet high and 100 feet in diameter.

The cairn is surrounded by a series of 15 standing stones, their bases buried in the outer margins of the cairn. On the top of the cairn lies the large capstone that covered the inner chamber. The stone is massive, 10 feet by 6 feet, and a foot thick.

From the cairn I had planned to carry on for another half-mile north to explore the Iron Age farmstead and souterrian known as Tigh-Talamhanta. But the ground was so swampy that I decided to head down to the coast instead. So I headed southwest to find the Balnacraig (Craigston) track, which took me past the Church of St Brendan to the Barra ring road. 

From there I had a three-mile road walk back to Castlebay. Passing, along the way, the white sands of Halaman Bay.

As I passed through Tangusdale this old house caught my attention.  I knew I'd seen it before, as there is a photo of how it looked 60 years ago in one of Alasdair Alpin Macgregor's books.

Next up was Loch Tangasdail, home to Dun McLeod (15th century). The little tower is also known as Castle St Clair. I have been tempted, on several occasions, to swim out and explore the ruin.

I was on the homestretch, and a half hour later wearily stumbled into the Craigaird Hotel to seek refreshment. A look at the map showed I walked eight miles, so I decided I'd earned a double refreshment.