30 Years of Adventures

Part 1: The Barra Isles to Eriskay
Barra, Vatersay, Mingulay, Pabbay, Sandray, Berneray & Eriskay

Chapter 1.1: Barra Splashdown: Barra & Vatersay

After splashing down on a snowy beach, we stumble through gale-force winds in search of beer; A dozen years pass, and we return to Blue Barra of the Waves to seek out the Green Ray.

Chapter 1.2: Atop MacPhee's Hill: Mingulay 

After climbing to the haunted hollow atop MacPhee's Hill, we wander through the sand-buried graveyard. We then watch as the residents of Mingulay emerge from the ground. Two decades pass, and we return to spend a few hours with the enchanting puffins of Mingulay.

Chapter 1.3: The Blood of the Merry Dancers: Mingulay & Pabbay

After threading the narrow channel below the blood of the Merry Dancers, where the treasure of Mingulay is said to lie, Pabbay becomes mine for a day; Her own treasure is then revealed, as I pay my respects to the most mysterious stone in the Hebrides. Nine years pass and we return to Pabbay to discover that its mysterious stone has been given some long overdue respect.

Chapter 1.4: Berneray of the Children's Graves

Afoot on Land's End of the Hebrides to see the children's graves of Beàrnaraigh an Easbaig; Three years later, we cross its grassy slopes to seek out the giant's house and to once again honour the children's graves.

Chapter 1.5: Five Day, Five Islands, Big Plans: Sandray

We visit the homes of the Sandray Raiders then ascend to the high fortress of Dùn Shanndraigh.

Chapter 1.6: Eriskay

An ascent of Eriskay to seek a view to the sands of Calbhaigh, where a quarter-million bottles of hooch went down for grabs.

Part 2: The Uists

North Uist, South Uist, Vallay & Oronsay

Chapter 2.1: Storming Fortress Coradail: South Uist

Following in the footsteps of a hunted prince, we storm fortress Coradail.

Chapter 2.2: Loch nan Airm & Stadhlaigh: South Uist

A hike to the water-filled crater of the Loch of Weapons; After a ten-year absence, we return to the Loch of Weapons to seek the true Stone of Sorrow, and to once again follow in the footsteps of a hunted prince, this time to far off Caolas Stadhlaigh.

Chapter 2.3: Thoughts under Èiseabhal: A Journey to Hairteabhagh of South Uist

A broken bridge instigates a journey to deserted Hairteabhagh.

Chapter 2.4: The Spectre of Ùisinis: South Uist

We land on the far shores of Ùisinis to seek shelter in its lonely bothy.

Chapter 2.5: Walking the Waters: Vallay, Oronsay & Crògary Mòr

After walking to an island, we enter a mansion without windows or doors; A trek across the sea to the surf-battered ruin of Teampull Òdhrain; We then climb the rocky summit of Crògary Mòr in search of a cow's hide of gold.

Chapter 2.6: Eabhal, South Lee & Dùn Charaigeàrraidh of North Uist

After a crushing defeat on the slopes of Eabhal, we bog-hop to its top via the Stargate. Another summit of the Uists is then in-store as we make two journeys to seek out the beehive cell of Dùn Charaigeàrraidh.

Chapter 2.7: The Haunts of Ùisdean MacGhilleasbuig Chlèirich

Now, just how do you get into a castle with no windows or doors?; After storming Caisteal Ùisdean, we walk to the island sanctuary of Dùn an Sticir, the skulker's fort, where thirsty Ùisdean MacGhilleasbuig Chlèirich made his last stand.

Part 3: St Kilda, Monachs, Taransay & the Sound of Harris

Ensay, Taransay, St Kilda, Berneray, Pabbay, Killegray, Boreray

The Monach Isles of Ceann Iar, Ceann Ear & Shillay

Chapter 3.1: The Sea-Gate & St Taran's Cross: Ensay & Taransay

My hopes to visit St Kilda are dashed to bits; Spirits rise when I'm given the keys to Ensay and Taransay; We find a chapel buried in sand, a standing stone converted to Christianity, and cross the rattle stone to a floating fort; Years later, we fight through an onslaught of bloodthirsty savages to once again visit the floating fort of St Taran's Isle.

Chapter 3.2: Voyages to St Kilda: St Kilda, Àird a Mhòrain & the Monachs

I fly above a snowstorm of gannets, then, a decade later, float under them; Once ashore on St Kilda, I consider dancing on the Mistress Stone, visit the Amazon village, and with a rope in case, slide down slime to the sea; After a night of drinking, my sanity has to be questioned when I see men in ties, and women in heels, storm this remote island; Years later we return to discover that the critical rope is missing, and so I lead an unwitting friend on a precarious slime slide to the sea. Along the way we visit the Monach Isles to go ashore on Ceann Iar of the monks, Ceann Ear of the nuns, and the once-shuttered lighthouse island of Shillay.

Chapter 3.3: A Berneray Walk: Remembrances of Splash & Gloria MacKillop

We visit Berneray of Harris to pay our respects to two giants: Big Angus MacAskill, and Don Alick 'Splash' MacKillop, the crofter who hosted a prince.

Chapter 3.4: The Cross that Would Frighten Giants: Pabbay & Killegray

Pabbay shuns my advances for years, forcing me to resort to a week-long siege; While awaiting her surrender, we visit the causewayed dùns of Loch Hundair and the tip-top of North Lee; After setting foot on Pabbay, to see the cross that would frighten giants, we ascend to the beacon cairn of Killegray.

Chapter 3.5: The Monks' Field: Boreray

The waters of the Sound of Harris are traversed to see the Monks' Field of Boreray; Years later, I return to lead a dozen souls over dangerous ground.

Part 4: North Harris, Pairc & the Shiants

Harris, Lewis, Scarp, Scalpay

Eilean Chaluim Chille & the Shiants

Chapter 4.1: Away with the Fairies on an Island that Likes to be Visited: North Harris

We crawl into the beehive cells of Clàr Beag; Visit a place of treachery; Then listen for the call of Tìr nan Òg, the land of everlasting youth, on the Isle of Mary Rose; Two decades pass, and we return to the cells of Clàr Beag to discover that time has taken its toll.

Chapter 4.2: Walks in the Pairc

We voyage to the site of the Murder of the Mealasta Men, then, under a blazing sun, venture up the Loch of Salmon to the chasm-oasis of Gil Bhigurra; We finish our adventures in Pairc with a visit to the cleared, raided, and now abandoned village of Stìomrabhagh.

Chapter 4.3: The Scholar’s Road to Direascal: North Harris

A hike along the Scholar's Road to Direascal, the most remote track in the Hebrides.

Chapter 4.4: Scarp

After being abandoned on Scarp, I climb to the summit with its sweeping views to the fjords of Western Lewis; We explore its Norse mills, then examine the history of the hostel, now a sad pile of stones

Chapter 4.5: Scalpay Week

After exploring Scalpay and its iconic lighthouse, we climb the airy path of the Stiomar to Cràbhadail; Then I lose my boots on the postman's path to Rhenigidale.

Chapter 4.6: Eilean Chaluim Chille

Two journeys to St Columba's Isle in Loch Eireasort in search of ancient cells.

Chapter 4.7: The Shiants

A night under a hundred thousand puffins, followed by an ascent to the plateau of Eilean Mhuire on a rope tied to the unknown; We set foot on Garbh Eilean to explore the monastic ruins of Annaid, then descend the Eiger in the steps of one who would not survive; Twenty years of journeys to the Shiants come to an end as we make another climb to seek out the puffin slopes of Eilean Mhuire.

Part 5: Uig, Crolà, Mealasta & the Flannans

Lewis, Mealasta Island & Eilean Mòr of the Flannans

Chapter 5.1: The Uig Coast and the Haunts of Dòmhnull Càm Mhic Amhlaigh

On the high cliffs of Mangurstadh we seek out the Hobbit House and the rock-top fort of one-eyed Dòmhnull Càm Mhic Amhlaigh; Following in the footsteps of Michael Robson, we search for a shieling of the one night and the hidden chamber of Uamha Gil Bhialàradail; We end our exploration of Uig on its northern ramparts to seek out the house of peace, which stands face to face with the Cold War outpost of Àird Ùig.

Chapter 5.2: The Beehive Village of Àird Mhòr

A two-day tramp over a land of endless bogs in search of the twelve-chambered beehive cell; Seventeen years pass, and we return to see how that iconic cell has endured the relentless battering of ocean waves.

Chapter 5.3: The Haunted Isles: Àird Bheag of Lewis

With the golden sands of Mealasta Island shining in the sun, we climb the gloomy pass to see what's left of Àird Bheag; While camping among its ghosts, strange sounds are heard in the night; We return to Àird Bheag a dozen years later in the company of one who was born there; The call of Àird Bheag is hard to resist, and on another journey I am startled when one of its residents pokes his big nose into my tent.

Chapter 5.4: Mealasta Island

Twenty years after first seeing it from afar, we set foot on the golden sands of Mealasta Island.

Chapter 5.5: Crolà and the Postman's Stones: Lewis

The Postman's Stones are followed across the bogs to spend a night in Crolà; Years later, I return to find that my efforts at beautification had been for naught; We then seek out the high beehives of Am Bothan Àird, and Lord Campbell's Cairn atop Beiniseabhal that commemorates an agreement on the disputed Lewis/Harris border.

Chapter 5.6: The Flannan Isles

We reach for rusty rungs to gain a foothold on the Flannans; After performing the ritual disrobing, we follow the dead-end steps down the cliff—all the while thinking on three men dead; Years later, with a rope in case, we once again climb the crumbling steps to delve into the oratory of The Seven Hunters.

Part 6: Isles of Loch Ròg

Little Berneray, Eilean Fir Chrothair, Flodaigh 

Cealasaigh, Great Berneray & Pabaigh Mòr

Chapter 6.1: Little Bernera

A quest ends to find the grave of a princess; I return years later to seek out St Donnan's Chapel, only to discover the grave of a friend.

Chapter 6.2: Eilean Fir Chrothair

A journey to Eilean Fir Chrothair to crawl into the most exquisite beehive cell in the Hebrides.

Chapter 6.3: A Day at Sea with Malcy: Flodaigh, Eilean Fir Chrothair, Cealasaigh & Little Berneray

We set foot on Flodaigh, whose monks’ dwellings became the prison of Cornelius Con; We then return to Eilean Fir Chrothair to seek out the House of Blessing before jetting across shallow, sandy waters to search for the monastic ruins of Cealasaigh; We end our day at sea by returning to Little Berneray in search of the true St Donnan’s.

Chapter 6.4: The Great Bernera Circuit 

We traverse the shores of Great Bernera to pay homage to the Bernera Crofters and the 'riot' of 1872.

Chapter 6.5: Pabaigh Mòr

An Atlantic son takes us to the ancestral homeland of the MacLeods of Pabaigh Mòr, where we encounter a church blown to smithereens by the Navy.

Part 7: North Lewis & Rona 

Lewis, Rona, & Sùlaisgeir

Chapter 7.1: Rona and Sùlaisgeir

We head north to Rona where, after several failed attempts to land, we make a last try and, thanks to the perseverance of the skipper, leap ashore on a swell and crawl in a cell. A decade passes, and we spend two summer days dodging bonxies on St Ronan's Isle; After being denied a landing, we float for an hour off St Brianuil's isle of gugas.

Chapter 7.2: Dune Tower and the Stone of the Peats

Following in the footsteps of John Wilson Dougal, we hike from Tolsta to Ness to see Dune Tower and its deserted chapel.

Chapter 7.3: A Shieling of One Night: Uishal

Desperate conditions force seeking sanctuary in a shieling of one night.

Chapter 7.4: Somewhere in the Hebrides: Journeys to Laimisheadair

Seeking everlasting youth, we let Alasdair Alpin MacGregor lead us to the threshold of Tìr nan Òg; Twenty-five years pass, and we return to search for the well and shrine of St Ciaran.