The Path to Reinigeadal - Revisited

I have posted in the past about the hill path to Reinigeadal which, prior to the road reaching the village in 1987, was the only way for walkers to get there from Tarbert. The walk is so spectacular, that I thought it worth revisiting, including some photos I've not used before.

In no particular order, here are some of the views that await all who walk this exhilarating path.

Looking west from near the top of the path

Looking east to the Shiants from the summit cairn

Top of the switchbacks heading east

Switchbacks down to the shore

Approaching the shore of Loch Trolamaraig

Looking west up the Abhainn Ceann an Locha

Where the path to Molinginis branches off

Stone marking the path to Molinginis

Looking back to the switchbacks from Reinigeadal

Trolamaraig beach at the bottom of the path

Hebridean Roller Coaster

I'd heard about the roller coaster for a few years before I saw it. It is a mini-tramway built to bring supplies up to a house at Gearraidh Mhurchaidh, on the southwest shore of Loch Seaforth. There was once a small settlement here, and the shells of a half dozen houses can be seen. No roads lead to this remote spot, a half-mile north of Rhenigidale, so building the house must have been quite a challenge. I wonder if the residents ever go for a ride on their roller coaster.

The Roller Coaster

A Tale of Two Boots - Epilogue

On Thursday I arrived on Harris and drove to Renigidale. Once there I stopped in to see Kenny Mackay, a long time resident of the village. Kenny had kindly stored my wayward boots until I could collect them. They were a bit moldy, and the metal lace-hasps and eyelets have a fine green patina, which I guess I should not rub off if I ever want to sell them on Antiques Roadshow. Aside from that they are fine, and I have already gone on two hikes wearing them. I was hoping to get to Mealasta Island today, but the weather is awful and the trip has been cancelled. So how shall I spend a stormy day on Lewis?

The wayward boots are back - that's Eilean Iubhaird in the distance

A Tale of Two Boots - Rhenigidale 4

The next day I drove the road to Rhenigidale and parked at the trail-head west of the village. The path contoured down around a headland to give me this great view of the beach at Trollamarig and above it the switchbacks I'd descended (and ascended) the day before.

The trail then passed down and through the abandoned village of Gearraidh Lotaigear where a shop once offered provisions to those passing through to Rhenigidale.

It was a much shorter hike than the day before. I soon found myself once again at Trollamarig Beach; the sky a bit grayer than the day before.

I enjoyed a beer on the beach to celebrate having 'closed' the loop from the previous day's effort, and then started back up the path to return to Rhenigidale.

As I hiked back to the car the gray sky darkened further, the wind picked up, and a light drizzle started. Reaching the car I opened the rear door on the passenger side and sat down to change out of my hiking boots. I had just put my street shoes on when a blast of wind slammed the open car door on my legs. So I got up and walked around to the driver's side to finish changing out of my sweaty hiking shirt. I was so tired and hungry that once I had a fresh shirt on I drove off. 

A day later I was on the mainland, 150 miles from Rhenigidale. I wanted to go for a hike up Beinn Dubh, which rises high above the village of Luss on the western shore of Loch Lomond. My boots were nowhere to be found. It was then I realized I'd driven off and left them at the roadside above Rhenigidale.

So here I am today, bootless in Seattle. But good things happen to those who blog. My July 8 post on Ardveg was of interest to someone who lives in Rhenigidale. So thinking the odds were against it, I asked if any boots had turned up. A couple of days later the answer came back. Yes. And so on my visit to Harris and Lewis next week I will be going to Rhenigidale to fetch those wayward boots. I hope they were rescued before any sheep had a chance to gnaw on them.

A Tale of Two Boots - Rhenigidale 3

Although there is a 'shore' path to Molinginish marked on the OS map, it is not much of a path. It started out easy enough, a rough track branching off to the SE.

But it soon turned into more of a game-track that cut through deep heather. A short way into it I had to slowly cross a steep stream that was in spate due to the recent rains. After that, about halfway to Molinginish, I came to a nearly vertical stream, a mini waterfall that had to be crossed. There was no safe way across, especially for someone hiking on their own. In a very disappointed mood I decided to turn around.

After bashing back through the heather to the Rhenigidale path I knew for sure I did not have the energy to carry on to Rhenigidale and then return to Urgha. So I started back up the switchbacks to retrace my walk in.

On the descent to the car I noticed this memorial stone I'd missed on the way up. It is to Duncan Macinnes who died here in 1908, and to his grandson (with the same name) who died near here in 1982.

Next time we'll drive to Rhenigidale to walk the eastern half of the path. And in the process I'll loose my boots.

A Tale of Two Boots - Rhenigidale 2

From the Molinginish stone I continued to an amazing section of switchbacks that steeply dropped 1000 feet to the sea.

Highpoint - Shiants in the distance

The steep descent starts

Switchbacks down to Trollomarig

Bridge at Trollamarig Beach

Trollamarig Beach

From here more climbing awaits to get to Rhenigidale. Before the road reached Renigidale in the 80s, this path was the main way for hikers to get to the Gatliffe Trust Hostel. It would be a good days work to get to the hostel on this path carrying a full pack, and it was at this point that I realized I had been too ambitious. There was no way I could carry on to Rhenigidale and then see Molinginish. So I decided to turn right, take the 'shore' path to Molininish and climb back up the pass to return to the car. Then, on the following day, I would drive to Rhenigidale and hike the path from there to this turnaround point at Trolomarig, so I'd have walked the entire path over a two day period.

The 'shore' path to Molinginish was barely visible, cutting through the deep heather as it headed SE above the coast. I was looking forward to seeing Molinginish, but as you'll learn next time, a quarter mile down the track I'd discover that Molinginish would be unreachable.

A Tale of Two Boots - Rhenigidale 1

The trek to Rhenigidale, along the path from Urgha on Harris, is an iconic Hebridean hike. Before a road was built in 1987, the only way to reach Rhenigidale was by sea, or by this exhilarating path that starts on the road two miles east of Tarbert. I had started to follow the path once many years ago, but a thick fog made visibility near zero, so I turned back. But a few weeks ago, while saying on nearby Scalpay, a clear day tempted me to try the walk again.

As I looked at the map, an intriguing loop hike presented itself. The OS map shows a 'shore' path that links Rhenigidale to Molinginish, another old settlement on Loch Trollamarig. So I decided to make a long loop hike. Starting from Urgha I would go to Rhenigidale, then backtrack to the head of Loch Trollamarig to follow the shore path to Molinginish. I would then return to the car by climbing the Molinginish path back to Urgha. A bit ambitious, but it would make for a great day of walking.

Two minutes into the walk - looking back to the parking area at Urgha

The walk starts with an easy climb east to the pass

And soon the summit cairn is reached

Summit Cairn - Shiants can be seen in the distance

After descending a ways I reached this marker stone where the path to Molinginish branches off

At this point I was still planning to carry on to Rhenigidale, swing through Molinginish, head back up the hill to this marker stone, and then return to the car. As you'll find out next time, it was not to be.

A Tale of Two Boots

Good hiking boots are the most important piece of equipment when exploring the islands. About five years ago I bought a pair of Asolo TPS 520s. After walking in them for 50 miles they broke in and fit me like a glove. Since then they've carried me successfully across the rough terrain of some 25 islands. So it was a sad day when I lost them after a hike on Harris last month. So how does one lose their boots? Over the next few posts I'll tell you as we make the famous hike to Rhenigidale. 

Warming up on Jura