Chapel at Rubh' an Teampaill

An easy, but very rewarding hike on Harris, is the two-mile stroll from Taobh Tuath (Northton) out to the medieval chapel Teampall na h-Uidhe, on the south side of Gob na Tobha (Toe head).

The chapel was built on the site of a broch, a stone fort about 50 feet in diameter, and many of the fort's stones were used to build the chapel. Bill Lawson describes, on page 27 of his book 'Harris in History an Legend', how the fort was one of several that could relay a warning along the coast of the Long Isle.

Below are some photos of a walk to the chapel in 2010. 

Uidhe Chapel - Pabbay in the distance (left), Shillay to the right

Drochaid Scalpaigh - Scalpay Bridge

This is the 1000-foot-long Scalpay Bridge, which opened in 1997. The first photo was taken from MV Chalice on a Hebridean cruise I took in 2006. We motored under the bridge on our way to find an anchorage south of Tarbert (Harris).

As we passed under the bridge I noticed this group of young people fishing off the base of the Scalpay end of the bridge. I promised myself that someday I'd visit that spot.

It took me seven years to make good on that promise. In June of 2013 I spent five nights on Scalpay. On the evening of one of those days I put a can of beer and a bag of crisps in my pack, wandered over to the north end of the island, and then descended the grassy hillside below the bridge. 

At the base of the bridge I took a seat on the spot where I had seen those folks fishing seven years before. I cracked open the beer, ripped open the bag of crisps, and then enjoyed them as I listened to the bridge sing. It was windy, and the bridge acted like the string of a bass; a low frequency groan that came and went with the wind. I sat there for an hour, and then made my way back to the B&B (Dail na Mara). I tend to overuse the term 'memorable', but it was indeed a memorable evening.

The Green Flash - Staffa

While looking at beer in the supermarket this weekend I saw something that made me think of the Hebrides. What I saw transported me back to the times I'd stood atop the cliffs of Staffa, looking down to the collonaded face of Fingal's Cave. 

I also recalled being on Staffa (next photo) and looking towards the western horizon, where the green flash was seen by Helena and Oliver in Jules Verne's 'The Green Ray'.

Although I've looked for it many times, I have not seen the green flash that occasionally appears as the sun sinks into the sea. But I look for it every chance I get. So what did I see on a store shelf in Seattle that made me think of Staffa in the far off Hebrides?  It was a bottle of ale with the following label. I'll have to smuggle some of it to Staffa, await sunset, and then try my luck again to see the flash.

Jura Campsite

In book 1 (chapter 6) there's a description of a three-day camping trip on the north end of Jura. Here are a few photos from that trip. The first three were taken on July 7, 2005. On the morning of that day I had climbed to a high point to get a phone connection, and when I talked to my wife back in Seattle she told me what had happened in London that morning.

The first photo shows the pillared cairn atop Aird Bhreacain. It was a great viewpoint over Bagh Gleann nam Muc to the north, and Glen Trosdale to the south. I sat on the cairn comfortably for over an hour, as the pillar made a natural backrest. There are a lot of 'Breacan" place names here; Aird Bhreacain means the high ground of Breacan; on the shore below lies Uamh Bhreacain, Breacan's Cave; and just offshore swirls the whirlpool of Coire Bhreacain. 

Pillared Cairn atop Aird Bhreacain

The next photo was also taken atop Aird Bhreacain, and is a close up of the shore of Bagh Gleann nam Muc, the bay of Pig Glen. If you look closely you can see the tent. 

Campsite on the shore of Bagh Gleann nam Muc

From my seat atop Aird Bhreacain I watched as a herd of deer grazed down in Glen Trosdale. Once they caught sight of me they ran away.

Deer watching me from Glen Trosdale

Back down in camp I started a fire and made dinner. It was a great campsite, made all the better as I did not see another soul during the three days.

Campsite at Bagh Gleann nam Muc 

Once the fire got going it was time to warm cold toes and enjoy a dram.

Warming cold toes - Fireside at Bagh Gleann nam Muc 

The next morning I awoke to the beautiful sight of sea-fog floating over a quiet Corryvreakan.

Early morning at Bagh Gleann nam Muc - Scarba in the distance

A few hours later the boat Gemini motored into the bay to pick me up, and all too soon I was on my way back to Crinan.

Gemini arrives - time to leave Jura

Aird a' Mhorain

The hike out to Aird a' Mhorain is a classic Hebridean walk, one I have done four times now. The round trip to its end and back is about seven miles, as the narrow peninsula extends some three miles out into the Sound of Harris. To get there drive to Grenitote, the northernmost point on the North Uist ring-road, find a place to leave the car, then set out to the north.

There are several aspects to the walk that make it a must-do. First off are the two amazing beaches that cover each side of the peninsula (first and second photo), and if the tide is out you can do much of the walk on the hard-pack sand. Along the way you will enjoy unobstructed views to the many nearby islands in the Sound. 

East Beach - Aird a' Mhorain

West Beach - Aird a' Mhorain

There are also historical aspects to the walk that make it worthwhile. Near the tip of the peninsula lies Caibeal Bhororaigh, the burial ground of Boreray, an island that lies just a half mile offshore (next photo). The burial ground has only a few readable tombstones, most notably to the Macleans of Boreray. But there are over a hundred simple tombstones with no names on them. As described in chapter 14 (book 2) you will also find the beautiful Well of the Cross on the beach west of the burial ground.

Caibeal Bhororaigh on the tip of Aird a' Mhorain

Another historical aspect to the walk is to pay a visit to Udal, a ruined village at the centre of the peninsula. Lying in the sand are over 20 ruined buildings, including four wheelhouses. Udal was a major settlement in the 13th and 14th centuries. 

Udal ruins - looking towards North Uist

Udal ruins - looking towards Harris

After exploring Udal you can return to Grenitote by either walking on across the machair, or by returning to the east beach. The entire walk covers fairly level terrain, so it can be enjoyed by anyone. I'm looking forward to doing it again someday.

Traigh a' Siar - Taransay

Here is a view of Traigh a' Siar, the West Beach of Taransay. I was hiking up to see the causewayed fort in Loch an Duin, when I looked behind me and was astonished by the sight of this beautiful white-sand beach shining in the sun.

Another amazing sight was St Kilda rising out of the sea to the west.

A Walk to Cravadale - 2

Last time I was on my way to Cravadale, and had just reached the misty top of the path from Hushinish known as 'The Stiomor' (possibly an Old Norse word for 'path'). Visibility was about 50 feet, and from the top of the foggy pass I slowly descended to the shore of Loch na Cleavag. The lone house of Cravadale soon came in sight on the southeast shore of the loch.

Cravadale House on Loch na Cleavag

To give you a full view of the Cravadale area here is a photo taken from the top of Scarp. You can see the white house of Cravadale on Loch na Cleavag to the right of centre. The long beach in the foreground is Traigh Mhuelein, Loch Cravadale (a sea-loch) is at the far left, and Loch a' Ghlinne can be seen in the distance, which goes about a mile up into Glen Cravadale.

Cravadale seen from the top of Scarp

There was a village at Cravadale, but the people were cleared off. All that remains is what had been a keeper's house. The house is still occasionally used, but no one was home. There had been a Side School here at one time. 

House at Cravadale

From the house I walked a short way east to the beach of Loch Cravadale. It was a beautiful spot and I had it all to myself. Just around the corner was the large Loch a' Ghlinne, which covers most of Glen Cravadale.

Beach of Loch Cravadale

Just above the beach lay a cluster of shieling ruins set next to a field of abandoned lazybeds.

Shieling ruins above the beach

All too soon it was time to return to the car. One option would be to walk a mile up Glen Cravadale to the head of Loch a' Ghlinne, then continue another three miles along a path through Glen Leosaid to Amhuinnsuidhe on the Hushinish road. I would have done that, but it also requires a six mile road walk back to Hushinish, for a total loop walk of 12 miles; too much when you also consider the long car journey. So I retraced my footsteps to Loch na Cleavag, and then climbed up into the mist to follow the path back to Hushinish. If you are looking for a great hike on Harris, this one is hard to beat.