Tealasbhaigh

It is about as remote as you can get, but it is on the largest Hebridean island. No roads, tracks, or paths of any kind reach this far off place, so, unless you arrive by sea, getting there involves hours of bog- and heather-hopping. I am speaking of Tealasbhaigh, at the south end of the Ardveg peninsula. The approach to it from the highlands of Ardveg is stunning, with far-sweeping views over the mouth of the loch to the mountainous isle of Scarp.

Loch Tealasbhaigh - Scarp in the distance (right)

As you descend to the shore of Loch Tealasbhaigh you pass several beautiful un-named hillside lochs.

My last hike to Tealasbhaigh was to look for beehive cells, as I had read that there was a cell here. I did find the township ruins at the head of the loch, but there were no beehive cells. (There is, however, an amazing collection of cells a kilometer to the east.)

The township ruins consist of two blackhouses, each with an attached pen. You will be hard-pressed to find any written information on the settlement. In Bill Lawson's excellent book Lewis - The West Coast in History and Legend, there is only this brief mention:  'Teallasbhagh was for a time a keeper's cottage at the back of the Arid Bheag . . . none of these little settlements lasted into census times, and  probably they all fell empty in the 1820s.'

Tealasbhaigh's only place in Hebridean history (that I know of), is as the spot where the Lewis Chessmen came to the island. As one version of the story goes, a young boy absconded with the chessmen from a ship at anchor here. He was subsequently murdered, and the chessmen taken to Uig, where they were buried in the sand. See this web-page for the complete story.

My favorite memory of Loch Tealasbhaigh is of a night in the spring of 2003. I was aboard the ship Poplar Diver, and we'd anchored there for the night. Once the hook was dropped, the skipper, Rob Barlow, went diving for scallops in the icy waters of the loch. It was my first taste of fresh-dived scallops: which to this day, for me, is still one of the highlights of a small-ship Hebridean cruise. 

The Great Skua

The great skua is an impressive beast. I have seen a sky full of 100,000 puffins suddenly become empty as a skua swooped through on the prowl. I have been attacked by them on several occasions, most notably on St Kilda, Rona, and Hermaness (Unst). For their first attack they like to dive in from behind, trying to get a piece of your scalp. It can be quite startling if you don't see them coming.

Here are a few Skua pictures I've taken over the years. If you look at the March 17, 2013 post, you will find video of a skua attack on Rona. Looking at that old post, made exactly six years ago, reminded me that the blog is in its seventh year, with over 600 posts. If the Skuas don't get me, I hope to make at least another 600.

Pabay Mor in Song

When first he rounded Pabay Mor

And met the mountain waves alone

There was fear till there was fear no more

Wild Atlantic son

This is the first verse of Pabay Mor; a beautiful song that eloquently invokes the ever-present challenge of the sea in the lives of the Hebrideans. I have been to this beautiful island several times over the years, and have experienced first-hand the severe sea-change often encountered when rounding the island to leave the sheltered waters of Loch Rog. One second the boat is lazily motoring forward, the next it is plowing through heavy seas.

Here are links to two versions of Pabay Mor. Have a listen, I think you'll like them. Below these links are a few images of beautiful Pabay Mor.

2020 Guided Cruise - Mingulay and More

Since 2016 it has been my privilege to create a yearly itinerary for 10-day cruise on the ship Hjalmar Bjorge, operated by Northern Light Cruising Company. It has been a rewarding experience, having the opportunity every year to share some of my favorite islands with guests eager to set foot on some of the more remote isles of the Hebrides. As always, weather, and sea-state, will determine exactly where we can go, but our goals for 2020 are as follows:

Departing on April 25, we’ll head west to Tobermory or Loch Sunart for the first night. Then it’s off to the Barra Isles to pay a visit to the islands south of Barra, with Mingulay as a priority – the puffins should be out in force on Mingulay. Then we’ll head north to the Monach Isles. If conditions look promising, we’ll continue on north to the Flannans. Landing on the Flannans is contingent on the sea-state.

We’ll then head east through the Sound of Harris, with time ashore on some of its islands, with Shillay and Ensay as priorities. Then we’ll set a course to the Shiants, which should be awash with puffins at this time of year. After the Shiants, it’s south through the Minch, with possible stops at Fladda Chuain or Isay. We’ll then return to Oban on May 4, via a stop at one of the Small Isles.

The following describes the highlights of some of the islands we hope to visit. Guests can come along on a guided walk, or explore on their own. For more information, and to book, refer to the Northern Lights website.

Mingulay: Sometimes called ‘The Nearer St Kilda’, with its puffins and historic ruins. Occupied as early as 3000 BC, the island was abandoned in 1912. The remains of its village are an evocative sight, as they are gradually being swallowed by the blowing sands.

The Monachs (the Monk’s Isles): Three low-lying islands connected by sandbars at low tide. There is a large seal population here, and it was the site of a monastery in the middle ages.

Flannans: The mystery of the missing lightkeepers remains unsolved to this day. Landing here can be difficult, and requires use of a rope, so conditions need to be just right. In addition to the famous lighthouse, the island is home to three historic beehive cell dwellings, and several thousand puffins.

Shiants: More puffins await us on the Shaints. A night at anchor here is something to remember forever: the sky filled with a hundred thousand of them flying between the sea and their island burrows.

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

Beinn Tangabhal via the Hebridean Way

My wife and I ended our Hebridean trip last August with a stay on Barra. I had been reading about the new Hebridean Way, a long-distance path that begins on Vatersay, and ends 185 miles north at the Butt of Lewis. While I was on Barra I wanted to walk some of the path, and I also wanted to climb Beinn Tangabhal, as I had not been up there for 20 years.

As it turns out, just where the Hebridean Way crosses the Vatersay causeway, it continues north by ascending the western shoulder of Beinn Tangabhal, which at just over 1000 feet elevation, is the third highest peak on Barra. The high point of that section of the path comes within 1000 feet distance, and 250 feet elevation, of the summit of Tangabhal; and so I decided make a climb up the mountain via the Hebridean Way.

The 'official' start of the path is marked by an iron marker, just opposite the Vatersay Community Hall.

The route then follows the road around to the Vatersay Causeway; but if you have the energy, a better way is to climb north over Heiseabhal Mor, the highest point on Vatersay. The views far outweigh the exertion required to get there.

Vatersay Causeway seen from slopes of Heiseabhal Mor

After descending from the high ground of Vatersay, you cross the causeway, then carry on along the road 1500 feet to the east. Here the Hebridean Way finally leaves the road to head up into the hills.

As you start to climb, just above the road, you pass a very historic site: the Allt Chrysal Roundhouse.

Just offshore here I saw the boat Boy James. Under its previous skipper, Donald Beg, Boy James had taken me to the islands of Pabbay, Bernera, and Sandray - good times. Although Donald Beg no longer skippers the boat, it still does trips to the uninhabited islands south of Barra.

Boy James in the Sound of Vatersay

Just above the Allt Crysal roundhouse I came upon the first waymarker for the Hebridean Way.

As I climbed north, the view opened up to the east. Unfortunately it was a misty day, and as I climbed that view gradually disappeared. After ascending 800 feet the trig-pillar on the summit of Beinn Tangabhal appeared in the cold mist.

The summit was fascinating. Twenty years had passed since I was last here, and the mist that came and went with the wind made for quite an ethereal experience.

After enjoying the view (and a beer), I headed back to the Hebridean Way, which I followed down to the sands of Halaman Bay.

After reaching sea-level, the route went through through the sands of Halaman Bay to the Barra Ring Road. It was an amazing hike, one that I can highly recommend. I ended the hike with a two-mile road walk back to Castlebay, where I rewarded myself with a pint at the Craigard Hotel.

Halaman Bay and Tangasdal