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It took a long time to get walking on this
holiday but I got there, finally.
It might have been the prospect of the end of the holiday that propelled
me into action. And even though I spent the morning of the 22nd coughing
up phlegm (no change from previous days), the weather was as good as it would ever be
and we were going south to Harris.
Uisgneabhal Mor
Dad and Steve dropped me off on the North Harris road beneath the
mountains. The original plan was to start at sea level, at the head of
Loch Mhiabhaig, but a parking space at a higher elevation saw me heading
off earlier than planned. A beautifully clear day, I thought I could see
St. Kilda (indeed I could) and the ocean scenery was so beautiful.
Trudging up the lower slopes it was great having good scenery
from the beginning.
Over the hillside, my main target Uisgneabhal Mor came into view. It's
'only' a Graham at 729m, but it's a big big hill and climbs straight out
the sea. An Cliseam is even bigger, craggier and I could see last year's route up it's
southern
slopes. Today's sunshine couldn't have been more different than that
rain-drenched climb last July.
The initial kilometres to the hill required walking through heather and
grasses. Bog was lacking a little since the weather had become
so dry and only once I'd crossed all this could I get onto the south
ridge of the hill itself. Once on this, it was a superb gradual climb
towards the summit. I was in the grips of a bad cold and had a hacking cough,
but on the other hand I had never felt better. The
landscape was so invigorating and with blue skies to the horizon
and the prize of the summit still ahead, I felt so content sucking up
every corner of this panorama. I'd spent little of this Western Isles
holiday on the hills (previous big plans really turned to nil...) but now I
couldn't have been happier. Now my thoughts turned to the days and peaks
I'd missed, for now I was here in the mountains, I wished to stay.
Uisgneabhal Mor followed a short trudge up it's west ridge to the sound
of passing jets, and for the first time I could see a 360 panorama of
the Western Isles at my feet. What a joy to be up here on the top of
everything with this location and this weather... I had a feeling ('deep
inside'?) that this was was turning into one of those days, one so
magnificent it ranks among the best in your life.
Teileasbhal and Sron Scourst
Teileasbhal offered a little scrambling on big blocks (the rock here is
super grippy, like the most course sandpaper you have felt) and it was a
quick ascent up to it's summit. I was glad to be on this peak, for from
below it looks jagged and reticent compared against Uisgneabhal Mor.
But by now I was tiring more than I was used to, and harbouring a cold,
An Cliseam as planned was now out the window. Instead I thought I could
do Sron Scourst instead to complete all Tops of the Uisgneabhal area.
It was a good plan and I headed west, traversing some slopes then on a
ridge towards this spectacular peak. Beyond the broad eastern slopes,
it's west side drops monumentally one thousand feet to the valley below.
I just had to see this, so when I finally gained the summit I had a good
peek over the west face and enjoyed the thrill of being above this
enormous drop.
Descent
I pulled back to the summit and got on my way
down, picking my way down the southern slopes to a small building,
almost bothy-like, though kept locked up. Concerning the sandpaper-like
rock, I earned nearly 10 scars on descent as I stumbled past a rock. The
wee knifes just sliced like butter - tread with caution here. A fall
would look horrific.
From the locked up building, a walk back to the road remained, although I was
doing it in perfect time and I simply relaxed. Back at the road,
there was no sign of anyone so I walked around the coast to my starting point,
just at the very moment the car pulled. A meal in Tarbet awaited.
Brilliant.
Panoramas
360° panorama from Uisgneabhal Mor
360° panorama from Teileasbhal
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