Rua Reidh Lighthouse - Three times on two wheels

Jun 2014

One of my families favourite places on the West Coast is Gairloch and I've been intending to visit Rua Reidh Lighthouse at the end of  Rubha Reidh point past the small settlement of Melvaig. Not fancying taking the camper van down the final narrow section (I had believed it to be a private road but it received a good amount of public traffic) I opted for the more leisurely two wheels from Big Sands Campsite a total distance, there and back of twenty miles.

Of course on my first visit I forgot my camera, and took a few low res photos on my phone, on my second visit a thunderstorm coincided with my arrival at the lighthouse. The downpour was so torrential I couldn't see - needless to say it I didn't dare get my camera out and cycling was 'interesting'. Fortunately my third visit was uneventful and thankfully I remembered my camera!!

Rua Reidh's jetty...

Stac Pollaidh - Still falling short of the summit

Jun 2014

My old man joined us for a week in the Far North of Scotland and he said he had always wanted to climb Stac Pollaidh - so my only hill of the week was a repeat and the true summit wasn't even reached, for the second time! But if there is a hill you have a repeat this one doesn't get a complaint from me :)

Stac Pollaidh from the car park...

Crinan & Kilmartin Glen - A wander through history

The Crinan Canal is one of my favourite places, despite the tourist (I'm one!) hustle & bustle it is still a peaceful place. As the sun finally showed itself a wander up the Kilmartin Glen to grab photos of some of the ancient monuments, I've visited them before on a grey drab drizzly day.

Duke of Normandy II & VIC32...

In search of rusty metal on Islay & Jura

Sometimes the detail of an OS map brings up those little tantalising things that catch your eye. My other half describes me as 'sad' but I can sit there for hours looking at maps, studying their finest detail. On Jura's Explorer Sheet 355 (its one of those annoying double sided ones!), I noticed roughly a mile North of Feolin Ferry a waterwheel. Intrigued it looked worth a visit, it was also an excuse to stay on Jura for just a little while longer. If you also decide to extend your stay don't expect a 30 foot working wheel, because you will be decidedly disappointed!

While in the search of rusting iron a visit to the wreck of the Wyre Majestic on the Islay Shore of the Sound, just South of the Bunnahabhain Distillery, is well worth a visit.

CalMac's 'Isle of Arran' bound for Colonsay docked at Port Askaig...

Evans' Walk - A wander across Jura

The Evans walk is the 'only' path on Jura & is even named on the OS map, it leaves the A846 heading for Glenbatrick Lodge, the summer residence of Lord Astor. The path was originally constructed for Henry Evans who held the lease on the Forest, Inver & parts of the Tarbert Estates in 1888. He had only one leg so the path was to aid his crossing to Glenbatrick on horseback. 

He spent his time studying deer & was the forefather of deer management but was also instrumental in clearing crofts on Jura to make way for deer. 

Not only did George Orwell appreciate Jura for its remoteness it is alleged in 1963, Christine Keeler & Mandy Rice-Davies where hidden at Glenbatrick to escape the press over the Profumo Affair! 

Evan's walk begins from a small lay-by just over half a mile from the Corran River... 

Beinn an Oir - No view & NO jelly babies!!

My original intention was to walk all three paps, Beinn an Oir, Beinn Shiantaidh & Beinn a Chaolais but my old man decided to accompany me, being in his 70s he informed me he wouldn't manage all three so I decided to climb to the saddle of Imir an Aonaich, where I would 'nip' up & down Beinn Shiantaidh before we both climbed Beinn an Oir. I would use the same method for Beinn a Chaolais - however with all best laid plans & despite a clear start the weather gods played their hand. By the time we reached Loch an t-Siob the cloud was beginning to build and unfortunately Beinn an Oir didn't reveal any views - the wind was brisk but not enough to clear the cloud! I was surprised to come across several ruined huts and a well made track to the summit which I have read where connected with the 1764 experiments on the affect of altitude on the boiling point of water.

The approach from the three arched bridge to Loch an t-Siob is horrendously wet, leaving the path to avoid the bogs just leads to more bogs!!!

A glimpse of Beinn Shiantaidh & the Sub 2000 of Corra Bheinn, clear of cloud from the boggy path...

Corryvreckan misadventures on two wheels!

One of my many things to see and do on the Isle of Jura was a visit to the Corryvreckan whirlpool, as its a walk from the public road end of 14 miles I decided it would be quicker on two wheels! To make matters worse my wife & kids didn't fancy being left in a car park in bleak moorland preferring the campervan to be left by the sea! 

Starting from Inverussa added another few miles to my intended route which as it was starting to drizzle wasn't a pleasing thought! In a way I was pleased the last few miles of road beyond Ardlussa are narrow & passing places are limited - the campervan was safer left down the road.

After a mile or two on the Land Rover track I also had a slight off, I'm not sure if it was due to excess speed or lack of skill (or both!!) but as all accidents it happened in slow motion & I saw it coming. The result was a sore right wrist and shoulder, my right knee was bleeding through my ripped trousers; in fact my right leg was badly bruised, on the plus side the bike that caught my left hip & shoulder (oily imprints marked the points of impact!) survived without a scratch! 

By the the time I reached Kinuachdrachd the drizzle had given way to torrential rain & gale force winds - which meant the return leg was going to be against an unpleasent headwind! Even walking was difficult so cycling wasn't going to be good!

I had also forgotton the map - so eventually with the end still out of sight I admitted defeat - with hindsight I had reached Garbh Leitir so didn't have far to go!

The bike at the end of the public road, the tarmac had given way to gravel before Lealt...

Beinn Mhor - A brief interlude from the water of life

Despite the best intentions this was the only of Islay's Marilyns I managed to climb. A combination of mixed weather, meeting family & other distractions (distilleries) meant my short stay on Islay did not produce many walks!

Starting from the RSPB car park near Upper Killeyan a waymarked route led to the American Monument...

Green Lowther & Moon Base Alpha

Jan 2011

This is was the first Scottish walk of 2011, accompanied by the kids & dog. A visit to Green Lowther & the NATS radar station which resembled moon base alpha from a '60s sci fi movie. Remaining patches of snow turned this into more of a snow ball fight then a walk - so it took a lot longer then anticipated!

Leaving Wanlockhead on the Southern Upland Way...

Whaligoe & its Steps - The unique tourist attraction

In the summer of 2013 I had planned to take the kids to John O' Groats and  Dunnet Head, as I never like to visit anywhere without an OS map of the area I'd picked up the Landranger sheet (12) for Thurso & Wick. As usual with my map 'OCD', I studied it first and noticed in the bottom right corner the word "Steps" highlighted in blue, denoting a site of tourist interest.

Steps? When have steps ever been a tourist attraction, indeed my house has several ? With the seeds of intrigue sown, I planned to keep an eye out for the village of Whaligoe as I traveled north to Wick. Of course in a blink it was gone, a hasty U turn brought us back to Whaligoe and a small parking area beyond some cottages was located. A honesty box selling a small tourist guide, 'Whaligoe and its Steps - The Unique Harbour' by Iain Sutherland proved that I had correctly located Whaligoe and its steps.

If like me you have never heard of the Whaligoe Steps they are a flight of 365 steps descending 250 feet of sea cliff to a fishing station & harbour. If it wasn't for the OS I would have driven past this one, well worth a visit.

This motorbike was rusting away near the car park...