Saturday 27th November
After the usual Saturday visit to Stornoway, the weather was quite interesting. A very bright rainbow over the Lochs area on the approach to Laxay (Lacasaidh), with showers all around. At a monument just before Balallan a minister of the church was conducting a service. Quite a few people in attendance. After dropping the shopping off in the hostel, went for a brief walk. Up the road, then through the moors to the Kershader waterbutt on the top of a hill. Coming down into the village proper was greeted by a very friendly sheepdog. He wanted me to come inside, but I politely declined, telling him to go to his boss. Which he did.
Sunday 28th November
Left at 10.30 with the half-formed idea of going to Roineaval, the high hill (281m) about 2½ miles west of Balallan. However, this involves a 5 mile road walk to the aforementioned village, which I really didn't fancy. So I diverted onto the moors and reset my aim for today to: Airidh a Bhruaich. This village is located about 2 miles southwest of Balallan along the main road to Tarbert. Left the B8060 South Lochs road at Habost, 1 mile west of Kershader, and proceeded onto the moors. Orientation is always of prime importance, and I have been warned repeatedly about the dangers of the moors. Apparently, you should avoid walking onto any green patches in the middle of the heather, as these are sinkholes. You'd disappear without trace - only to reappear as green growth on top of the bog. Not nice. Headed west southwest along the northern shores of Lochs Chragoil and Loch na Ciste. Then on to the very northern tip of Loch Sgiobacleit. There were fences about, but that did not prove too much of a problem, as I always seemed to turn up at a gate, somehow. Headed uphill from that point onwards, right to the summit of Mullach Breac Mhalasgair, grid ref 301166, at an altitude of 172m, 570ft. This is one of the highest hills in the vicinity, leaving the much higher Eishken hills (up to 572 metres) to one side. The view was quite spectacular. The west side of Lewis was visible, as was the east coast beyond Stornoway. The bays behind Gravir and Lemreway could be made out, as could the high hills of Eishken. At 1 o'clock, after lunch, I proceeded on a beeline almost exactly due west towards the road, which I reached half an hour later. At the point where this veers north, I went downhill towards a house which stands on the shore and headed west towards Airidh a Bhruaich. The going was a bit awkward at times, as the route led along the shore of Loch Seaforth. This is tidal. A lot of flotsam is washed up on the shore. At about 2.30, I reached a ruined house and a little further on the first of dozens of fences. The village is strung out along 1½ miles of shoreline, and each house has a strip of land leading down to the water. Fenced off, obviously. Turned north, still having to negotiate the fences, up to the point where I could rejoin the A859 northeast to Balallan. Road walking is no great hobby of mine, but about a mile before Balallan I could rejoin the old road. Met a pleasant lady walking her dog there, and we had a little chat. She went into her house at the beginning of the village, and I proceeded down the South Lochs Road. Nipped into the Claithair bar for a drink. Two gentlemen were having a game of pool. The barman was building a stack, or rather a wall of 2p coins around a bottle of whisky, and it was nearly 1 foot high. He glued them together by using - coke! The sugar stuck them together, which is better than glue. The sugar can be dissolved easily, the glue can not. The poolplayers gave me a lift to Kershader, whilst swigging beer. Drinking beer whilst driving a car? Oh help.
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