Muirneag - 23/03/05

At breakfast I give the German guests as much info as I can about Lewis, suggesting that they start their 8 day quest for geology on Rubha Robhanais [Butt of Lewis]. He is an orthodontist, she an homeopathic doctor. Oh dear, clashing views. Set out on the 10.45 bus to Tolsta with a view to walk to Muirneag, a hill of 248 m height. On the bus was a lady tourist, who asked whether it was Skye she could see on the right on the way through Back. Well, no, that’s Point, dear. And from the terminus at New Tolsta, you just walk down the road to Traigh Mòr and Traigh Gearraidh. I branch off down a farmtrack, which leads through low hills. Meet a man with his lurcher dog going the other way. After that, I will not meet another living soul for 5 hours.

At the end of the track, I veer left along the southern bank of Loch Diridean. Slight problem in the shape of two barbed wire fences on locations not marked on the map. At the end of the loch, Muirneag looms up due west. The terrain is rough going with peatbanks up to 5 feet high, and boggy ground in between. Strike out across the moor, on a course of 270°, i.e. due west. The terrain is wet, interspersed with frequent water courses. Some are barely filled with water, others are wide and deep. But nothing that a slight diversion or a quick jump cannot resolve. Pass south of Loch na Cloich, then a little north of west to slowly rise from 100 to 130 m over a distance of 2 km. Pass a little south of Loch NicDhomhaill and start the ascent of the actual hill at 1pm from the southeast. The sky clouds over, and when I finally struggle to the summit at 248 m by 13.30, a shower starts.

It severely restricts the view, and I can only make out dimly distant hills. Tolsta can be discerned to the left of Tolsta Head. The trig point on Muirneag is surrounded by a low wall. Others have been here before me, on quad-bikes, and have left their lunch wrappers behind. The route I had envisaged from Gress would have been very long, about 13 miles. This trip today will be about 6 miles long. West of the main summit of Muirneag is a slightly lower hill. On the way in, the hill of Muirneag is an easy point of reference. The return journey is slightly tricky. Have to take a compass bearing due east (90°), at the bottom of the hill. It’s all very well aiming for Tolsta Head &c, but if you cannot see it, it’s no use, is it. Loch Diridean’s valley is visible as a dark scar about 3 miles away. My return journey is uneventful, only I hit Loch na Cloiche, which means I’m about 200 metres out. And I lose my apple. Return via the northern bank of Loch Diridean, to avoid the barbed wire fencing. It is slightly rockier than the southern shore. Have a teabreak against a hillock on the loch’s eastern end. The sun shines pleasantly, and the wind has dropped. I return to New Tolsta at 4 pm, which leaves me 45 minutes until bustime. So I go down to the nearby Traigh Mor and dream away on the sand. Bus leaves on time and takes me back to town in 40 minutes. Today, Mrs B cooks dinner for me: goulash and rice with a glass of wine.