Day fourty-two - Sunday

After yesterday's horrendous effort with getting up I was determined to make proper use of the day, so when my alarm went off at 0800 I had no excuses, even if it was a Sunday. Porridge/coffee and packed everything up before setting off in the car for the long drive to south-west Harris, aiming for a small place called Abhainn Suidhe, at the southern end of Gleann Uladail. Weather was absolutely glorious driving south through Lewis, and had Feeder blasting out the radio. Some of the roads just make me imagine a helicopter tailing me, filming a top gear shot in washed out colours and mic'd up engine sounds, so much fun to drive. Roads were empty too, with it being a Sunday morning. Passed a few elderly men walking alongside the single track road off the main road, guess they'd just come back from church. Took just over an hour to drive to the start point.

Boots on, it was looking decidedly overcast down on this end of the island. Set off around 1030, first a bit of a road bash. Had the choice of this at the start or the end, so opted for the former to be kind to my knees at the end of the day! Steep ascent up Cleiseabhal (512m), no paths to speak of on the entire round. Was combining two routes I'd seen on walkhighlands, the main attraction being Sron Uladail and it's spectacular cliff. Shortly into the walk I came across some fresh peat cuttings - the main fuel source for the islanders...

Top of Cleiseabhal, with Tiorga Mor (679m) centre and Oireabhal (662m) to the right

Once up there was a fairly consistent ridge without too much variation in height, so pleasant walking all the way north to the summit of Sron Uladail (442m), where I could sense the brooding cliff below me but hadn't yet seen it! Passed a group of american hillwalkers, one of whom stated "I can't believe how big this island is!" Didn't quite know what to say! Spotted a mountain hare, just had time to get out the budget binoculars to get a close up. Pretty sure I saw a big eagle too, not sure what type.

Air was really clear giving great views, if a little cloudy higher up

So much rock everywhere, but no sizeable crags. Until...

Contoured down to gain the stalking path that runs up the base of the gleann, had a spot of lunch at the head of Loch Aiseabhat. Then contoured up the opposite slope to Creagan Leathan, and before long was rewarded with a spectacular first view of the cliff of the Sron, guarding the valley! Onward to the top of the ridge and stopped for a while at two small bodies of water to finish my lunch and study the cliff through my binoculars, trying to work out the climbing lines. Spent a good 10mins eyeing it up. The actual climbing part of it must only be around 100-150m tall, but it's so overhanging it's unreal. Also the setting is immense, with the backdrop of flat ground stretching to the sea, peppered with lochs. Incredible. One day I'll be back, - my climbing stuff will be in my rucksack, I'll have a partner to share the adventure and I'll be climbing E6! (Ok, maybe not the last one...) The original aid route put up by Doug Scott et al has been freed to give an E6, but there are alternate lines down to HVS. Super psyched. If you walk in the stalkers path along the valley floor it would be a really quick walk in too.

Boom, the massive cliff of Sron Uladail!

Wow. Just wow.

Hanging out with the Sron

Made tracks south, heading up towards Tioga Mor. Spotted 3 deer on the ridge, so went into stalking mode, trying the walk slowly up the hill with binoculars in hand. They were backlit and above me so didn't get a very good view and then they disappeared. Disappointed I carried on upwards, glancing backwards occassionally until I caught sight of one again, now above them. Crouched down with my binoculars and was rewarded with an entire herd then bounding onto the top of the ridge!! Must have been about 60 initially, the first half continuing over and out of sight, the second sticking around on top for a bit. I counted 29, a whole range of baby ones, young stags with antlers. Watched them for a while before they too rounded the side of the hill and retreated into the privacy of the far slopes.

The last top of Tiorga Mor (679m) was reached before long, and there was another orienteering stamp on top, similar to An Cliseam but without the laminated card. Weather was turning, again it was really cold in the wind, hands going numb again so had to keep them in my pockets! Had a fairly decent view of St Kilda as well from this summit, crouched down in the summit shelter with binoculars out. The air was very clear.

Looking back at the ridgeline I'd walked earlier in the day

If you look closely in the centre you can make out St Kilda and the surrounding islands

Descended the southeast ridge of Tiorga Mor, nice rocky scrambling sections leading right down to the hydroeletric power station and track back to the car. 20min hike down this and I was back at the car, 5h30m after setting off. Reckon it was about 20km in total, and I stopped quite a lot for wildlife/cliff viewing! Taking off my boots I noticed a tick crawling along my leg, don't think it had started munching on my blood as wasn't swollen or embedded so quickly brushed it off, no Lymes disease for me. Started getting midged so sped off fairly quickly in the car. Passed a tiny little primary school on the road, must be only a handful of students!

Back at the flat by 5ish, quick shower before delivering the roast supplies to the Aberdeen flat then skyping Alice. Had a bit of a disaster with their oven - turns out the grill on oven mode is much better than the actual oven! So we left Mark (the new Aberdeen student) tending to the rotation system to ensure everything got cooked properly whilst the rest of us watched Crash in Tim's room. Not sure what to make of the film really! Some bits were clever, some bits we all worked out before and then it got really tiring when they kept making oh-so-subtle references to it, some bits were just plain nauseating. Enjoyed it though!

By 9ish the roast was cooked and Mark had put on a great effort, laying the table and everything! Cracked open the vino and demolished the dinner in about 10mins - quite amusing to think it was gone so quickly after 3 hours to cook. Clearing up afterwards one of the Aberdeen lot had a minor incident with a smashed wine glass - cue too-many-med-students! Soon determined his airway was still patent, after the obligatory forgetting to check for danger ;) Bandaged up, we then played a bit of mini-pool before turning in. Great day, certainly more productive than yesterday!