Monday 18/04/05

Decided on a trip down to South Harris today. Bus goes at 10 o’clock, and it’s the long haul down to Northton. Weather is iffy, low clouds and occasional drizzle. Cloudlevel is down to 1,000 feet. Drive is uneventful, and I’m dropped off at the far end of Northton at 11.45. Head off across the machair, surrounded by sheep with their lambs, lapwings, oystercatchers, terns and much more wildlife. Proceed to the sheeppens immediately below Ceapabhal. Have to go right through the complex of pens in order to gain the open moorland. From there on, it’s a relatively straightforward if steep ascent of the hill. The route is actually along a stream, which has carved a gully in the hillside. At first, it’s by the water’s edge (stream is a few inches wide), then through the heather. It’s very steep. Found one dead sheep. Once on a grassy shelf at the top, the summit of Ceapabhal is gained by walking up the slopes to the left. The low clouds drift at 1,000 feet, they are called pannus, and are associated with rainfall. Ceapabhal incidentally is 1,210 feet high. During my climb, the pannus retreats from the hill, but when I reach the summit at 1 pm, it begins to gather at the lower top, to the north. Rain starts to fall and the view closes. Just before that, the North Harris hills could be seen right up to and beyond Huisinis. Scarp is clear, as is a very distant Breanais. Taransay is laid out beautifully, 5 miles to the northeast. The beaches on the West Side stand out, right up to Losgaintir. The road from Leverburgh to Finsbay is visible against the moors. Northton Beach lies below; the south coast of Harris with Northton, Leverburgh, Borrisdale to Renish Point. Ensay, Killegray as well as Berneray to the south. To the west Sollay and Pabbay. The Monach Isles are just about visible to the west of North Uist, but St Kilda is shrouded in the mist. Skye can be made out to the southeast, behind Renish Point. After the rain commences, I descend. Oh, don’t be fooled by that nice, clear path to the trig point on Ceapabhal proper. The trig point sits in the middle of a bog, yes, on the very highest point of the hill. The path leaves you stranded on the west side of the peninsula, uncomfortably high on the top of a cliff. I am a wee bit worried about the time I’ve got until the bus goes (at 2.45), so I hare down the hillside. Have to veer left around the hill to avoid the escarpments on the west side. Nice view down to the shoreline, but I’m never too happy looking down a 1,000 ft drop. Circle to the sheeppens and head for the roadend. The route goes through dunes, past sheep with lambs. Pass a gent pushing a barrow with a length of fencing wire on it. Meet the Leverburgh bound bus in Northton village, but let it go past. Ceapabhal by now crowned with cloud. Bus returns at 2.45, to take me to Tarbert. Lorry blocks the road through that village, but we can squeeze past if he tucks in his mirrors. After a visit to the library, I return to the bus which has meanwhile filled up with tourists that have come off the Skye ferry. Return to Stornoway at 5.10. The weather is set to remain dreich, as already indicated by that Norton resident.