Wednesday 27/04/05

Went out late today, after sorting out a few things. Took the 12.30 bus to Balallan, nattering to Sally on the way down. Jumped off at the South Lochs junction, and went down the trail towards Roineabhal. It's very dry underfoot at the moment, not surprising after 8 days of drought. It does look like that is about to come to an end. Traverse the moors towards Roineabhal, but veer northwest towards its eastern face. Finally end up on a boggy crest, northeast of its summit, about 300 feet above the marshlands below. View is extensive, if rather waterlogged. Loch Trealabhal fills the eastern aspect, with the hill of Trealabhal directly to its north. Northeast of my viewpoint lies Loch Fada Gobha, the western outlier of Loch Trealabhal. It in turn links into Loch Roineabhal, directly below. Loch nan Eilean to the north is the farthest extension of the Loch Trealabhal system. Everything from there drains into Loch Erisort, through the Laxay River. Further north lies the low hill of Ciorabhal. To its west lies a large system of lochs that drain Loch Langabhat, currently out of sight, into the sea over a distance of 9 km (6 miles). I now proceed downhill and strike west along a tractor track, away from Loch Roineabhal. It is boggy at times. Loch Ihagan looms up to the right after a while, but progress west is impeded by Tob Cam., the northernmost point of Loch Langabhat. It should be possible to gain the remote northern shores of Loch Langabhat by crossing the two waterways that circle Eilean Mor. This would lead me into a large wilderness area, with Morsgail Lodge and Scaliscro Lodge the nearest habitations, at about 7 miles distant. I strike south along the eastern shore of Loch Langabhat. The position of Stuabhal puzzles me, until I remember that Loch Langabhat turns a corner about 4 miles further south. The position of several familiar hills is now clear. Traversing this wettish area I come across a sheep lying on its back, legs kicking. Three other animals scatter as I approach. A sheep on its back is bad news, as they cannot right themselves, and they usually die a painful death. A crow will peck its eyes out for a start, and they finally perspire hours later. This one is still whole and hearty. It allows me to turn it onto its legs. It ambles away when it gets the message that I'm not going to harm it. I head uphill, towards the pass south of Roineabhal, at 2.45. I end up high under the summit of the hill; normally I come from the east and cross a passabout 300 yards to the south. I strike southeast and regain that valley. Can see all the way across to the Aline woodlands as well as Loch Seaforth and the Eishken Hills. Cloudlevels are down to about 2,000 feet by now. And by 3.45 it starts to rain steadily. There were odd drops of rain right the way through, but I now have to don waterproofs for the first time in over a week. The moors are so dry that a fire start across a 4-5 mile front in the area between Grabhair and the Eishken road. Twenty firefighters had to trudge miles through the moors to put it out. Return to Balallan at 4.25 and wait in the busshelter for the 4.40 bus, which is late in coming. Sally is on it once again, and we once more chat our way into town. Hear all sorts of interesting island news. Return to Stornoway at 5.15.