After a day of bike legs followed by a day of sea legs, i got my hill legs on yesterday.
An Cliseam (‘Rocky Cliff’) at 799 metres (2,621 ft), is the highest mountain in the Outer Hebrides and the archipelago’s only (Ronnie) Corbett.
I went for the short and sharp route from the lay-by on the A859. Classically boggy on the bottom third, and rocky the rest of the way. Sadly the sun didn’t appear, and the shelter around the cairn, with its 5ft high walls, was most welcome in the biting wind.
No midges. A dry day. And i bumped in to a chap from the Exmoor Society with whom i have attended various National Parks meetings, and his friend. Small world. In retirement he is trying to downsize all the way to van-living, which was an interesting conversation to have.
As i descended back down the Abhainn Mharaig i heard a noise which made me think ‘i wonder what car has an engine that big’, and it turned out to be an A400M doing a low-level pass.
A brew was made and had as i waited for the two other walkers to finish their descent. Then the heavens opened, which is never a bad thing once you’re safely off the mountain. All was well.
