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15 Huiseabhal Mòr, Oireabhal and Huiseabhal Beag

Start/Finish     Near the toilets at Huisinis (NA992121)
Highest point    Huiseabhal Mòr 489m/1604ft
Distance    14km/9 miles   
Climb    825m/2700ft
Time    6hrs
Map    OS Explorer 456; OS Landranger 13
Refreshments     Various cafés and hotels in Tarbert and Aird Asaig but nothing on the B887

When it is washed by turquoise waves coming in from the Atlantic, many people would rank the silver beach of Tràigh Hùisinish as one of the most enchanting places anywhere in the world. The other beaches that can also be visited on this walk would also score fairly highly, so if it is a pleasant day you will undoubtedly want to wander along the shore and search among the rock pools. Because of this natural urge, the walk has been kept deliberately short, omitting Lèosabhal at the eastern end of the ridge, although it is easily incorporated if you feel like doing so.

The walk into and up Glen Cravadale is fairly flat so the ground can be covered quickly. You won’t want to though; Crabhadail is a memorable place, and with those beaches to visit the first part of the walk may take some time. The ascent is gradual on a good terrain and the return leg along the top of the ridge gives fine views down onto nearby Scarp and, on a clear day, out to St Kilda, so you will definitely want to linger.

These toilets must be the most beautifully situated public conveniences in the UK – you could happily leave the door open to enjoy the view!  Head north-east across the machair, famous for creeping willow and Scottish bluebells (harebells), and then pass through a gate to gain access to the footpath, known locally as the ‘Stiamair’, that leads to the deserted township of Crabhadail. Although the path is sound, it is rugged at times with an occasional steep drop down to the sea, so move carefully and give plenty of reassurance to the less confident in your party. At a junction in the path, strike out right up a pleasant little valley towards Loch na Cleabhaig. Keep going past the cottage to reach an unnamed beach which is backed by the old shielings and lazybeds of Crabhadail.

Leaving the coast, follow the indefinite path along the southern shore of Loch a’ Ghlinne, ‘lake in the glen’, to reach some old shielings and a more definite footpath at its southern end that climbs to the bealach, criss-crossing Allt a’ Ghlinne all the way up to the cairn. Follow the path south-east until you reach a second cairn on the flatter ground at the bealach (040111), then turn west over the remains of an old wall and through the rock slabs to the north of Beidig. The unnamed lochans are a favourite watering hole of red deer and if you move quietly and keep downwind of them, you may see some.

Continue up the grassy slopes to reach the summit of Huiseabhal Mòr. This hill is a little gem in that, although it is less than 500m high, the summit provides astounding views in all directions. When you are ready to move off, keep heading west across the easy ground along the top of the crags to reach the summit of Oireabhal, where there appears to be indecision about where to build a cairn. There are the beginnings of one, but it appears to be on a lower point. Just below the summit on a fine May afternoon, we startled a golden eagle that was basking on the ground below a small step, and 50m later set up a mountain hare that was still shedding its winter coat. Keep heading west across the easy ground of Bràigh Buidhe to reach the cluster of lochans at the summit of Huiseabhal Beag, then descend the south-west slopes down to Huisinis.