Walking on Uist and Barra

A guidebook to walking on the Uists and Barra, in the Outer Hebrides - with 40 graded day walks on Berneray, North Uist, Grimsay, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay, Barra, Vatersay and Mingulay. Routes range from easy beach walks to mountainous excursions and explore rugged hills, awesome sea cliffs, moorland and lochs.

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Overview

This guide offers 40 walking routes on the Uists and Barra - a unique 100km cluster of islands in Scotland's Outer Hebrides. The walks are varied and graded, from short, flat beach walks beside crystal clear waters to long excursions across wild mountainous terrain, the routes visit all the major islands from Berneray to Vatersay but also those smaller and offshore such as Eriskay and Mingulay. Routes are described in four sections, by area, and illustrated with vivid colour photographs and OS mapping. Walking across these landscapes, especially the hill country, gives a sense of remoteness and peaceful solitude that cannot be found in the mainland's National Parks or on the Munros busy with peak baggers. Despite a relatively narrow area, Uist and Barra's diverse islands offer a contrasting walking terrain and many ancient historic sites such as chambered cairns and standing stones as well as lots of local wildlife. Upland areas are home to red deer and golden and white-tailed eagles, while along the coast grey seals are common and thousands of birds set up their breeding grounds in the machair. Daily flights between Glasgow and Benbecula as well as the ferry network mean that all of the islands are readily accessible.

Table of Contents

Contents
Introduction
Geology and geomorphology
History
Plants and wildlife
Transport
Accommodation and facilities
Safety
Access
Using the guide
1 North Uist
Walk 1.1 Berneray (Beàrnaraigh)
Walk 1.2 Udal
Walk 1.3 Crògearraidh Mòr
Walk 1.4 Lochportain
Walk 1.5 Lì a Tuath and Lì a Deas
Walk 1.6 Langais
Walk 1.7 Burabhal
Eabhal
Walk 1.8 Eabhal from Loch Euphort
Walk 1.9 Eabhal from Cladach Chairinis
Walk 1.10 Grimsay (Griomasaigh)
Walk 1.11 Scolpaig
Walk 1.12 Hogha Gearraidh and Hosta
Walk 1.13 Balranald Nature Reserve
Walk 1.14 Baleshare (Baile Sear)
2 Benbecula
Walk 2.1 Borgh
Walk 2.2 Culla Bay
Walk 2.3 Ròisinis
Walk 2.4 Ruabhal
3 South Uist
Walk 3.1 Loch Sgioport
Walk 3.2 Uisinis lighthouse and Nicolson’s Leap
Walk 3.3 The Northern Corries of Thacla
Walk 3.4 The Three Peaks
Beinn Mhòr
Walk 3.5 Beinn Mhòr from Sniseabhal
Walk 3.6 Beinn Mhòr from Taobh a Tuath Loch Aineort
Walk 3.7 Taobh a Tuath Loch Aineort
Walk 3.8 Stulaigh
Walk 3.9 Gleann Dail bho Dheas
Walk 3.10 Eriskay (Eirisgeigh)
Machair Way
Walk 3.11 Tobha Mòr
Walk 3.12 Aisgernis/Cladh Hàlainn
4 Barra
Walk 4.1 Barra’s northern peninsula
Walk 4.2 Cliaid
Walk 4.3 Allathasdal
Barra’s central hills
Walk 4.4 The Barra Watershed
Walk 4.5 Barra’s highest hills
Walk 4.6 Central Barra
Walk 4.7 Dùn Bàn
Walk 4.8 Dùn Bàn and Beinn Tangabhal
Walk 4.9 Vatersay (Bhatarsaigh)
Walk 4.10 Mingulay (Miùghlaigh)

Appendix A Glossary of Gaelic and Norse terms
Appendix B Route summary table
Appendix C Further reading
Appendix D Useful information

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Reviews

'...the author includes snippets of history and folklore. Being a geologist, he also does not overlook the rocks which form this landscape at the edge of Europe.'

Canoeist Magazine, November 2012

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