Scotland Tour - May 2025 - North & South Uist

 DAY 12 South Uist

Thursday 15th May
So, a 90 minute ferry from Uig to Lochmaddy. The plan was was to drive all the way south then work my way north, as my ferry to Lewis was from Bernaray in the far north. It wasn't a great initial impression, practically all of the landscape throughout the journey was featureless. Flat marshland with a myriad of lochans, with hardly a sign of wildlife on them (later realising that they were probably quite acidic and thus lifeless?). 

I eventually got to Lochboisdale, looking for a park up, but I have certain criteria now with my offgridding! Using Park4Night there were a couple of spots, incredulously next to a pub in a coastal remote spot only 10 mins away.   

I discovered, later after a few chats, this is why people generally love Uist. A glorious beach welcomed me, and a perfect spot, facing west, to look forward to another stunning sunset in the practically cloudless sky. I wandered slowly along the beach and rocky platforms towards the pub (Polochar Inn), and it was rather nice.

After gorging on a venison burger washed down with 2 pints of Skye Red, I wandered back to the van. Only to discover a bloody big motorhome had somehow squeezed past me, and parked up fairly close up, when there was plenty of space...knobs. It didn't obstruct my sunset view, eventually capturing one of my favourite photos so far, post sunset the sky due west was a mixture of reds and pinks, with a nearby rock platform occupied by a flock of oystercatchers...good photo for me anyway, have a butchers above.

DAY 13 South Uist
Friday 16th May

More chats on a repeat peruse along the coast in the morning, encouraged me to have a rare very easy cycle an hour north along the coast, to inspect the continuum of white sands, dunes and rocky platforms. It was gorgeous...some gratuitous birding and photography...seeing certain wader birds in their summer coats was a joy, such as dunlin and sanderlings....I returned with a loop slightly inland, but this confirmed it was the coast that is the clear attraction.

The women who encouraged me to inspect that coastline, also said I must at least visit the closest of two islands that were due south of S Uist. Eriskay was connected by a causeway, and on arrival I understood why. More character land wise, but a gem of a beach and view...I sat above the beach, again decrying I hadn't packed any swim shorts! 

Having only 2 full days on Uist I headed north. The west side are where the beaches are, the east side is more rugged, I did a couple of sortees east...but a priority was Loch Druidbeg, so I headed there and planned this to be my second stayover spot, hopefully viewing the White Tailed Eagles, apparently where they bred. The omens were good, as one flew over as I drove in that direction, but alas I never saw one again...in fact again, there wasn't much to see right across the Loch.

  A fantastic spot though, with a backdrop of really the only hill range, the highest point on Uist, Ben Mhor at about 1900ft...I was planning on hiking it, but the estimated hike time was several hours with lots of cross country bog!

I parked right next to the RSPB trailer, where I later learnt every Tuesday at 9.30am there is a guided viewing, and they would know exactly where to go and view those Eagles!

DAY 14 Uist
Saturday 17th May

Great spot overnight, so remote, and a rare mountain backdrop on Uist, but no sight of a confounded eagle!

I moved onwards northwards, and made a couple of eastward inspections, but nothing to warm the heart, and always had to return the same way. The RSPB reserve on the coast at Balranald was next, firstly mistakenly going to a small campsite, where the lady refused me to conduct a water top up! 

 

There were a couple from Wigan sat on the small cliff top bird watching, but said it was super quiet...so soon I continued my journey north, crossing more causeways and across Benbecula.

Closer to Bernaray I'd passed a tempting hill with a rocky helmet, with no rights of way on the OS map but a track of sorts leading away from the road, I asked a local if I could cut across his field, and off I went, this was Crogearraidh, barely 600ft, but stood aloft the flatlands with views right across the island. Again the beach and small bay on the coast was exquisite..

Before crossing the final causeway to Bernaray I did another lengthy eastward explore, but returned immediately, I was struggling now to fill the day...the days have a good 18 hours of daylight, it was only 3pm, and wondered how I could fill the the next 6 plus hours?

So across the causeway to Bernaray and immediately I saw the queue for the ferry to Harris, but my ferry booking was 8.30am the next day. A must visit as advised was the Bernaray West Beach, so 10 mins further on I parked up, and could see another impressive beach and dunes...but I had 6 hours to kill, and by now I really needed more than beach views. Across the strait I could see the mountains of Harris...a quick check on the ferry app, and the immediate one was due to leave in 20 mins! I span around and rushed to the ferry, well, I tried...a friggin motorhome was blocking my way at less than 20mph. Suffice to say, the ferry hadn't loaded up, so I joined a 2 van queue in lane 3, the standby lane...and just literally they squeezed me on so close to the ramp, I worried how close it would get to the van when they raised it! 50 mins later I drove off the ferry into Leverburgh, I parked up immediately, the FA Cup final had literally just kicked off!
  

Scotland Tour - May 2025 - Isle of Skye

DAY 7 - Mull to Skye

Saturday 10th May

 I didn't rush in the morning. I went via the earlier campsite to recover a towel, then the loos in the first village (see, no worries...one of my concerns re off grid, although I do have an emergency bucket and super strong bin liners!).

I tootled to the ferry, not knowing the time table,  as my ticket I could catch any ferry. Fluked perfect timing as the vehicles were literally embarking as I arrived, and I just fitted on...over to Lochaline on the mainland and then a 90 min slow drive to Mallaig for the Skye ferry.

 All very pleasant, Mallaig was rather busy with mainly tourists...and I failed in getting some cheap footwear for my waterfall pool bathing...the temperature is no issue, it's the stones under barefeet!

Last on the ferry at Fishnish, but first off at Mallaig. I chatted with a young chef who was returning to work on Skye, but interrupted by my van alarm going off (and multiple other vehicles) clearly caused by the ferry's vibration...at least I know it works!

I'd got some tips from my Mull contacts on where to start my Skye journey. It wasn't going dark until nearly 10pm, so no rush, the plan was to start south and work my way up, as the plan was to catch the Uig ferry to North Uist, eventually!

Firstly I went to Elgol, SE Skye, a tiny port, at the end of a fairly long single track road (as most are)...which included a journey around the shores of Loch Slapin where I'd clocked numerous off grid possibilities, and that is where I returned.

With views to die for, but with no phone signal (and my OS map download attempts had failed) I had no idea what mountains i was surrounded by...brill setting though with a handful of vans scattered but not too many, and a few tents. This location was on the route of the Skye Trail, a lengthy backpacking route. Nearby too, were some small waterfalls and pools, perfecto!

DAY 8 Skye
Sunday 11th May
The plan was to have a chill day after the Ben More ascent, my quads were complaining a little, mainly from the arduous descent off Ben More. With no signal, I noticed on my road map there were some waterfalls on a walk just across the Loch, so I decided to head over there...
The falls were heading in the direction of the impressive peaks I'd viewed from the van overnight...the draw of them was predictable...still with no signal, I spoke to a couple of folk on the way down, and learnt that it was a "ronny" called Bla Bleinn (I think pronounced Blathin?)...the main ascent was quite tough, lots of scree, very steep...but the scenery became increasingly awesome, in fact I'd rarely seen such dramatic mountain scape.

 

At the top, with crazy views across to the Cuillin ridge, I was firstly alone, then a young Dutch couple arrived but from the peak opposite, which I fancied doing, to make at least part of the route non repeatable. But they didnt hesitate in advising me not too, due to a very exposed 40m or so....soon, a Scottish guy, Stevie arrived...

We discussed whether to do the loop, and decided to...his reasoning was, what do the Dutch know about mountains?!

It was exposed, very much so, but carefully we navigated across it, however in a different way, worse was a lengthy steep scree down to a col...slowly and carefully and with the aid of one of Stevie's sticks we made it..and all the way back to the loch. We exchanged numbers, and as Stevie was based in Glencoe there was a possibility we may hook up as I pass through....

We hit the loch quite late, at about 7pm, when suddenly a sea fog / cloud rolled in over the massif...quite spectacular,  and down just in time.

 

 DAY 9 Skye
Monday 12th May
Sleeping in a layby south of Sligachan...I planned to have a chillout day with easy walks and sight seeing...I half heartedly did the Sligachan Falls...and Sligachan itself was swamped with tourists, taking multiple photos of anything and everything! 

 

All except a nearby statue celebrating the two pioneers who first navigated the Cuillin edge.

I really needed to relax today, I was very tired...grabbing a coffee and cake in Carbost, right opposite the Talisker whisky distillery and sat on the grass behind the coffee place and read my book. But soon sat with a young Irish girl who now lived in Edinburgh, and packed in being a barrister, to enjoy her love of mountaineering! She wrote on my phone 3 intro Munros on the Cuillin ridge, a choice for tomorrow's hike...

Not far away I discovered a cracking little spot, by a small harbour and community, with an evening to remember as the sun set directly across the sea, while seals swam nearby disinterested! This was Portnalong Pier, tremendous spot, the thought now of using a campsite is getting further and further removed...this is true liberation! Just, I decided to swing my van sidewards to get the best views, in agreement with a couple of off gridders, however my rear wheels sank into what was deep gravel...two pushing and some worry we weren't winning, when suddenly "she" (I haven't got a name yet, was going to be Tranny but thought otherwise!) got a grip and grovelled out! Phew!

 

Strategically placing the van at the top and side of the slipway, no way was I reversing back onto that gravel, an advantage of having a small van, proved numerous other times too...

A seal appeared in the small harbour, and the evening sunset was scintillating!

 

A guy nearby caught me including the van with the sunset, and laughed, although he admitted photoing his motorbike with strategic mountain backdrop, I argued that was more sad, slightly!

 DAY 10 Skye
Tuesday 13th May
So the Cuiilins today. Last night I sent Stevie 3 options, with a favourite starting from the Fairy Pools...Stevie checked the detail, and advised that the hardest scramble was a grade 2 (out of 3). The Munro was Bruach na Frithe.

I was at the FP carpark quite early and already it was v busy...a tourist hotspot.
The Fairy Pools are a sequence of waterfalls with the backdrop of part of the Cuillin edge...quite pretty, but must be better when it has been normally rainy, another steamer of a day though today, in fact I spent the whole day in a T shirt...

 

As it materialised the ascent (and descent) was easier than Bla Bleinn, and some scrambling but never a Grade 2. Perhaps in this case it's what you make it, as there were easier walking routes just below the ridge, I guess one could choose to navigate the edge. Ascending I spent most of the time with two girls, and their dogs...with just one of them to the top, as the other did worry when we did hit some rocky scrambles (unfortunately I forgot their names).

The views of course were dramatic and magnificent, on a perfect day. I sat with two old boys, ex rock climbers, who knew all the different peaks we were looking at, even in the distance on the mainland.

The only negative were a group of young Americans fvcking about with their Instagram priorities...really ruining the kharma...but soon 

they left, and suddenly you could hear a pin drop...we sat there for a good period of time, marvelling at the extraordinarily vistas before setting off down a different edge, to make a round trip of it.

 

I found a secluded waterfall near the carpark and had a lovely dip. Great day...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 DAY 11 Skye

Wednesday 14th May

My plan was to get a ferry to North Uist, but wanted to visit the Old Man of Storr first just north of Portree...so I headed north, finding a roadside recess with a loch view and the Old Man. Looked more like contemporary art v impressive.
By 9am I was at the Storr carpark, and again this was more busy than I'd seen before on Skye..with a perpetual stream of bodies ascending to the main view point. It was worth it  though, the rock structure was quite morphologically impressive, so unique and cathedral like!

After the Viewpoint, I'd planned to climb much higher above the imposing cliffs to the Storr summit...within 200m of leaving the viewpoint path, I was in complete isolation...bliss!

It was an easy ascent with a steady ridge walk to reach the summit...sat there was Callum, a copper and quality rugby player from Montrose...he was going back the same way, but I invited him on my Komoot circular route, so off we set...main descent down a sharp very narrow water course, and soon we were at the carpark, saying our farewells.

Thought I'd better book my ferry, only to discover there was no availability for days! So I called direct...my vehicle was downsized on their system  from a motor home to a campervan (cannot do online) and the nice lady got me a spot but tomorrow! And advised to complete the two other ferries required to Harris and finally back to the mainland at Ullapool. All booked with exact ferry times now, for £150.

Popping down to Portree to get ripped off by the local Co-Op (everything is expensive, and also not a great choice after a cyber attack!). I decided to head back north passed the Old Man...with occasional view point stops until I came to the top of the island, heading closer to my ferry port, Uig.

Another stunning find to stay over, facing exactly due West with yet another stunner of a sunset, over the top of Uist, my destination for tomorrow.

 

The next morning, I visited another tourist trap, the Fairy Gardens....just a series of isolated small stacks..Killed 90 mins,  before heading down into Uig to catch the ferry to Lochmaddy, North Uist.

   

I went for a coffee with a guy who was in a van in front of me...my sort of age...told me he had prostate cancer, and had just finished chemotherapy., he was told to rest but decided to get out in his van...at times he didn't seem too well...just makes you think!  

To the ferry we went....

North Uist and South Uist here we come!