Hill: An Clisham (Rocky hill)
Type: Corbett
Height: 799m
On a short break to the stunning Outer Hebrides the good lady had graciously allowed me a free morning away from the tourist hotspots to get some solo walking done. I had a choice of a few Fionas/Grahams but the obvious decision, despite the drive back and forth from our digs, had to be the highest peak on the islands, the Corbett of An Clisham. I had watched Paul Murton ascend it recently on one of his repeat programmes, good enough for Paul good enough for me.
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| View from parking |
I was away sharp and arrived at the empty parking area for 8.30 walking. It was a very cold morning, despite it being well into official Spring nobody had told the temperature gods, the NW wind very unseasonably. Indeed the next day snow was covering the tops of Northern Scotland and we had a hailstorm, not good but the oldies will say we have been here before.
As I changed I heard a Cuckoo calling, my first of the year. It sounded far away and did not repeat its call, was I mistaken? A check on the islands bird forum later and the first arrival had been recorded two days before. Good news but still to actually see one.
There is an option of a full day ridge walk which from the top looked quite spectacular. But today time and logistics meant it was a straight up and down, maybe another day.
Kitted up and looked at my GPS to find I had not loaded the walk before we left for the trip. Luckily visibility was fine so I was not backing off.
As per descriptions I followed the south bank of the burn although from the parking area the right looks the more trodden but it really makes no difference.
The initial section is described as boggy which is a kind description, possibly the recent heavy rains have made it worse but gloop fest it was.
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| A disappearing golden eagle |
Towards the top of the burn I got some movement in my peripheral vision and was delighted to see a pair of golden eagles. Not for long as a pair of ravens dived down from Clisham, harassed them a bit before the eagles slowed spiralled upwards to disappear high above me.
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| Looking back spotting cars |
The path had disappeared only to be found again near the top but in reality it did not matter as the going was not difficult. There are plenty of crags but they are small and easily avoided. Line of sight let me follow grassy rakes between the boulders with only some minor scrambling. About half way up I looked back and saw another car arriving at the parking area, so not a solo hill after all.
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| Rough but straightforward |
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| Great views to South Harris and the Uists |
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| Wide view |
The final section was much more rocky and did involve more scrambling. I could hear a very loud call of an eagle. I reckon it was on the other side of the boulders but I could not safely get over to look, I have never heard a raptor so loud and so nearby.
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| Summit cairn ahead |
Finally the summit, a trig point surrounded by a circular cairn. But, just along the ridge is a more normal cairn. Just to be sure I wandered along and it is a good view point but I reckon it is more of a marker for those doing the full ridge walk.
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| The ridge in the sun |
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Slightly hazy but overall excellent views and well worth the reasonably short effort. Looking west the odd stretches of golden sandy beaches and blue water highlighted the beauty of this area.
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| Way down |
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| Boggy section before the road |
Took more or less the same route down. But the descent was much more focused as lots of muddy sections alongside scree sections gave good odds of a mishap if care note taken.
I met two groups of walkers, stopped and had a brief chat with them, all English voices.
Flat boggy section seemed even more boggy this time around and before long I was back at the car. Not warm but not as cold as the start.
Delighted to get another Corbett done a bonus that it was the high point of Lewis & Harris. Time to get the good lady and more tourist stuff.
Ascent: 662m
Distance: 6.01km
Time: 3.21
Wildlife: Golden Eagle (pair); Meadow Pipit; Raven (pair); Cuckoo (heard)
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