A wild day for a ramble around stunning Loch Sgiopoirt

Another extremely windy day so another low level walk, this time around the absolutely stunning landscape around Loch Sgiopoirt on the rugged eastern flank of South Uist. 
The drive in is a 4 mile single track, surprisingly no cars met on route but there was one parked up in the 2-3 car parking space at the road end. As previous blog not a full report but again a set of snaps with text.
Basically 2 walks. Firstly the short walk down to the abandoned jetty where some of the prawn cages looked in good condition so maybe someone still uses it.
Secondly a walk along the initial stages of the Hecla trail, taking care as the guide I read warned of boggy moss areas where you could plunge waist deep or deeper. Not a good thought when on your own.

Single road track with passing places for 4 miles but all the way along the only horsepower belongs to living things.

At the end of the road I come across the culprits, surely these 4 could not have laid all that manure for 4 miles. Presumably this small herd are original Eriskay wild ponies. I did come across more on the Hecla section so not all the dung was this foursome.

The guide indicates that this jetty is abandoned but the small boat looks modern enough as did some of the creels

Some of the jetty is definitely rotting and run down, no clambering across these poles.

This red breasted merganser suddenly appeared in my view, gutted as I thought it was an otter rising, but it was battling against the choppy waters, I could barely stand still in this wind hence the shaky snaps.

I stood on top of this hillock and spotted a sea eagle above the far islands being bombed by a couple of gulls. Seen well through the binos but could not keep a long lens still to capture it.

There are so many ruins around here that suggest the population before the clearances was large but what a hard life it must have been. If you kept sailing from here out of the loch you would reach Skye.

Heading to the Hecla track bothy a good landmark if the weather closes in.

This looked like an ideal spot to see an otter. A sea water loch with a fresh water burn where it can clean itself, but none around today.

I walked carefully past the bothy as there was a warning sign that there was a rat infestation so not to enter. Presumably they are far flung as well and don't stay indoors, glad I have gaiters on in case they run up my trousers.

The loch looks calm but anything but.

As I was near the car park an incoming rig was moving fast, a bumpy ride. The other car had a woman and child parked up for at least an hour when I  started my Hecla wandering, I wonder if this was the father rushing back to the jetty.

Wildlife: no otters but apart from the merganser and sea eagle, stonechats, rock pipits, skylarks, heron, goldeneye. Thankfully no rats.