Hebridean Way South Uist

The extreme winds had ruled out fishing and high level walks so I opted for a stretch of the Hebridean Way (a long distance trail with a cycling option as well), from Askernish southwards. This is a beautiful but very rugged area where you are guaranteed isolation for much of the walk. The next stop off it's western coast is America. Todays walk was into the wind which was 30-40mph at ground level, which at times even this low down tried to lift me off my feet. At least mainly blue skies. Not a full blog, mainly just a set of images with some comments.

This is a typical west side landscape, flat marsh ground with crofts dotted all around.

Although most properties are refurbished there are still plenty of ruined traditional structures around. Traditional language as you frequently hear the Gaelic spoken.

The Western Isles are a network of trout lochs of all sizes many linked by channels like these which allow trout to move through the system so a very small water may hold a big fish. No wonder it is a mecca for trout fishermen.

Be enticed with beautiful white sand beaches and big sky landscapes.

And often like this nobody else around, your own beach. 

Just some seaweed to spoil the white sands.

But further along the tides also bring in plenty of jetsom, mostly like this from fishing boats, deliberate or accidental?

The Atlantic ocean and the next stop America which also means there is nothing in between to block the winds as per today.

There are a few Hebridean Way signposts dotted around but on this section you cannot get lost with the sea always beside you.

This has to be one of the most scenic and highly challenging golf courses in Scotland. Askernish GC, an original Tom Morris designed links course re-established recently. With these winds it would challenge the pro guys.

You get different hazards on this course, electric wire fencing protects the greens from the free ranging common grazing coos and sheep which live on the course. 

The highest hill on the island is Beinn Mhor, today covered with its cloud shroud, but you would be crawling, not walking, to its summit today.

It is worth a short deviation inland to visit the historic roundhouse site as well as the immaculate cemetery which has a grand variety of very old and very new headstones, they take it seriously up here.

Beside the graveyard is what must be one of the lowest trig pillars in the country, only 20 metres above sea level.