A Skye coastal cliff walk on a stormy day, mad or what? Sithean a Bhealaich Chumhaing

Hill: Sithean a Bhealaich Chumhaing
Category: Sub2k
Height: 393m
Apart from the above mention the hill will not be named again, it is too long to keep typing and if you can pronounce it correctly, well done.
What a day to pick for a high level coastal cliff walk, winds constant 20mph plus, gusting to 40mph plus, hence great care needed. What a contrast in weather. But it was fab, glad I did it.

Start

I walked directly from the hotel to the hill with the unpronounceable name, which was a bonus. A mix of showers and blue sky greeted my start but the light winds were a bonus. 
Followed the Scorrybreac trail around the bay. A mostly good stone track in the dry but today very wet, it was very slippy in these conditions.

First hill ahead

Before long there are excellent views of the route ahead, the cliffs look imposing from here and I cannot see my top from this angle.

Devastation

Passed this rock slip, a significant landscape fall, boulders and trees and no chance if you were under it.

Not modern farm machinery

As I crossed the grassy pasture a buzzard flew over with a large looking vole or similar in its talons. I watched it for a few minutes as it flew back and across as it tried to draw out its partner from the cliffs without success, wonder if it just ate it itself?
Now the hard work started as it climbed steeply, I followed a fence line as not fancying the gap in the crags in these wet conditions, a long way to fall.

Looking back to Raasay on left and Ben Tianavaig

Got to the top and constant care was needed as the path is very close to the edge (sounds like a Yes song) and the winds are now increasingly strong and gusty. No shame in being a coward to occasionally take a slightly more inland route away from the exposed crags.  
Just behind one grassy knoll a hill runner suddenly appears, a good wild bearded and long haired Scot. Half expected a large claymore to be whipped out. At least he stopped for a brief chat, nice guy.

Trig can just be seen

The trig can be seen and you might make out from the snap it is right at the edge of the cliffs. And as the wind was a strong westerly, food for thought, one big gust and hill walking no more.
A skylark rises silently, no others around apparently so no effort wasted in singing just for me.
A wet moorland section and then I am on the final push to the top. The wind was trying to push me on faster and with the strong gusts, so being the coward I am, I crawled the final few yards to touch the trig, sad I know but there are  other hills I want to climb.
You can continue this walk to The Storr area if you have arranged transport or timed it for a rare local bus.

Looking north from near the top

On a windless day you would get some great views down of theses cliffs but not for me today. Still when the sky was blue and the sea the same colour some lovely views over the islands and back to the mainland.

Ben Tianavaig behind the cliffs

As I looked over the sea I was ecstatic as a flying barn door appeared, yip a sea eagle. Two ravens took off from the crags below to warn it off, down they went, out of sight, just thirty seconds but a welcome sighting.
Weather was deteriorating as storm fronts blew through but thankfully I was avoiding the rain/hail/sleet but not the winds which were stronger than ever. 

Grey day as storm blew through

The landscape was now monochrome ahead. This view is looking down the Sound of Raasay to the Black Cuillins.

Looking back to ascent trail & Portree

The view back to the plateau was quite dramatic it looked a long way down.
Back over the fence I stayed high and the followed a farm trail back to the rock fall and followed the same route back to the hotel. The hail got me here for a few minutes but better than up there.
A cracking walk with extensive sea views, nice one. It was truely a day with all 4 seasons in one short session, truely only in Scotland.
Three sub 2k hills surround Portree and that’s me seen the excellent views from two of them hopefully the last one later in the year.

Wildlife: Buzzard, Sea Eagle, Raven, Skylark, Feral Pigeon,
Time: 3.10
Ascent: 2153ft 
Distance: 6.97m