6 - Leaving Airdmhor, Barra and an Eriskay loop

Monday 8th May – Leaving Airdmhor, Barra and an Eriskay loop - 11 km, 284 m ascent
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With large windows, floor to roof, wall to wall, down one side of the waiting room, the room was well lit before 5 am, so I watched the first glint of the sun rising over the horizon at 5:25 am.  I listened to the wind outside, but the white-caps had gone.  I felt well rested despite having just 8 mm of closed cell foam mat on the wooden bench.   I’d needed fleece, down jacket and down sleeping bag until 3 am, when, strangely, the heating came on and my top two layers came off.  Two rounds of bread with ginger jam, an apple, two mugs of tea, a pause, a wash and tooth scrub, and I repacked.  So, what did I carry and not use?  (Always a useful evaluation to help with planning the next jaunt.)  Gloves, balaclava, spare pants and socks, thermal leggings (and my cag only worn a little for wind protection) – these might all have been needed in different weather - a box of oatcakes, basic first-aid, midge repellent and a mini-tripod (100g).  Only the last item is one I would feel I could safely omit.  However, to reduce my load, I could consider lighter models of rucksack (1.7kg), camera (0.8 kg) and cag (0.8 kg).  

The 7:00 am ferry embarked at 6:55 with just two vehicles and three passengers, of whom two were very definitely foot passengers; how that one person drives two vehicles is hard to imagine.  Or did one person deliver it to the ferry for another to collect?  Or did a crew member bring it to leave it at the other side?  The crossing started rough with sea-spray coming over the upper deck.  I usually stay outside on ferries, standing on the best vantage point, but this time I retreated to the “passenger lounge” until three-quarters across and with a smoother sea in the lee of Eriskay.  The waves still breaking against the side but the spray sweeping past, 50 to 100 gannets swam, rose circling, dive-bombed into the water, bobbed up and repeated their feeding cycle.

One vehicle was waiting at the Eriskay pier, until a coach sped in at the very last moment.  My campervan stood just as I left it, except for one ‘Velcro’ tab on the sliding door curtain which had come unglued.  Thinking I’d appreciate a more restful day, I unpacked, putting things in suitable places and had a cup of cocoa.  I was feeling rather cold – the whole carpark was still in the shadow of the hill – so I moved the van to Acairsaid Bay, 1 km east - an east facing inlet busy with crab fishermen at work - and parked in a sunny spot among piles of old creels where I would not obstruct the fishermen.
I was going to relax somewhere, but the higher ground beckoned me to take a look at the vista, so I put some food, drink and waterproofs in a day sack and wandered up – from 794098 over the small tops of 90 m and 100 m at 796103 and 795105 – and then descended toward the east of Loch Cracabhaig accompanied by the plaintive calls of what appeared to be snipe.
 

Looking over Arcairsaid, SW towards Barra

Sitting for a moment to make some jottings, I looked up in response to the whinnying calls of two white Eriskay ponies walking slowly toward the lock, followed by a third in beige…. and then another white one.  I descended slowly to join the four – three of them edged closer to me but were wary, but with very slow movements they allowed me to stroke their heads and necks.

Then three more emerged over the hill, then another; and another stood up on a different top – a majestic posture, facing into the breeze, tail and mane floating in the air, watching while a golden plover repeated its ‘eeee’ calls -  10:40 am by the loch – the black to brown waters shimmering while a skylark commenced its song – it had become clear this was ‘a day to make the most of’; and with Beinn Sciathen (185 m) half a kilometre up the slope - offering the prospect of a 360 degree view over all of Eriskay and beyond.  I had no option.

On Beinn Sciathen, South Uist behind.

 At the top I met a group of four twenty-somethings who’d left their father below looking for the Eriskay ponies.  After a chat, and taking each other’s photographs, I stood alone contemplating the scene and then photographing the panorama – a good view over to Barra to the SW, but to the north an excellent view over the north of Eriskay and the shallow Sound of Eriskay (Caolas Eiriosgaigh) to the whole south coast of South Uist with its mountain spine receding away to Beinn Mhor and Thacla in the north.

South Uist from Beinn Sciathen, Eriskay