Scottish Sea Kayaking Photo GalleryScottish Sea Kayaking Photo Gallery
A 5 day paddle from Bhaltos in north west Lewis to Pabaigh Mor, Bhacsaigh, Fuaidh Mor, Bearnaraigh, Eilean Bhacasaigh, Bearnaraigh Beg, Cealasaigh, Campaigh, and the ragged robin field of Flodaigh, 21-25/7/05.
We left Uig on Skye on the 14:00 CalMac ferry, MV Hebrides, to Lochmaddy on North Uist arriving at 1545.
15:56
The camera obscura at Sponais, Lochmaddy. Mike was feeling very tired after the
long drive and a bad head cold.
15:58
Inside the camera obscura.
16:47
Waiting at the Berneray Jetty for the 17:30 ferry to Leverburgh on Harris
(arrived 18:30).
18:36
Evening mist on Ceapabhal (365m), Harris.
18:44
Ceapabhal above Traigh Scarasta, Harris.
Conditions on the day: Wind NW force 4 LW (Carloway) 13:26 BST 0.71m HW: 19:54 4.27m..
21:33
Bhaltos Pier, Loch Roag, Lewis.
22:07
Arrival at Pabaigh Mor (Pabbay Mor).
Conditions on the day: Wind NE force 3 - 4 HW: 08:24 3.88m LW: 14:11 0.64m HW: 20:39 4.39m
07:14
Traigh na Cille, abaigh Mor.
08:49
19th century lobster ponds, Pabaigh Mor.
08:59
Seana Chnoc, Old Hill, from Pabaigh Mor.
09:11
Billy above camp site Pabaigh Mor.
09:13
Traigh na Beirigh from Pabaigh Mor.
09:32
Multi coloured jelly fish, Pabaigh Mor.
11.00
Seana Chnoc from Pabaigh Mor.
Photo Billy Nicol
11:05
Rounding Mas Sgeir to the north of Pabaigh Beg. The chart notes: "Breaks in
Heavy Weather"
11:25
The lagoon between Pabaigh Mor and Pabaigh Beg.
11:27
The lagoon between Pabaigh Mor and Pabaigh Beg.
11:40
The lagoon between Pabaigh Mor and Pabaigh Beg.
12:10
The lagoon between Pabaigh Mor and Pabaigh Beg.
12:15
The lagoon between Pabaigh Mor and Pabaigh Beg.
12:42
Leaving the lagoon between Pabaigh Mor and Pabaigh Beg.
12:44
Cave, S side of Pabaigh Mor.
13:58
Black Guillemots, Bhacsaigh.
14:03
West coast Bhacsaigh. The water kind of sloped round here!
14:17
Seana Chnoc from Bhacsaigh.
14:33
Traigh na Beirigh from Bhacsaigh. Just round from here there is another
sheltered lagoon where we stopped for lunch.
14:34
Traigh na Beirigh from Bhacsaigh.
15:52
Jelly fish, Rubha Sheotharaid.
15:53
Jelly fish, Rubha Sheotharaid.
We set up camp at Riof, then Billy and I headed off for an 11km evening paddle to Valasay on Great Bernera with a circumnavigation of Fuaidh Mor. Mike was not feeling at all well and headed back to the car to get the ferry timetables.
18:45
Tidal weir, Bhalasaigh, we shot through this very easily but try as we might we
could not paddle back up it so we had a little portage.
18:48
Tidal weir, Bhalasaigh.
Photo Billy Nicol
Conditions on the day: Wind NE force 4 HW: 09:13 3.95m LW: 14:56 0.63m HW: 21:24 4.41m
08:54
Returning to Bhaltos past Traigh na Beirigh. Unfortunately Mike's viral head
cold had developed into bacterial sinusitis and he had no option but to return
home.
09:46
Approaching Bhaltos to drop Mike back at the car.
12:30
Heading east up Sruth Iasiardar under the bridge to Bearnaraigh. The cliffs
were draped by honesuckle and we saw several otters. The ebb was
running quite strongly under the bridge and it was a relief to take a break
beside the remains of an ancient broch. The bridge was built in 1953 and was the
first prestressed concrete bridge to be built in Britain (and Europe!) We were
quite stressed by the passage under it.
15:08
Another break on Eilean Bhacasaigh opposite Kirkibost pier.
15:51
Eilean Bhacasaigh NNW up east Loch Roag to our destination, a still distant
Bearnaraigh Beag.
16:45
East Loch Roag, this was a long hard leg with both the wind and the tide against
us..
17:21
East Loch Roag, it got quite rough at times.
17:42
View from the temple of St Donan across E Loch Roag.
17:4View
from the temple of St. Donan across the sands and E Loch Roag towards Carloway. We camped
well away from the graveyard but we both had a very disturbed night. Perhaps we
were camped above the remains of a tortured soul who had been buried in
unconsecrated grounds?
19:57
There is a herd of very wild Highland cattle on Bearnaraigh Beag. Apparently
once they are moved to the mainland, they need rounding up with a fork lift
truck! I am not sure how they get the beasts across to the mainland as we could
see no trace of any fork lift trucks on Little Bernera. Perhaps they are tempted
to swim to Great Bernera, by some means or another. Perhaps a local had enjoyed
entertaining simple city folk. Whatever, we kept well clear.
20:09
Traigh Mhor. This shell sand beach has a hint of pink to it (unlike others
nearby that are dazzlingly white). These shells ancestors may have been
responsible.
20:33
Traigh Mhor machair. In the centre of the island, there are fertile hollows that
used to grow barley/
20:36
The Flannan Isles 41 kilometres to the WNW of Little Bernera.
20:52
Looking SW from Little Bernera up W Loch Roag over Traigh na Beirigh to the
shoulder of Suaineabhal 429m, Tahabhal 515m, Cracabhal 514m
(in sun) and Mealaisbhal 574m.
21:04
looking NW from the west coast of Little Bernera to Bearasay and Old Hill.(Seana
Chnoc)
Conditions on the day: Wind NE force 4 HW: 09:58 3.94m LW: 15:41 0.71m HW: 22:09 4.32m
07:18
Early morning on the temple sands.
09:54
Amazing green water in temple bay.
09:54
The temple of St. Donan above the bay. Most of the inside of the little church is taken up by
a large tomb with a large dark marble cross above it.
09:57
High spirits, setting off on a great adventure...
10:00
Encountering heavy swell off the coast of Little Bernera.
10:04
This looks like it was taken from the deck of a boat, looking down, but it was
just the crest of a wave.
10:06
Breaking through the reefs to reach the Atlantic.
10:09
The Atlantic.... there are no photos for a while.
We went out through the channel between Cealasaigh (Kealasay) and Campaigh (Campay). We then headed west undecided whether to head NW out to Old Hill or SE into Camas Bostadh. I am afraid the appearance of dark squalls and crashing surf on the dark rocks of Old Hill psyched us out and we ran for the shelter of Bosta!
10:36
Running back in with following seas towards Bosta at the NW end of Great Bernara.
In the troughs even the tops of mountains and our paddle tips (at the top of
their strokes) disappeared from view.
10:37
Gallan Head, (in the distance) behind Flodaigh (Flodday).
Another gap in the photos......
10:52
Welcome shelter of the reefs of Bosta.
11:00
We met the local dentist who was visiting with his family. He is a member of
Stornoway Canoe Club.
11:40
Bosta
Photo Billy Nicol
11:49
The recreated Iron Age house in the dunes behind Bosta beach.
12:55
Caolas Cumhang between Great Bernara and Little Bernara, the ebb was running
like a river to the west.
13:26
We then had a very interesting crossing to Flodday. I misjudged the strength of
the tide and NE wind and had to paddle like hell to clear the skerrys to the SE
of Flodday.
13:34
Looking to Old Hill behind Bearasay from Flodday.
13:43
A field of ragged robin on Flodday.
13:55
looking south up West Loch Roag between rain squalls.
14:22
The view closes in. We waited till the worst of the squalls had passed until we
set off for Pabbay Mor.
There are no photographs of this crossing......
15:26
After another "interesting" crossing from Flodday back to Pabbay Mor.
It was low tide and the surf was breaking very heavily at the E entrance of the
lagoon of Kyles Pabbay Beg. We decided to return to the easier landing of our
first camp.
19:39
Traigh na Cille, Pabbay Mor.
20:14
This flower was growing in a damp patch in a rocky hollow, about 50 metres
above and about 150m from the sea on Pabbay Mor. Can anyone help? Thanks to
Andrew from Hampshire who has identified it as bog pimpernel.
Conditions on the day: Wind N force 4 HW: 10:43 3.84m
10:20
Leaving Pabbaigh Mor for Bhaltos.
11:20
This flower was growing amongst the Callanish stones. Not sure what it is, possibly a
garden escape, can anyone help? Within 24 hours, Emyr has identified it
as fox and cubs, a member of the daisy family. Thanks Emyr!
12.22
A stop at Callanish Blackhouse tearoom
for soup and jam scones.
14:27
We then left Lewis and drove south and west to Huisinis Bay in Harris.
14:39
View north over Caolas an Scarp.
The
jetty at North Huisinis.
Photo Billy Nicol.
15:04
Machair and jetty at North Huisinis.
15:20
South over the Gloraig Huisinis rocks to Ceapabhal 365m and Toe head from
Huisinis Bay in Harris.
We then drove south to Traigh Niosaboist on the Sound of Taransay and paddled over to another campsite on Taransay. This 2nd trip: the Scottish Sea Kayaking Photo Gallery Hebridean Symphony, Second Movement, July 2005 can be found here.
Scottish Sea Kayayaking Photo Gallery: Main Menu.
Scottish Mountain Photo Gallery Main MenuSite editor: Douglas Wilcox (D.E.Wilcox@clinmed.gla.ac.uk
)
Page created 23/10/05
Page last updated 09/11/05
GPS
track of route, 66.4km.
07:09
Pabaigh Mor.
07:16
Pabaigh Mor.
08:37
Common Lousewort.
08:52
Bog Asphodel.
09:53
All set for adventure!
11:04
Sea arch, Pabaigh Mor.
12:12
Sea arch, Pabaigh Mor.
12:48
Cave, Pabaigh Mor.
13:11
Bhaltos.
13:28
Traigh na Beirigh 
13:40
Mink, Bhacsaigh.
20:02
Fuaidh Mor.
20:14
Riof.Traigh na Beirigh
08:42
Riof
16:45
East Loch Roag. 
16:53
East Loch Roag. 
17:21
Bearnaraigh Beag.
17:26
Bearnaraigh Beag.
17:27
Temple Sands.
17:32
Temple Sands.
17:37
Temple Sands.
17:40
Temple Sands.
20:01
Traigh Mhor.
20:02
Traigh Mhor.
20:06
Traigh Mhor.
20:08
Traigh Mhor.
20:11
Lewisian gneiss.
20:13
Traigh Mhor.
20:26
Traigh Mhor.
09:04
Temple sands.
10:52
10:53
Camas Bostadh.
10:53
11:07
Bosta
11:08
Bosta
11:09
Bosta
11:10
Bosta
11:20
Bosta
12:12
Bosta from the west.
15:50
Traigh na Cille.
19:41
Kidney vetch.
20:08
Eyebright.
11:12
Callanish stones
11:16
Callanish stones
15:05
Common spotted orchid.
15:20
Huisinis Bay, Harris.