Suainabhal Summit

Back to foot (and pedal) power today. Quick spin on the bike 3 and a half miles down the road to the local store for a couple of provisions missed from yesterday's shop. Glorious sunshine once again, but with dire warnings in the shop that its all going to break this afternoon. In truth it's what we saw when checking on the weather yesterday, so hoping to make the most of the sunshine we trundled a little way from the cottage to climb Suaineabhal, a half-Munro commanding some rather impressive views around the island, but particularly over Uig beach.

And it was stunning. So warm the jackets were dispensed with and gloves and hats left bagged up. The climb was aided by normally marshy land having been dried up from an ongoing lack of rain on the isles, and while steep progress was slow it was really enjoyable.

Near the top we encountered a chap heading down who, the day before, had been running up and down the hill (seriously, fell runners are nuts!) and had lost his phone on the descent. So today he was walking (briskly) back up and down to see if he could spot it. Needle in a haystack he said. Naturally we found the needle when it was our turn to descend. Unfortunately the phone was locked meaning I couldn't find a number in his contacts list for 'home', so the only other option was to head back to the local shop, leaving it with the postmistress, in the hope that, as he sounded local and we had a description of his car/ute/truck, he could be identified. Meantime we'll also keep eyes peeled for a red Toyota Hilux...

Good deed done and, yeah, the weather looks like it has broken. Grey, windy, cold. Ah well, we've had a damned good run. Hopefully it might ease off later in the week, but might now be time to catch up on the indoor things (Harris Tweed (I'd like a cap...), galleries, and the like) - the other reason I hope the wind and cold abates is I've not yet done the Golden Road ride, and I'd rather not be doing it in 45mph gusts (which is the forecast).

Our North Uist trip already looks like being done with the car rather than by bike (I can just about put up with headwinds, Mel is a bit more sensible, and a 40 mile round trip cycle for her having just got back into cycling with her new bike is definitely optimistic in such conditions), but the RSPB reserve at Balranald is something that was on the list from the start of places to visit on this trip.

Whimbrel
Bird count: 43

Summit Cairn