{"id":46392,"date":"2025-08-05T07:56:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T06:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alananna.co.uk\/blog\/?p=46392"},"modified":"2025-08-04T14:54:42","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T13:54:42","slug":"the-hebridean-way-stage-6-north-uist-and-berneray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alananna.co.uk\/blog\/2025\/08\/the-hebridean-way-stage-6-north-uist-and-berneray\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hebridean Way \u2013 Stage 6: North Uist and Berneray"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

All Alone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It was all change today, as Anna would be heading home. We were, of course, up and ready to go earlier than we needed to be, but there wasn\u2019t much point hanging around. We headed off towards Lochmaddy so that Anna could drop me off where I\u2019d finished my walk yesterday. This time, I was fully loaded \u2014 everything I needed to survive was crammed into a larger rucksack on my back: camping kit, tent, sleeping bag, food for five days, clothes, electronics, water, and a few other bits and pieces. I\u2019d be setting off on my own into the wilds of the Outer Hebrides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anna, meanwhile, would head back to Benbecula airport for a flight to Glasgow, followed by an adventure of her own involving a number of trains and rail replacement buses back to Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was sad walking off and leaving her \u2014 the past week had been perfect. Meeting Anna and having someone to chat to every few hours had been ideal. She\u2019d enjoyed doing a few short walks and some proper relaxing in between. The comfort of the B&B might be missed too. But this was what I was here to do, and Anna had to go back to work \u2014 so I was now on my own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hills and Lochs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After a walk along the main road towards Lochmaddy, I took a left turn and followed a minor road in a northwesterly direction. I didn\u2019t see any cars other than the postman on these roads. After about three miles, I left the road and began climbing the hill of Blathaisbhal. The path didn\u2019t take me all the way to the top, but skirted around its flanks before crossing a grassy, somewhat boggy plateau and dropping back down to the road.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"On<\/a>
On Blathaisbhal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I then turned onto an even smaller road that crossed tidal inlets and skirted around lochs. North Uist really is more water than land around here. The sheer number of lochs here is staggering \u2014 more than 9,000 dot the island. The mix of freshwater and sea lochs makes the landscape feel like a jigsaw puzzle of land and water. It’s a haven for wildlife, especially birds like redshank, curlew, and greylag geese. I was making plenty of stops and taking it easy due to sciatica pains. The weather was a mix of sunny spells and light showers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rain<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"Taking<\/a><\/figure>
\"Lochs<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Beinn Mh\u00f2r and Dun an Sticir<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Soon I was heading out over boggy ground, weaving along the shores of lochs before climbing Beinn Mh\u00f2r, where I detoured to the summit \u2014 just because I could. Beinn Mh\u00f2r, meaning \u201cbig mountain\u201d in Gaelic, isn\u2019t especially high but feels prominent thanks to the flat terrain around it and it provides excellent views out over North Uist and onto Berneray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"Views<\/a><\/figure>
\"North<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Views<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"Summit<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I then descended towards Berneray, stopping first for lunch and then detouring again to explore Dun an Sticir, an Iron Age broch situated on an island in Loch an Sticir. The broch island is connected by a causeway to a larger island called Eilean na Mi-Chomhairle, which is in turn connected via two causeways to the mainland. All are accessible via stepping stones that were partially submerged by the tide. I went out to explore, doing my best to keep my feet dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Looking<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"Stepping<\/a><\/figure>
\"Dun<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Berneray<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I then wandered down to the beach at Port nan Long, where there were some nice potential camp spots. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Port<\/a>
Port nan Long<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

But as it was still early, I decided to head on, crossing the causeway and leaving North Uist behind me as I made my way to the island of Berneray. The causeway connecting North Uist to Berneray was completed in 1999 and stretches for 900 metres. Before that, Berneray was only accessible by boat. It\u2019s a lifeline now, linking the islands physically and economically. My plan now was to catch the afternoon ferry to Harris and camp there for the night so I could make an early start in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Berneray<\/a>
Berneray Ferry Terminal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Unfortunately, due to the tides, there wasn\u2019t an afternoon ferry. The next one wasn\u2019t until 5:20?pm, so I now had three hours sat waiting in a somewhat dreary ferry terminal. Considering the fact that Berneray is our favourite of the Outer Hebridean islands, its ferry terminal is a cold, uninspiring place. It was actually colder inside than it was outside, but it was threatening to rain. There are toilets here but no other amenities. I found myself wishing there was a caf\u00e9 like at the ferry terminal on Barra. In the end, I waited outside where it was warmer \u2014 at least until about 5?pm when it started to rain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>