Rubha Hunish 26th Feb

I was awake before Vince’s alarm, but had a good nights sleep for a change. We got up and attended to our morning routine chores and I downloaded and backed up my photos from yesterday (as I was way too tired last night).

We rugged up well as it was hailing just before we set off and we arrived at the car park and checked out the signage about the settlement at Erisco.

We hit the trail at 9.15am and at that point the hail had stopped, it was still windy and rainy but not too bad. The 2.5km trek out was mostly on a well worn path, often with bedrock underneath, but at times it was very muddy and boggy due to the patches of peat bog as well. Luckily I had my hiking poles to help test depths and provide a bit of stability at times - it really gave my recovering broken leg a work out!

We stopped about half way and Vince took a Vlog just using his iphone. The view out over the abandoned ruins of Erisco, Duntulum Castle and Tulm Island was just magical. I loved just watching how the sea https://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/bothies/bothy-code/ swirled in different directions around the little island.

We carried on and finished by hiking up to the summit of Meall Tuath, this really was a challenge for me at times and memories of Cairngorm Mountain flooded back as Vince kept telling me it wasn’t far to go - but it was!

We finally arrived at 10.40am (1 hour 20 min trip) at the Bothy - The Lookout which is part of the Mountain Bothies Association. This is the one that our friend Bill (from the Trotternish Gallery) is the custodian of and has been commended by the Scottish Tourist Board. It was built in 1928 as a lookout for the Coastguard. With improved technology and communication it was no longer required and in the mid 1970’s, it became a simple shelter for those in need and the front (the watch room) was used by birdwatchers, whale spotters and those just wanting to enjoy the panoramic views over the Minch, the Isle of Lewis and Harris in the Outter Hebrides. After a bad storm in 2005 blue out all the windows it was renovated by volunteers. You may be lucky enough to see whales, seals, dolphins, basking sharks and a variety of birdlife.

We arrived to find some camping gear inside (it can sleep 3) so obviously someone was already here but out and about. We went through to the “watchroom” to enjoy the panoramic view - so clear across to the snow on top of the mountains on the Isel of Lewis and Harris. Whilst we were there two bothers from Wales returned from their trek down to the point and we had a chat about photography. They had stayed the night and were hoping to get their drone up so Vince had a great chat with Tom about that. We signed the Log Book and the Calendar to show we had stopped in and then rugged up again to go out to look over the cliff to see Rubha Hunish itself, the Northern most point of Skye, and some sea stacks alongside the Lazy Beds which used to cultivate oats and potatoes.

We also went and sat on a small bench to look out but it was getting a bit too cold so we headed on the long walk back about 11.35am and arrived back at the car park at 12.45pm (1 hr 15 min return trip). The trip back was a little easier as it was mostly downhill and we just made it back to the car when another hail and snow storm came in.

Back at Willie McLeod’s we had some Pea and Ham Soup for lunch and a relax by the fire to thaw out.

I worked on catching up on my blogs and sorting out some illustrative photos for them. Alan, the crofter, dropped by as he thought one of his cows might be calving - but it wasn't. So he stayed for a dram instead.

It was a quiet night discussing future options when we get back to Australia.