Outdoor Adventures: May 2009

Wednesday 20 May 2009

The Isle of Skye

Fairy Glen (17.5.2009)

First visit to the Isle of Skye and we stayed in a b&b in the North at Uig and the next again day went out to explore the lovely and tranquil Fairy Glen. No sightings of fairy's unfortunately.

Fairy Glen

That evening I took a stroll above Uig bay to a wee hill called Creag Liath 174m. I sat for a while watching the sun go down and soaking up the views over the Cuillins and over to the Outer Hebrides.

Uig bay

Creag Liath 174m

NW Skye

The Outer Hebrides

sunset

The Storr (719m/ 2358ft) 18/05/2009 5 hours

Walked up from the A855 through the obvious path through the forest for a mile out onto the open moor passed the gate. From here I followed the pitched stone footpath up towards the old man of storr then east towards a false summit. Climbed over the fence and scrambled up over rocks around to the north east ridge of the storr. From here I followed a level path in a south westerly direction around Coire Scamadal which lines the tops of cliffs. When the cliffs were free of loose rock I scrambled up onto the grassy ridge then left up towards the summit. The views were clear but the day was cloudy with rain and sunny spells. I returned the same way.

The Storr

The Old Man of Storr

Raasay

The Storr cliffs

Storr summit

The Trotternish Ridge

Saturday 2 May 2009

Windlestraw Law (Moorfoot hills)

Windlestraw Law (Moorfoot hills) (2.5.09) 659 m, 2161 ft. 1. Hour 45min

Musselburgh - Blackhopebyre return cycle. 25 mile, 40km. Average time 6 hours.

Cycled from Musselburgh following the NCN 1 cycle path through Whitecraig, Dalkeith and then onto Carrington, down on the scenic B 709 through the moorfoot hills. Walked up to the summit of Windlestraw Law, the highest in the moorfoot hills and cycled back the same way. The bike was chained up at a fence near Blackhopebyre. From here I walked south, following the path around and west to Glentress Rig then onto Wallet Knowe. The fence was then followed in a south westerly direction to the summit and trig point. The ground was very boggy and marshy in places however the view from the summit was sunny and clear with views around the borders and the southern uplands. Returned via the same way.