Hill: Sheabhal [Heaval]
Date: Wednesday 10th April 2013
Company: Myself and Beinn
Distance: 2km, Ascent: 250m
Time: 1Hr


I set out today to ascend Sheabhal the highest hill on the Isle of Barra. I parked in the small car park at the road high point.

Sheabhal is another dog-unfriendly Isle of Barra hill. Across from the car park there is a fence to climb over that doesn’t have a stile and doesn’t have a means of getting a dog over or under it. I had to lift Beinn over the fence dropping him on the other side. While dog-tossing may be fine for a small dog it is not ideal when your dog weighs 38kg.

Click here to see a map of the route undertaken

Once across the fence, I followed one of the grassy tracks leading up Sheabhal.

Sheabhal:


Castlebay from the lower slopes of Sheabhal:


The ascent of Sheabhal is steep but straight-forward. All the rocky outcrops are avoidable.

Steep ascent of Sheabhal:


Looking back towards the road and car park:


Ascending Sheabhal:


Castlebay:


The final rocky section is easily avoided via a path that skirts round to the South.

Rocky summit of Sheabhal:


After visiting the trig point and the nearby summit rock we started our descent again skirting the rocky section to the South.

Looking down on Sheabhal from the trig point:


Beinn at the trig point on Sheabhal:


View from the summit of Sheabhal:


View from the summit of Sheabhal:


Beinn bagging the highest rock on Barra:


Once beyond the rocky section, I made my way towards the statue and then descended via a track heading down from the statue.

"Our Lady of the Sea" Statue:


"Our Lady of the Sea" Statue:


Looking back to the rocky summit of Sheabhal and the statue:


Looking back to Sheabhal:


I got back to the car in just under an hour from setting off.

It wasn’t my intention to ascend another hill today however on asking Becky what she wanted to do today, she said she wanted to “go up a hill”. I asked if she would rather go to the beach but she declined in favour of going up a hill .

Having already reckied the three Marilyns on Barra, and the Marilyn on Vatersay, I decided that Theisabhal Mor on Vatersay was the best bet – a small hill with great views and with no fences to cross.


Hill: Theiseabhal Mor
Date: Wednesday 10th April 2013
Company: Myself, Becky, Carole and Beinn
Distance: 3.2km, Ascent: 205m
Time: 1Hr 50Mins


Click here to see a map of the route undertaken

We ascended Theisabhal Mor via the same route that I had used two days previous. We returned via the same route.

A few photos follow:

Becky ascending Theiseabhal Mor:


Becky ascending Theiseabhal Mor:


Becky and Beinn having a wee rest:


Well done to Becky on summiting her 20th Marilyn (20 more than I had ascended by age 6).

Becky at the summit of Theiseabhal Mor:


Becky and mum at the viewpoint cairn on Theiseabhal Mor: