Liamisiadair & Gearrannan
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In brief 1 = Other Walking & Cycle Routes 7 8 Liamisiadair & Gearrannan Category: Moderate 8 Liamisiadair Map Reference: OS Landranger 1 2 & Gearrannan Map 8 (Stornoway and North Lewis); OS Explorer Map 460 (North Lewis) 9 Start and End Grid Reference: 10 NB 201 429 3 Walking Distance: 9 km / 5.5 miles 4 11 Time: 3 - 4 hours 5 12 13 Our walking and cycling 14 routes are part of a series of self-guided trails through Route Walking the Outer Hebrides. 6 For more information scan here. 15 16 www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk/apps The Outer Hebrides offer great Outdoor Safety opportunities to explore the outdoors Staying safe whilst walking is mostly a matter “ Most people drive right up and walking provides you with the of common sense: to the popular Blackhouse chance to get close to the nature, • Check the weather forecast before you set out. Village at Gearrannan, but this history and heritage of our islands or • Take appropriate clothing – these walks may excellent coastal walk offers just to get out and enjoy the fresh air. cover some rough, wet ground, so wear your a fascinating and much more boots. A jacket is always advisable. dramatic approach.” There are lots of different types of walks to • Take extra care as some of these walks choose from including coastal walks and are along steep cliffs. This walk is not for wildlife walks. History lovers can choose – for windy days! Gearrannan example – to walk the Bonnie Prince Charlie • Carry water and a bite to eat. trail in Uist, while a selection of hiking trails • Always tell someone where you are going take in historic sites and monuments providing and when you expect to be back. ample points of interest. • Always bring a compass and map with you. Whether you are looking for leisurely strolls along island beaches, or challenging hikes Scottish Outdoor Access Code through rugged mountain terrain, walking on our islands gives you a chance to really connect In Scotland we have some of the best access laws with the outdoors and keep fit at the same time. in the world – we have the right to walk on most land provided we behave responsibly and respect the rights of others. Full information on access rights and responsibilities can be found at www.outdooraccess-scotland.com If you keep to the following guidelines you won’t For more information about other go far wrong: Forwalking more routes, information which and you to can download otherdownload, walking go toroutes, the website: visit: • Do not disturb livestock or wildlife. • Keep dogs under control, especially at www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk lambing time. • Leave gates as you found them. • Take all your litter home. The Route Aird Laimisiadair Today the only residents are Wild Inhabitants birds and the occasional 4 Although uninhabited today, wandering sheep and cattle. Most people drive right up to the this section of coastline was In early summer you may see heavily cultivated in the past. a whooper swan in Loch Rinn popular Blackhouse Village at Every grassy hollow is lined na Geodha. These shy, yellow with lazybeds – old cultivation billed swans rest here before Gearrannan, but this excellent coastal ridges - and the remains of continuing their perilous flight walk offers a fascinating and much old dwellings, enclosures, northwards to their arctic sheep dips and even ancient breeding grounds in Iceland more dramatic approach. forts are reminders of more and Greenland. You may also populous times. The walking hear the frantic piping call of You should take a while to is excellent, despite the lack oystercatchers – striking black The walk is not signposted and there are no waymarkers. To the Lighthouse admire the view to the north- of paths, but there are lots of and white wading birds which Indeed, for most of the way there is no path at all, but don’t 3 As you near the headland, east too, as this is where you small climbs and descents so nest along the loch shore. If let that put you off. If you are happy walking on rough leave the shore and make your are heading next. Again, there give yourself plenty of time for you do, move swiftly on, ground, you are unlikely to go wrong – should you get lost, way up a small hill to the are no real paths, it is just a this section. crossing the shingle between just follow the coastline in either direction and you’ll end modern lighthouse at Aird case of carefully making your the loch and the sea and up back at a road. Laimisiadair. This a great place way along the coastline and leave the birds in peace. for a lunch break – the views picking a safe line down some Note: this walk follows the edge of high sea cliffs – here are tremendous. of the steeper grassy slopes. please take care. It is not suitable on windy days! Immediately off-shore is Aim to keep reasonably close to Craigeam - a lush, green island the cliffs – the walking here is Walk across the boulder offering tasty grazing to a few usually drier and easier, and the The Blackhouse beach into the village itself. Shelter from anchorage, a rare thing hardy sheep. Across Loch Roag views of the precipitous rock Village Note how some of the indeed in this part of Lewis. the silver sands of Little faces and boulder strewn bays blackhouses have curved the Storm Bernera can be seen, with the are spectacular. 5 Keep close to the shore walls and thatch that does not Continue on through a stock rocky dome of Seana Chnoc and you will eventually round 1 Park at the junction of the overhang the walls – both are gate at the end of the road standing sentinel far out to a corner to a spectacular view design features that date from Gearrannan and Borghastan and follow the obvious rough the west. of the Blackhouse Village. roads, just beyond the ancient times and which help track for a few hundred Nestled beneath the hillside, the houses cope with violent wonderful Blue Pig Studio. metres. Keep a sharp lookout on a small strip of fertile land At the Lighthouse - Liamisaidair winter storms. Set off along the small road for the first cairn – this at the head of a sheltered bay, to Borghastan, following it as unassuming pile of stones the reason for the village’s it winds its way above some A visit to the small museum is is an important marker, and location is suddenly obvious. recommended (tickets are croft land. As the road bends indicates where you need The view from a distance is round to the west, Carloway available from the gift shop at to follow a faint, old path like looking back into the Iron the top of the hill) and coffee pier and harbour come in to branching off down to the left. Age – it is astonishing to view – and what a harbour it and cake in the village Follow this is as it weaves realise that the last cottage teashop will set you up for the is - the sinuous inlet of Loch cleverly down through a long here was inhabited until 1974. Carloway providing a easy 15 minute stroll back rocky outcrop, then pass along the road to your car. wonderfully sheltered through the stone dyke (wall). Aird Laimisiadair N Once beyond the village there The Cleared are no paths, but the walking Village is mostly straightforward along obvious sheep tracks that 2 You are now entering the meander through the low old abandoned township of growing heather. In May and Laimisiadair. Once a thriving early June the grass is settlement, in 1796 this was carpeted with attractive pale one of the first of many Lewis blue flowers. This is spring villages to fall victim to the squill, a speciality of the Highland Clearances. People coastal heath that fringes were cleared off the land and Lewis’s Atlantic coastline. replaced with a sheep farm which provided more rent for As you continue towards the the landowner. The ruins you headland, you may be can see today mainly relate fortunate enough to spot the to the sheep farm, though distinctive V – shaped wake of some of the original stone an otter, which can sometimes houses are still visible higher be seen swimming amongst up the hillside. the many sea stacks hereabouts. Liamisaidair “ The view from a distance is like Leaflet produced by looking back into the Iron Age – it is astonishing to realise that the last cottage here was inhabited until 1974.” Supported by FOR A HAPPIER, HEALTHIER SCOTLAND Design: we-are-bright.com.