Hebridean Island Crossing the Old Fashioned Way!!!

dbozkurt · #1 (**permalink**) 05-02-2007, 07:58 AM

Before 1960 the only way to get from North Uist to Benbecula was by Horse and Cart or maybe for the adventous ones by foot. Now its connected via Grimsay by 4 miles of causeways. On ebay I found and old 1920s map which had the route marked on, of the old north ford. Its handing having a partner who trained as a surveyor in the army, he translated the old route onto a new map.

So there we were Sunday afternoon an hour before very low tide clambering over the causeway to make our epic journey (without horse and cart) across the sands and rocky islands from North Uist to Benbecula, armed with a GPS and my camera, oh and spare set of clothing for me incase of channels being too deep to wade!!

View from Start

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Well needless to say it was freezing, as we stepped foot on the sands, 7 greylag geese flew over us, and landed in the far distance about 1 mile or more away. Wading through 2 channels I found them!!

Flight of Geese
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Found the geese
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Well it all went great until about halfway across when we came to some small rocky inlets where the tide doesn't go fully out. There was a foot deep channel infront of seaweed covered mud. Dave ever the leader waded through first missed his stepping on the muddy rocks and dropped our carefully thought out map!!! I was a little more careful. The best bit was when we turned the corner there was about a 20-30 yard gap between rocky islands with very 'shiney' mud inbetween. The meer woman me said it might take me an extra 2 minutes but I will walk around using the rocks. Don't be stupid Dave said and walked through! Knee deep in mud wellies left 2 paces behind, trousers coated, Debbie trying to hold the camera straight for laughing (thought it wise not to publish photos!). You should have seen the state of him!

Anyway once pass that the rest of the crossing was beautiful, the sun came out, had to wade through so large channels but safe enough. This photo if you peer into the far distance you can just make out a gap between dunes, this is where the sea is!

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Finally this is the view from the causeway on Benbecula looking back

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It was a once in a life time walk, which can be dangerous, the tides and the weather conditions were just right for the walk. We saw lots of birds; oyster catchers, great black backed gulls, common gulls, herring gulls, herons, turnstones, curlews, redshanks, starlings, stonechat, 14 shelducks, red breasted merganser, buzzard, raven, hoodies, tufted ducks, just the ones I recognised.

Hope you don't mind me sharing my day out, its off to do the easier South Causeway next!!

Debs

smartie · #2 (**permalink**) 05-02-2007, 08:19 AM

Lovely story. Just the kind of tidal flats I love, too. Sounds like a great day out - assuming you retrieved the wellies

Also dangerous, as you say, and not to be undertaken by others without the kind of preparation you had done in advance.

dbozkurt · #3 (**permalink**) 05-02-2007, 08:25 AM

Retreived wellies, but had to hose him down when we got back!!! We had a 4 mile walk across the causeways to pick up the car, squelching all the way!!