I was nearing the end of my walking day – which, by the way is preferable to a working day – and I saw on the map that the path went one way around a hill, and the road went around the other.

Now, I’ve been caught out a number of times by the ‘paths’ that make up the Hebridean Way. But the last one had actually been pretty good, and from a distance this one looked ok. And besides, it was only a short distance and would soon join up with the road again. There didn’t seem too much to lose. So, go on I thought, let’s try one more.

It was really wet and boggy again. I would like to say, way markers, do not make a path. Especially when those way markers are basically guiding a route over a marsh. But I found this one funny. Earlier in the trip I’d got frustrated but I found myself laughing that I’d fallen for it again. I didn’t even mind that my feet were getting wet through again.

It then became a game. Trying to navigate a route that avoided the worst of the water. Jumping between little islands of taller grass. Some parts can actually be quite deep so you have to be careful. This is where the walking poles really help. First a start they can be used as probes to check the firmness of the ground. None of it is firm but you can find the least bad bit.

The second use is as a kind of pole fault. Enabling me to jump greater distances over, because sometimes there isn’t a suitable bit a ground with a single stride. So I was propelling myself with my poles. It was fun. If I’m honest, not particularly successful, but fun. Sometimes, after a bad move, I’d find myself quickly stepping, almost running, trying to get to dryer ground. A bit like when a cartoon tries to run in thin air.

When I eventually got back to the road, with my very wet feet, I didn’t feel bad. It was all just part of the experience. Although I did then find somewhere to camp so I didn’t have to put up with my wet feet too long.

A noisy night

I started the day a little grumpy. It’d been a noisy and a bit of a worry night and the wind and rain had been quite relentless and strong. This tent hasn’t let me down yet but some rain was getting in from under the fly and everything was moving a lot. So I’d not slept particularly well.

Also, I’d read the weather forecast for the next few days and it didn’t fill me with delight. There was a lot of rain predicted but what really caught my eye were the expected high winds.

It feels that there’s nowhere to hide from the wind. Certainly where I am currently. And I knew that the ferries, both between the islands and back to the mainland, are cancelled quite regularly due to the weather.

This did play on my mind, but once I got walking, and being treated to a different view every time I looked up, I soon put those worries to the back of my mind. I decided it wasn’t a problem for today and that the best course of action was to just walk as far as I could.

Ingenuity

There was initially a lot of road walking to be done. This was because of the state of the paths.

I really enjoyed it though. I was amazed by all the causeways. How they connected up pieces of land, the land being mainly comprised of marshes. It was incredible that someone had worked out how to tame this landscape. The causeway between south and north Uist was particularly impressive. It felt like it went on for miles. I met a farmer on a quad bike who was about to shepherd some sheep across it – that was both impressive and brave.

The views from the road were amazing as well. I could always see mountains, and so much water in the form of lochs or the sea, and then lots of houses, dotted all over, perched up on little islands of land surrounded by either peat marshes or water.

I did notice many of the houses also have cattle grids on their front drives. I guess it’s because the sheep are free to roam and people don’t fancy them turning up on their gardens – or worse still their houses.

I took far too many pictures here, and pretty much for the rest of the day. None did justice to what I was seeing, but I still kept trying. I suppose it’s best just to try and enjoy the moment and just keep it in your head.

Death Valley?

I did a lot of miles on the road. But as I said, I really had no choice, and the views were very good. It also meant I could cover the miles more quickly – which was useful as I was keen to get the ferry over to Harris tomorrow.

After Clachan an Luib the road turns east and I was treated to a road, with flat lands around it (basically peat marshes) but then mountains in the distance. I even liked the way telegraph poles ran down it. It looked quite special. Reminded me of picture from Death Valley in, maybe, Arizona. Not that I’ve ever been.

I then met a really friendly man called Angus, who was out for his regular walk. He told me things about the islands and other islands I should visit. I asked him about the peat cutting and he explained that they use it for heating. He said that people say it’s free but he remembered, as a child, working in the marshes for his Dad to the peat. He said it was hard work and definitely didn’t feel free.

We talked for a while. Such a nice man. He told me how often houses with have an older house next to them, on the same bit of raised land, and then often an even older derelict one next to that. He said it was generations living on the same land. I loved the idea of living here.

I could have talked to Angus all day.

As he left he said he hoped the rain would hold off for me. About 5 minutes later we were treated to a nice little shower. Good rainbow though. No pot of gold on this one – just some bags of peat where people had been cutting it out of the marches.

Water problems

A few miles after I met Angus, I suffered the bad path I talked about at the start. Maybe my chat with Angus made me not so bordered by it.

There was a big stream just before I got to my pitch so I collected some water as I was running low. The problem is that it’s all run through the peat and is quite brown. I’m not sure, even though I filter it, if it’s ok to drink.

It’s funny because I’m surrounded by water. It’s literally everywhere. But I’m not sure I can drink it. Although I did then think about drinks like wine and whisky where they have all sorts of earthy tones – and people rave about that. So maybe I’m worried about nothing.

Right, I’m up early tomorrow so I’m going to shut up!