RHSoc ContributorContribution by Eric Young
You'll recognise the scenario: A prearranged boat trip which the weather and sea conditions cancel. With no back up day the situation looked forlorn. Another boat trip the following day gives way, and we inherit the poorer weather day. We're back on, elation may be overstating it!
As we embark the Seatrek cabin cruiser at Huisinish it is dreich, damp and dismal. It didn't improve all day. Thank goodness for a good crew of Iain Angus and Angus; fisherman and gamekeeper. And 12 positive RHSocians (not forgetting Bryher the cocker spaniel) glad to be going and making the best of it. And we did. Mullach na-Airde Bige, Meall nan Sithean, Sneathabhal Mor and Beinisbhal don't roll off the non native Gaelic tongue but we enjoyed the challenge of landing, the exercise and the company. These are 4 remote humps in SW Lewis accessed from the western fjords of Loch Tealasbhaigh and Loch Resort.
The original inhabitants, the Vikings, the crofters, the estate managers and Alan Holmes's September 2013 trip all came by sea too. We followed in their wake. Adventurously we'd added Taran Mor that remote Harris hump. The landing was at an even steeper point below Taran Beag and we made careful headway up by the burn. A couple tackled Taran Beag. There was little lingering at the trig pillar on Taran Mor as the wind threw the weather at us. All returned safely happy at the achievement.
We'd climbed 1,180m and walked 10 kms up and down trackless remote grassy boggy moorland and collected FIVE of the remotest Humps in Scotland; what was there not to be happy about? The happy people were Jenny Hatfield, Anne Bunn, Liz and Peter Hastie, Rick Salter, David Jamieson, Dave Gordon, David Gilchrist, Peter Dinnage, Chris Peart, Simon Fraser and yours truly. The happy, sleepy dog was Bryher.
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