UKC

Lewis and Harris beta

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DC_Climbing 09 Feb 2019

Hello,

I'm going to be visiting Lewis and Harris island in NW Scotland this summer. I'm looking for any advice, tips, tricks, crags to see, and would love a guide recommendation as well if you know of any. Google is showing this area is pretty remote, but I'm hoping someone here has something to offer!

Thanks you so much in advance

DC_Climbing 09 Feb 2019
In reply to DC_Climbing:

Thank you Cog!

You wouldn't happen to know any professional climbing guides (the people, not the book) in that area, would you?

 Gary Latter 10 Feb 2019
In reply to DC_Climbing:

You could try ami.org.uk for qualified UK instructors, or BMG.org.uk for mountain guides.

For Lewis, Mick Tighe is a guide, and was instrumental in many of the early developments on the Lewis sea cliffs from the early seventies onwards.

More locally, Andy Cunningham is probably the nearest instructor, based in Ullapool. I have bumped into Paul Tattersall at www.gofurtherscotland.co.uk out there. He's based near Gairloch, so also fairly local.

As for the new Outer Hebrides climbing guide - stunning, there's several lifetimes worth of climbing documented therein. Just don't tell everyone...

Post edited at 08:03
In reply to DC_Climbing:

You'll love it. Are you camping or in a van or BnB?

I wouldn't bother with Harris. There might be a few crags worthy of climbing on but the treasure trove is on Lewis.

DC_Climbing 10 Feb 2019
In reply to DC_Climbing:

You guys are amazing. It's with a family vacation and I am the only serious climber. I will be looking more into it.

 Brown 11 Feb 2019
In reply to Frank the Husky:

The Strone?

 Gary Latter 11 Feb 2019
In reply to Frank the Husky:

> You'll love it. Are you camping or in a van or BnB?

> I wouldn't bother with Harris. There might be a few crags worthy of climbing on but the treasure trove is on Lewis.

I heard that this route is quite good Stone (E5 6a) - even gets 4 stars in the new guide - you should maybe try it some time!

Removed User 11 Feb 2019
In reply to DC_Climbing:

There's bouldering at Cnip, which is a lovely place.

The hills to the South of Uig are worth wandering round as is Uig beach and the climbing round the corner at Mangersta.

I often find myself driving South past Islibhig (sp) to the end of the road and then walking down the coast. If you go far enough you'll get to a little island connected to the mainland by a strip of beach. There's some climbing there but the main thing is the walk.

There are a couple of beehive houses that are worth visiting beween Morsaig lodge and Kinloch Resort, you could sleep in one of them.

My favourite beach in the whole world lies just opposite Husinish (sp?). Nice drive out there as well.

My second favourite beach in the whole world is the one at Luskentyre.

You should take a drive down the golden road in Harris. Most of the people in Harris used to live on the relatively fertile West coast but were cleared off their land to the East coast. Those people had to take their dead back to Luskentyre to bury them because there isn't enough soil on the East coast to dig a grave. If you visit Tolsta Chaolis you'll see a graveyard there where the skill has been built up by 3 or 4 feet from the surrounding land. Presumably for the same reason.

In reply to Gary Latter:

I hadn't noticed that - I think the awful front cover must have made me miss that particular fact. My "less than flattering" comments about Stone were years ago...what a long memory you have!

 Gary Latter 19 Feb 2019
In reply to Frank the Husky:

Us guidebook writers have an encylopedic memory for trivia! Especially when it relates to grades and route quality... 


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