UKC

I have been browsing the new Hebrides guidebook and thinking it's too long since I visited Pabbay and Mingulay. Thinking about my next trip out though, I'm now wondering about the other islands as well.

My impressions are that Sandray looks exceptional for short routes - probably better than Pabbay or Mingulay for single pitch. But, it is just single pitch. The island itself looks like a lovely place to be, with the camping over on the Atlantic side. Berneray looks like it has a couple of crags with amazing long and adventurous routes, but the island itself looks less appealing to stay on - not much shelter and no fresh water. Southwest Barra appears to have some good routes, but not really to be in the same league as its neighbours - but then, it's logistically much simpler and less committing to visit.

I'm not looking for a definitive "yes you should go" or "no don't bother", just interested to hear some impressions of climbing on these islands in comparison with their more popular sisters.

How do the routes on Sandray compare with, say, the best of Lewis?

Are Creag na Beiste and the Giant's Pipes as special as the guide makes them out to be?

Not been myself but Fatboy went to Berneray this summer, and I quote "don't go, it's shit!"

I had actually heard Fatboy's view indirectly already, noted!

If it’s remote adventure your after don’t overlook Lingeigh. More info and free download here:

https://www.smc.org.uk/publications/climbing/outerhebrides

Ditto curious re your question - though have a feeling the Hebrides might prove very popular next spring/summer... 

 >   Southwest Barra appears to have some good routes, but not really to be in the same league as its neighbours - but then, it's logistically much simpler and less committing to visit.

If you decide to climb on Barra you should visit Barra Wall, Dancing Walls and Breaker Wall.

Kev Howett compared Barra Wall to the islands to the south, he wrote ‘These routes are as good a quality as anything on the Bishop’s Isles’.

I don’t think he has climbed on Dancing Walls or Breaker Wall.

The UKC Barra link above needs a lot of work!

I had had a gander at the Lingeigh miniguide, guaranteed solitude on that one I'm sure. Has anyone actually been back since the original FAs in 2000?

As Berneray can't put in it's own defence to Fatboy's comments I'll try to add some balance...!

We sailed around Berneray before landing (on the boat Fatboy was on), and the cliffs do look amazing. The birds must also have thought that, as there were lots (way more than when Kevin Howett, also in the boat, last went there). There were also a lot more in the way of midge on the island, and there is no shelter. The main problem we had was that the weather was absolutely beasting hot, with no wind. So the lack of shelter and midge was way more noticeable! The grass on the island could do with a good strimming, and was a far cry from the lush meadows of Mingulay, but there was one sheep spotted. Maybe that will have multiplied and done the job? 

The stories of the first ascents sounded wild, the cliffs were inspiring and also a bit scary (200m abseil into Beastie!). I'd be up for going back when it's not one million degrees, there was a nice breeze, and it was out of bird nesting season. I probably wouldn't dedicate the whole trip to the place but if you tacked a couple of days on the end of the trip and got lucky (like we didn't) I reckon it'd be fun, just don't expect the paradise island experience of Mingulay.

Thanks, nice to get a more detailed take on it. Was it birdy looking on the Giants Pipes and all?

What about Mugg?  (Sometimes descried from Rum in the form of two cones and  as a single misty lump from Muck. It has never been seen form Eigg. )

In a word, yes. That was the main cliff we checked out and had intended to climb on. There was the view from a couple that the ab into Barra Head Games, and that route, would have avoided most of the birds. But pretty much all other ledges and non-ledges had birds on.  It’d be interested if it is like that all year round or whether it’s clearer later in the year. 

Aye. Though if the birds have taken up residence even just for the nesting season it will make for a more pungent experience later in the summer too.