a band of pinkish rock that rises left to right across the hillside. This is hard going and anyone who is not a trained athlete will need frequent rests to recover their breath. It is best just to take it slowly and enjoy the view over the islands in the Sound of Harris and hills of North Uist beyond.
East ridge of Ceapabhal
Following this rock band leads around to the main ridge and eventually to easier ground that leads directly to the summit of Ceapabhal, which means ‘the bow-shaped hill’ in Norse. There is a trig point and a cairn marks the summit a few metres to the north. At 368m this is a modest hill, but the views are memorable. Taransay and the white sands of Tràigh Losgaintir and the other beaches of South Harris lie to the north-east; the now uninhabited islands of Ensay, Killegray and Pabbay and a multitude of smaller islets are scattered across the Sound of Harris to the south with Berneray and North Uist beyond. Four kilometres offshore just to the west of Pabbay lies the small island of Siolaigh, a haul-out ground for Atlantic seals. If it is particularly clear look for the Cuillin of Skye, 80km to the south-east, and the island of St Kilda, 72km away to the west.
Ceapabhal and Taobh Tuath (Northton) from the summit of Greaval
Head off north-west to cross a boggy bealach (Gaelic for pass or col) and gain a second cairned summit marked with a spot height of 339m. Continue heading north-west, keeping to the drier and easier walking along the ridge on the left until you reach the flatter ground at Toe Head. The return route takes you clockwise along the coast and if you want a diversion, you could visit the natural sea arches around the headland. There are four sea arches in total, but only two are marked on the Landranger series of maps.
Unless it has been dry for some time, the going can be quaggy all the way until Sgeir Leomadail. The word ‘quaggy’ probably describes much of the low-level terrain of Harris and Lewis better than any other. The word ‘boggy’ suggests that you run the risk of getting your feet and lower legs plastered in mud or black peat and in certain areas this can undoubtedly happen. But for the most part, the underlying layers of peat and moss mean that the ground is just springy and yielding (quaggy). It is best to move fast across such terrain, because if you stand still for too long, you are sure to sink into it and get a wet foot. But the views of the Harris Hills and the prospect of wildlife more than compensate for the possibility of a sodden sock.
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