Loch Sneosdal circuit, Kilmuir
TROTTERNISH, PORTREE AND THE BRAES
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1. Park by the bottle recycling area in Kilmuir, about a hundred yards past a phone box when driving from Uig. Walk up the minor road, passing tiny Kilmuir hall (originally a tweed and basket factory - now used by the community for dancing classes, theatre group, ceilidhs etc) and a water pumping station before reaching a sign indicating the start of waymarked trails where the road turns left. Go through the gate, initially following the red trail posts towards Loch Sneosdal. Keep on the left track at the junction, which climbs gently towards a transmitter. Continue on the track past the transmitter.
2. Beyond, a signpost indicates where a waymarked trail to Heribusta heads off to the left. Continue on the track until a waymarker post with a red circle indicates where to turn off onto a faint track across the moor, to the right. The path on the ground is indistinct but there are further waymarkers every 100 metres or so.
3. Loch Sneosdal comes into view ahead, hemmed in by impressive 200 metre high crags. The waymarkers lead to the nearest point of the loch before curving back right to return to the start. Our route is along the top of the crags high above; head along the left shore of the loch towards the grassy spur coming down beyond the cliffs.
4. Once on the grassy spur, the going is steep but much drier. Half way up, head across a slight hollow before turning back right above the line of the cliffs. The going is slightly rough at first, becoming excellent on the impressive cliff edge - take great care.
5. Follow the cliff edge as it bends back left and reaches a fence. Climb over the fence and turn right up the hill, keeping alongside the fence all the time. The occasional views down to Loch Sneosdal far below are hugely impressive, and when the summit (Suidh a Mhinn) is reached there is grand panorama of the Outer Hebrides on a clear day, stretching from prominent cone-shaped Eaval on North Uist to the Pairk Hills of Lewis and beyond.
6. Continue along the fence until it reaches a junction with another fence, above a gully. Climb over near the junction between the two wooden posts. Now keep to the right side of the fence which heads downhill. It soon becomes very steep with an outcrop part way down; keep near the fence until you can see a safe descent and take care. The ground levels out just before you reach a drystone dyke (partly buried drystone wall). Follow the dyke to the right.
7. The waymarked route from the loch soon joins in from the right; from here on you can follow the red-circled marker posts. Continue along the dyke until it bends off right; keep straight on and then descend the slope to the left - following the marker posts. You should soon pick up a track which leads back to the outward route near where it left the road. Turn left along the road to return to the start.
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