Macleod's Maidens
DUIRINISH, WATERNISH, DUNVEGAN AND CENTRAL SKYE
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1. Take the B884 Glendale road and turn onto the minor road to Orbost at the first corner. Follow this road to Orbost Farm, just before Orbost House, where it is possible to park. Walk along the track which soon leads to the shores of a bay, Loch Bharcasaig, where it bends to the right and reaches some houses in a forest clearing. Take the left hand track here which crosses the stream and heads into the forest.
2. After a couple of kilometres the track crosses the Forse burn. Just beyond, a waymarker indicates a clear path off to the right; follow this and not the track. The path is boggy in places but climbs over a low pass giving good views over to the Minginish coast. The descent leads across a stile and passes the ruins of a settlement above Brandarsaig Bay before heading through more trees and emerging onto open ground at the Idrigill burn. This last section of woodland is the scene of new plantings being undertaken by Future Forests in a project to neutralise carbon dioxide emissions. It has been named 'Rebel's Wood' in memory of Joe Strummer, lead singer of the Clash. Joe was instrumental in the setting up of Future Forests.
3. Just past the burn are the ruins of Idrigill, which must once have been a substantial village, with many lazybeds. The path continues clearly and descends very slightly before heading up the right side of the Glac Ghealaridh, a valley leading to a low pass. It is worth detouring here and crossing the stream to ascend the heather slope opposite to reach the edge of the cliffs, which have a great view back to the double arches south of Brandarsaig Bay. The detour is rough but the viewpoint is an excellent spot for a rest.
4. Back on the main path, the path descends again from the top of the Glac Ghealaridh. The going becomes more indistinct on the next section, contouring the left side of some low hills and heading SSW to reach the coast at the Geodha nan Daoine, an inlet. Turn right along the cliffs to the next headland, Rubha na Maighdeaban. From the top of the impressive cliffs here you can admire the mighty sea-stacks known as Macleods Maidens. The largest stack is the Mother, and the two other contrasting stacks are known as the Daughters. The Mother stack was first climbed in 1959; ascents must be alarming as the top section looks ready to topple.
5. If you need to return to the car, by far the easiest option is to retrace your steps to Orbost. Experienced walkers who are expert navigators with plenty of time could continue along the spectacular coast northwest as far as Glen Ollisdal, passing the bothy there and climbing the pathless moorland to the Ollisdal lochs. It is then possible to descend east from the Bealach Bharcasaig, keeping to the left of the forestry to eventually return to Orbost. The moorland crossing is boggy and featureless and would raise the walk to a grade 4.
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