Macleod's Stone walk - Traigh Iar walk

Route: Macleod’s Stone and Traigh Iar

Area: Scotland, Isle of Harris

Date of walk: 7th March 2018

Walkers: Andrew and Gilly

Distance: 2.0 miles

Ascent: 400 feet

Weather: Sunny spells

After this morning’s short but stunning walk, there was still plenty of time for another walk and, inspired by the beach scenery we’d enjoyed earlier, we drove north along the coast and parked in one of the roadside spaces at the south end of Traigh Iar. We passed through a gate and descended to the beautiful little beach, which was completely deserted. As we looked out to sea we spotted two large birds circling in the skies, and the binoculars confirmed that it was a pair of eagles, a thrilling moment. They were too distant for a photo unfortunately

At the end of the beach we climbed up through the dunes to ascend the small hill which is home to the massive standing stone known as Macleod’s Stone. Erected more than 4,500 years ago, its purpose is now unclear but it may just have been a navigational aid to guide boats into the bay. It now serves as a foreground for wonderful views of the surrounding mountains and islands

We carried on to the summit cairn, though ‘summit’ is rather a grand name for this modest little hill which is easily climbed in 10 minutes or so, with a minimal expenditure of energy. We descended by a fence to reach a track leading back to the road, and then followed the road back to the start. It had been a wonderful little walk

Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)