Blethering Ben - 72 - The highest point on North Uist
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- In March 2016 I made my first ever (and long overdue) visit to the Western Isles.....and was utterly blown away by the surreal landscapes and beautiful quality of light. In this blog I head to the highest point on North Uist to take in the vast watery panorama from its summit. Along the way I ponder the usual random collection of things - wildlife, weather, the Norse influence on our place names and even climbing in the Alps. Hope you enjoy!
I am a pensioner, and perhaps I can boast. I have climbed all the Munros and many other peaks besides. But as I matured, life was not so much about challenge, but enjoying the unexpected, be it even location or just the plain atmosphere of the place. I spent 3 weeks in the outer Hebrides in 1993, and the view from Eaval on North Uist (and Roeineval on Harris), is unforgettable. Thank you so much for this video. What impresses me about you is you have such an interest, which for so many, is plain esoteric or even more so of no value. It is people like ypou who give true value to God's creation.
Great video, filming and narrative. I recently stayed on Harris for painting purposes and was very inspired by the landscape. Great reminder!
Cheers. I really must get back there too. Never ventured to South Uist or Barra.
My wife and I have been up all 3. Fantastic.
I'll add the other two for my next visit :)
As always a a pleasure to watch, I have spent many a summer holidays up in the islands, I hope you have time to travel around and see Eriskay and Barra special in their own ways, more for the views than hills. Although Beinn Mhor in South Uist has always been on my bucket list, as it was the largest hill you could see when helping with the Hay in your childhood.
Had a laugh at the wet air comment, watch out for the horizontal rain.
Cheers Roddy. Yep I intend to go back and explore other islands.....but one at a time. I spent a week on North Uist and I had folk urging me to get the ferry here there and everywhere, or head down to South Uist while I was over in the Western Isles. But I wanted to stay put and get to know one place well rather than a few places in a vague sense. Hoping to get over to Harris and South Uist for a week each in the spring....and hopefully do a blog from Beinn Mhor too of couse ;-)
Yip, as others have already said, another great video. You also sprung to mind the other day while I was walking in the Lawers range and seeing all the holes from walking poles on the fragile path structure which reminded me of one of your previous videos.
Thanks :) Yeah the puncture marks along the paths in the Lawers reserve are pretty bad.
Amazing number of facts you have. Very interesting😁
I hasten to point out that said facts don't reside in my head naturally. I do a lot of research before heading out....and then said facts float out of my head the next week ;-)
Heading over to North Uist in mid April 2017 for a week's holiday. Really looking forward to it now 😃
How did it go? Or are you still there now?
Hi - we have just returned from North Uist - we will definitely be back, too. The scenery across the Uists and Benbecula is stunning, especially all those lovely white sandy beaches. And the people are very friendly, too. No much wonder the Outer Hebrides just won the "Happiest Place in Britain" award in a recent newspaper article!
I so want to go here. Super video.
I hope you get good weather when you go!
Wow! Incredible light! It takes a hardy people to live and make a living there. Thank you for the book tip Ben I'll track it down. I'm nearly finished reading Gaia Vince's "Adventures in the Anthropocene" and I've thought of you several times while reading it. Just this morning where she mentions seeing coconut crabs crawling the beach wearing shells made from cans or yogurt cartons I remembered your video talking about plastic washing up on the beach. Incredible video as always! Thank you, Ossie
Yeah it's all a bit depressing really :(
great stuff ben
According to Erskine Beveridge's book Eaval is derived from the norse, Ey-fyall which translates to "Island Hill"
Nice double meaning. Sounds perfect to me :)
woweeee Ben just epic looks incredible... thank you for sharing. looked like you had a great time ATB
Ben , FANTASTIC , i could watch your vids over and over , big thanks from everyone that you make the effort to make these films available to the public !!
Aww, thanks for that. Not get any more in the pipeline just now I'm afraid. Need to get out & about if the knee permits.
Brilliant Ben! What a film and great shots at 20:30 superb!!! You jammy sod having all that to yourself, What a place! Thanks for making the effort and showing us this Ben, Very very much appreciated. PS Switzerland is of course a beautiful country, But it is NOT Scotland!
Ta muchly. Truth be told you are almost guaranteed to have places to yourself if you stay off the beaten track in March :)
Just as an afterthought, the next time a Swiss person slags off Scotland's mountains, you could remind them that their own great mountaineer, Ueli Steck, occasionally climbs in the Highlands... and likes fish and chips.
I will do just that!
The Swiss can't even climb their mountains without drilling holes everywhere. And who is to say that their landscapes are any more beautiful than some of the views in Scotland? I've been all over Europe (currently living in "forestland" aka Latvia after leaving N Ireland), the Alps, Pyrenees and I can tell you, I've yet to see anything as jaw dropping as the Isle of Skye viewed from the mainland on a clear day. The Swiss don't have that dramatic sea plus mountain combination that NW Scotland and Norway have. But... it's all in the eye of the beholder, ultimately.
What a thrill with the light Ben. Awesome vibrations maaaan. Somehow 350 meters looks higher when standing alone and straight up from say sea level. Norse connections. Interesting! I suspect there are a few water nymphs where you go....very wet. A challenging walk Ben as you say but with fantastic nature also. Enjoyed your company. All the best there. Mark..
We are a nation obsessed with arbitrary measures of height, and small hills like this really do show that height is no indication of greatness.
North Uist is my favourite island too , oh and nice try at the gaelic pronunciations ....way better than I could have done lol
Cheers ;-)
another great video Ben, looks like a fantastic place to visit , camera work A+ again mate , thanks for sharing
Thanks Tony. I'm going back next spring!
looks like.. ..ehrrr
what?
that is a stange looking place
flattened by glaciation?
thanks for showing, really appreciated here in the flatlands..
Yep, always glaciation in Scotland. Have a look at www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/geology/outerhebrides.pdf for more info.
yess the internet of content
very pleasd with that ! good reading, thanks!
Another great vid, thank you Ben!
Cheers Andy.
that looks a very wild place,never been that far up.You make some of the best videos on RUclips,keep up the good work ben 👍
Cheers Henry :)
Nice you just got yourself an nice sub🙄
Cheers guvnor!
great stuff ben
Ta :)