Posts Tagged ‘guided walk’

2015 Isle of Harris Mountain Festival – Review

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What an amazing week! The programme for 2015 was our biggest and most ambitious yet – packed full of guided walks, evening talks, workshops, boat trips and sporting events. The festival is now managing to bring a significant contingent of visitors to the island, at a time of year when things would otherwise be slowing down for the end of the season.

Sunshine in Glen Cravadale

Our headline speaker was the fascinating Jim Crumley – a Scottish nature writer with an infectious passion for all things wild. He spoke about his book “The Eagle’s Way” which is about the reintroduction of sea eagles to Scotland, as well as touching on his latest publication about Beavers. Photographer Laurie Campbell gave some fantastic insights into nature photography, and mountaineer James Ogilvie told us of his adventures climbing the highest mountain on each continent around the globe, collectively known as the “Seven Summits,”  The best turnout was for Alan Rowan, the “Munro Moonwalker” with captivating stories and images from his night-time climbs. He has inspired us to consider a night walk for next year’s festival – ascending a hill in the early hours of the morning to be at the summit for dawn.

 

Laurie Campbell also ran another set of photography workshops; an amazing opportunity for photographers to get tips and advice from one of the UK’s top nature photographers. These workshops ran alongside a very popular session hosted by local landscape photographer Darren Cole.

Crowds gathered for the raft race

 

We had a mixed bag of weather for the guided walks; half the week we were treated to bright sunshine and gentle winds, whilst the rest of the time we were walking in full waterproofs! The first walk of the week was to Cravadale from Hushinish, with beautiful weather and an abundance of eagle sightings. We weren’t so lucky on the hill-walks up Todun and the Clisham – both days were wet, windy and cloudy, but we still managed to reach the summits. Spirits weren’t dampened – only our clothes! The Eagle Walk was once again massively popular, with 37 walkers and a good handful of sightings. Our top walk of the week was an ascent of Tiorga Mor, a hill in the west end of North Harris – a perfect hill day!

 

This year was the first time since year one that we worked with the Islands Book Trust, who ran a set of boat trips to the Isle of Scarp. Participants were given a few hours to explore the island before heading back across the sound to Hushinish. The event was so popular that the boat had to make seven return trips through the day.

Imagining the view on top of Todun!

Many events were delivered by partner organisations. Working with our numerous partners allows for a greater variety of events and helps to spread the benefits of the festival much more widely. Segway Hebrides returned to Harris to run trips up Glen Meavaig; The Scaladale Centre put on powerboat tours of Loch Seaforth right through the week (with Eagle sightings from the water on nearly every trip); Comhairle nan Eilean Siar ran rock climbing and Hill Skills sessions; and Sir E Scott School supported the Sea Kayaking sessions. Conditions on the water were perfect for the kayaking, and both sessions were fully booked. SurfLewis were also set to run surfing sessions but unfortunately weather and sea conditions didn’t permit the event to go ahead. Whale and Dolphin Conservation ran a special set of Shorewatch events in Rodel, and the Hebrides Mountain Rescue team hosted a “Night Nav” race in Glen Meavaig.

Finishing the Eagle Walk

A few other highlights included the annual Raft Race in East Loch Tarbert – five teams participated and the race was won by the team calling themselves “Noah’s Ark”.  The Rhenigidale Hill Race was also very popular with 22 runners, and marshalling from Hebrides Mountain Rescue. We also had a go at running a set of fishing taster sessions; one on freshwater at Lacasdail Lochs, and the other sea fishing at Scarista.

 

The festival dance was held in the Harris Hotel and for a second year running, the music and entertainment was provided by local celtic rockers Rock Island Line.

Perfect conditions for the Sea Kayaking in West Loch Tarbert

We are incredibly pleased with the attendance figures this year – just over 650 people attended all the events – well up from around 560 people the last two years. Now in its fifth year, it now feels as though the festival has become properly established in the annual calendar of walking festivals across the UK. Many people came from all across the country, and we are now gaining a sizeable following of people who are travelling here every year to take part. Again, we counted over 40 people who had come to Harris for the week specifically to attend the festival – bringing significant benefits to the local economy.

Best walk of the week! Coming down from Tiorga Mor (Thanks to Katie Dixon for the image)

We are already getting to work planning next year’s event – if you have any suggestions please let us know by dropping an email to info@harrismountainfestival.com. We can also add your email address to our distribution list so that you’ll be kept up to date with developments for next year. Also check us out on Facebook and Twitter, and have a look at our website at www.harrismountainfestival.com.

 

The North Harris Trust would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended the festival, and to all the individuals and organisations that have supported us. We couldn’t have done it without you! Also we would like to thank Awards for All Scotland and Marine Harvest for funding the event.

 

Hope to see you all next year!

 

Matt Watts, North Harris Ranger

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2015 Isle of Harris Mountain Festival

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The  full programme for the 2015 Isle of Harris Mountain Festival is now available!

The Isle of Harris Mountain Festival is a week long celebration of the mountains of Harris, and takes place this year between 12th – 19th September.

Download the PDF version HERE. Feel free to pass it around to anyone who might be interested!

For any more information, or to make bookings for any of the events, contact us on 01859 502222, or email info@harrismountainfestival.com

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20th August: Merlin

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On the Eagle Walk on Wednesday, as well as golden eagle sightings, we got a couple of brilliant sightings of Merlin out in Glen Vigidale. The UK’s smallest bird of prey, the Merlin nest in deep heather, usually in sheltered gulleys – so plenty of good habitat for them here on North Harris.

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24th July: Minke Whales!

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Yesterday on the Guided Walk out to Scalpay lighthouse, we were treated to sightings of a number of Minke Whales out in the Minch! The sea was totally flat/calm so it was really easy to spot everything on the water. Also plenty of Gannets, Guillemots and Gulls, as well as a Great Northern Diver and even a solitary Puffin fishing just off the lighthouse! What a day!

 

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2014 Isle of Harris Mountain Festival

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The  full programme for the Isle of Harris Mountain Festival is now available!

The Isle of Harris Mountain Festival is a week long celebration of the mountains of Harris, and takes place this year between 13th – 20th September.

Download the PDF version HERE. Feel free to pass it around to anyone who might be interested!

For any more information, or to make bookings for any of the events, contact us on 01859 502222, or email info@harrismountainfestival.com

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14th May – Eagles aplenty!

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A very successful Eagle Walk at Bogha Glas today – with an abundance of sightings of Golden Eagles and Sea Eagles. We were seeing so many on the way up the glen that if we’d stopped to look at them all, we’d never have finished the walk!

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8th May: Divers on Scalpay

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On the first guided walk around Scalpay this year, a group of 4 Great Northern Divers were seen off the lighthouse, then a pair of Red Throated Divers (now in summer plumage) back round near the Outend.

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2014 Isle of Harris Mountain Festival

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We’re very pleased to announce the dates for the 2014 Isle of Harris Mountain Festival!

The festival will take place between Saturday 13th and Saturday 20th September 2014. Billed as “a week-long celebration of the mountains of Harris,” this is the fourth annual event run by the North Harris Trust.

The programme will include: a range of guided walks, from stunning ridges & glens to glorious coastlines – including the return of the Clisham Horseshoe and our fantastic Golden Eagle Walk; talks & presentations from guest speakers, outdoor sports sessions, boat trips, film nights, a festival ceilidh and much more!

Full programme details will be announced in the new year – keep an eye on the festival website www.harrismountainfestival.com for updates, find us on Facebook and Twitter, or send an email to info@harrismountainfestival.com to be added to our email distribution list.

Feel free to share the news!

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Roaring and Rutting at Cravadale Guided Walk

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Tues 29th October 10am-2.30pm

Roaring and Rutting at Cravadale

Meet: Start of track on right just to the east of Amhuinnsuidhe castle (NB 052 077), Distance: 6 miles

Level: Grade B

A chance to experience the incredible spectacle of the red deer rut, each stag fighting to defend its harem of hinds. The walk will take you into Glen Cravadale, a spectacular glen that has been shaped by the scouring action of glaciers.

 

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Roaring and Rutting at Langadale Guided Walk

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Sat 26th October 10am-2pm

Roaring and Rutting at Langadale

Meet: at Bogha Glas car park (NB 185 115), Distance:  6 miles

Level: Grade B

A walk to Glen Langadale to experience the roars of red deer echoing around the Glen. This is a chance to learn about the life of our largest land mammal and the management of the North Harris deer herd.

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