Easaval
Easaval, South Uist. Section 24C.
Height – 243 metres. Map – OS Landranger 31.
Climbed - 7 June 2011. Time taken – 2.25 hours.
Distance – 6 kilometres. Ascent – 260 metres.
Trip Report Details:
After climbing Ben Scrien, on the Island of Eriskay, we drove across the causeway and into South Uist before heading for the hamlet of Cille Bhrighde where we had planned to commence the ascent of Easaval.
East of Cille Bhrighde, at NF758141, we parked on the grass, west of the historical walled kitchen garden, An Garradh Mor and walked up the tarred road which later became a grassy track and led to a gate in the fence. Beyond this gate we followed animal tracks east through a mixture of bracken, rocks and heather. There were also some old metal fence posts but we soon left this route and commenced the ascent of Easaval.
The brief drier spell of weather had changed to some light showers as we made our way onto Coire Bheinn and the south west ridge of Easaval. There were lots of areas of rock, some we used to our advantage and others we avoided. The rain became heavier and we were engulfed in low cloud but fortunately both were short lived and the cloud lifted above our hill.
The summit area was a mass of peat hags and some rocks so we did some meandering to reach the summit cairn which the map showed was to the north. We had views of Lochboisdale and the masses of inland and sea lochs that are part of South Uist. The summit area had numerous cairns so to satisfy myself that I had been at the top we took in the higher ones. The southerly cairn gave views of the Islands of Eriskay and Barra where we had travelled from earlier that day.
Once we had completed a circuit of the cairns we returned by the ascent route.
The Gaelic name for this hill and what is shown on the map is Easabhal.
Photos taken on walk.