Lochmaddy, with only some few hundred people, is the ‘capital’ of the Hebridean island of North Uist which is separated on the southern side by a causeway from Grimsay and Benbecula. Ther are no towns on the latter so it’s worth mentioning that its highest hill, Rueval doesn’t even approach 200m, feels as hard as a real mountain to ascend and gives an outstanding view of a largely watery world.
North Uists attracts three groups of people; first, island hoppers, travelling from Lochboisdale on South Uist by car and then on to either Uig on Skye or Tarbert on Harris. [See www.calmac.co.uk and find island hopscotch]; second archaeologists –if you think you know what a cairn is on an Ordnance Survey map, think again and try some of the ones here [www.scotland-inverness.c o.uk/north-uist.htm]; and thirdly ornithologists, attracted by the reserve at Balranald [http://www.wildlifehebrid es.com/jewels/balranald/]. [edit text][editors]
