Blethering Ben - 72 - The highest point on North Uist

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!

Пікірлер: 46

  • @malcolmabram2957
    @malcolmabram29572 жыл бұрын

    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.

  • @mawebb88
    @mawebb888 жыл бұрын

    Amazing number of facts you have. Very interesting😁

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    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 ;-)

  • @alexmorrisart8651
    @alexmorrisart86514 жыл бұрын

    Great video, filming and narrative. I recently stayed on Harris for painting purposes and was very inspired by the landscape. Great reminder!

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    4 жыл бұрын

    Cheers. I really must get back there too. Never ventured to South Uist or Barra.

  • @alexmacinnes6171
    @alexmacinnes61717 жыл бұрын

    My wife and I have been up all 3. Fantastic.

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    6 жыл бұрын

    I'll add the other two for my next visit :)

  • @RODDYMACMILLAN
    @RODDYMACMILLAN8 жыл бұрын

    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.

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    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 ;-)

  • @OUTDOORJULES
    @OUTDOORJULES7 жыл бұрын

    woweeee Ben just epic looks incredible... thank you for sharing. looked like you had a great time ATB

  • @red1outdoors
    @red1outdoors8 жыл бұрын

    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.

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    Thanks :) Yeah the puncture marks along the paths in the Lawers reserve are pretty bad.

  • @wellsgb1957
    @wellsgb19578 жыл бұрын

    Another great vid, thank you Ben!

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    Cheers Andy.

  • @oscilis
    @oscilis7 жыл бұрын

    I so want to go here. Super video.

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    6 жыл бұрын

    I hope you get good weather when you go!

  • @ScotsWildcamper
    @ScotsWildcamper8 жыл бұрын

    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 !!

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    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.

  • @1o1s1s1i1e
    @1o1s1s1i1e8 жыл бұрын

    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

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    Yeah it's all a bit depressing really :(

  • @waynesanderson3445
    @waynesanderson34458 жыл бұрын

    great stuff ben

  • @oldguy537
    @oldguy5378 жыл бұрын

    another great video Ben, looks like a fantastic place to visit , camera work A+ again mate , thanks for sharing

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Tony. I'm going back next spring!

  • @HENRYHOBBS1
    @HENRYHOBBS18 жыл бұрын

    that looks a very wild place,never been that far up.You make some of the best videos on KZread,keep up the good work ben 👍

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    Cheers Henry :)

  • @MUNROSnCORBETTS
    @MUNROSnCORBETTS8 жыл бұрын

    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!

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    Ta muchly. Truth be told you are almost guaranteed to have places to yourself if you stay off the beaten track in March :)

  • @Perthshire
    @Perthshire7 жыл бұрын

    Heading over to North Uist in mid April 2017 for a week's holiday. Really looking forward to it now 😃

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    7 жыл бұрын

    How did it go? Or are you still there now?

  • @Perthshire

    @Perthshire

    7 жыл бұрын

    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!

  • @WyeExplorer
    @WyeExplorer8 жыл бұрын

    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..

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    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.

  • @jovovichnik
    @jovovichnik8 жыл бұрын

    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.

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    I will do just that!

  • @jovovichnik
    @jovovichnik8 жыл бұрын

    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.

  • @dquarm
    @dquarm3 жыл бұрын

    According to Erskine Beveridge's book Eaval is derived from the norse, Ey-fyall which translates to "Island Hill"

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    3 жыл бұрын

    Nice double meaning. Sounds perfect to me :)

  • @soarinfan
    @soarinfan7 жыл бұрын

    North Uist is my favourite island too , oh and nice try at the gaelic pronunciations ....way better than I could have done lol

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    7 жыл бұрын

    Cheers ;-)

  • @spijkerpoes
    @spijkerpoes7 жыл бұрын

    looks like.. ..ehrrr what? that is a stange looking place flattened by glaciation? thanks for showing, really appreciated here in the flatlands..

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    7 жыл бұрын

    Yep, always glaciation in Scotland. Have a look at www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/geology/outerhebrides.pdf for more info.

  • @spijkerpoes

    @spijkerpoes

    7 жыл бұрын

    yess the internet of content very pleasd with that ! good reading, thanks!

  • @anthony2806
    @anthony28068 жыл бұрын

    Nice you just got yourself an nice sub🙄

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    Cheers guvnor!

  • @waynesanderson3445
    @waynesanderson34458 жыл бұрын

    great stuff ben

  • @BenvironmentBlog

    @BenvironmentBlog

    8 жыл бұрын

    Ta :)