A Winter Walk above Kilchoan

Last night saw air temperatures tumble to -5C, the lowest in the five years we've been keeping records at this house. Since the gritter hasn't made it up to this end of the village and the road is an ice-rink we took to the hills behind Ormsaigbeg and Kilchoan for our Sunday morning walk. The steep path which takes us up to the common grazings follows the banks of a small stream, the combination of algae and icicles making a spectacular picture.

Is it the Diary's imagination or does water at near zero temperatures seem to run slower, more sluggishly across the stones?

From the flanks of Druim na Gearr Leacainn we looked across Ormsaigbeg and Kilchoan townships towards Ben Hiant which the younger members of the family had decided to climb, despite a stiff northeaster which, as the morning progressed, became stronger and increasingly bitter.

Both parties saw eagles, probably the same pair, which we took to be golden eagles. They checked out the Ormsaigbeg croft land and the area northwards, towards the Sonachan, before setting off eastwards. The picture, a distant shot, shows one of them flying across the face of Ben Hiant.

Having circled round towards the Kilchoan Fire Station we returned along the old Portuairk road, crossing the fence to take in Greadal Fhinn with its chambered cairns, the stones standing cold and hard against light that was already failing at 1.00pm.