Plodding on from Airidhan An T-sruthain Ghairbh we headed west and uphill in the rain with fairly decent underfoot conditions. At the top there is a fence which we jumped over to head south west.
Walking along the flat top of the hill is a bit of a nightmare with the peat cutting leaving puddles of various depth. Luckily we found a way through without incident. Climb another fence and the standing stone, Beinn A Charra is in front. This stone was one the sites I wanted see and it lived up to expectation.
Beinn a Charra looks down on the Committee Road, which runs from Claddach to Solas, and the peat cutting workers on the other side of the road. It stands at 2.7m and leans at a jaunty angle to the south east. Stunning all round views were made even better as the rain eased. Veins of quartz can be seen on the western part of the stone.
Luckily we clambered, west, back down to the road on grass and walked back up to car park on the dead straight road.
Clach Bharnach Bhraodag, means ‘The Limpet Stone of Freya’. The name Freya is indicative of the strong Norse influence in the Outer Hebrides. According to Norse legend it was Freya who taught Odin a form of shamanistic magic called seidhr – and it was Odin who was able to communicate with two ravens who gave him the ability to have ‘knowledge of all things, in all places’. There is a Gaelic saying Tha Tios Fithich Agad, which means ‘you have more knowledge and understanding than is natural’. The literal translation however is ‘you have the raven’s knowledge’.
This chunky standing stone sits on the slope of Beinn a' Charra, just east of Committee Road, North Uist. The stone is canted at a considerable degree, about 2 metres off centre, leaning to the south. From tip to toe the stone measures 9' 3" high and is 6' 6" wide.
The alternate name Clach Barnach Bhraodac means Limpet Stone of Freya (Freya being the Norse goddess of love and beauty).
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