Lewis Accommodation

Traditional crofts at Gearannan Blackhouse Village
Gearrannan residents in the 1970s outside the crofts that have been restored
The aroma of the burning peat pervades the blackhouse village
The interior of one of the crofts has also been restored
Calanais Standing Stones are remarkable considering they've been here since 3,000 BC
The Calanais Visitor Centre has an interpretive exhibition & useful guide books
The unobtrusive Visitor Centre at Dun Chalabhaigh is worth a look for information
The highest remaining part of Dun Charlabhaigh Broch is 30 feet high

Sightseeing Isle of Lewis Tourist Information Outer Hebrides Western Isles

Lewis is one half of the largest islands of the Outer Hebrides together with Harris in the southern half. Lewis is relatively low lying with lower, more rolling hills and mountains than Harris. Most of the inland areas that haven't been converted for farming or housing is taken up with peat bog, a lovely and rare habitat to those in the know, but is more often important to islanders as a source of fuel. The peat is dug by crofters in Spring who then leave the sods out to dry over the summer so they're ready for burning when it gets colder. The sweet smell of peat-smoke wafts across the island and you can visit blackhouse museums to find out about the traditional life on the islands.

The Western Isles are the capital of Gaelic speakers and many islanders speak Gaelic as their first language. Consequently most of the road signs are in Gaelic and only the main signs have the English spellings underneath. This means it is useful to know the Gaelic names of places you're going before you set off to avoid confusion.

Featured Scotland Accommodation

Ach-na-Brae Cottages - Isle of Mull

Luxury newly converted stone cottages. Lovely country scenery. Ideal for walking or relaxing on the Isle of Mull. Local food & grocery runs available.

£300 to £750 Per Week (Seasonal)

Gearrannan & Arnol Crofting Blackhouse Villages & Museums

On Lewis you get a feel for the fiercely independent Gaelic speakers who are proud of their heritage. The island has two Blackhouse Museums where the traditional crofts have been restored to how they were used in everyday island life right up until the 1970s.

The Gearrannan Blackhouse Village lies on the north coast of Lewis and is the location where a crofting community lived and worked right up until 1974. This has gradually been restored since 1989 by Urras nan Gearrannan, the Garenin Trust. The crofts are thatched in the traditional way with large pebbles acting as weights on the thatch and traditional drystone methods have been used in restoring the buildings. Internally the rooms are as they were with box beds and peat fires giving you an evocative feeling for life in the village. There is a shop with books on all asepcts of crofting and hebridean life as well as gifts and souvenirs. Some of the restored crofts are available for self-catering accommodation and are well placed for fishing, surfing and outdoor activities on Lewis. There is a good coastal walk from the village to Dalbeg - leaflets are available from the Gearrannan shop. Gearrannan Blackhouse Village is open Mon-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm. Gearrannan Blackhouse Village, Carloway, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9AL. Tel: 01851 643416. Fax: 01851 643488. Email: info@gearrannan.com

Further east along the coast is the Arnol Blackhouse Museum. It is run by Historic Scotland and opened in 1968. It again has restored blackhouses complete with peat fires, the smoke of which would have hung in the air in the chimneyless buildings and was apparently good at putting off the midges. The aroma of peat fires is one of the smells that immediately reminds you of the Scottish islands where it is still used as a fuel. At Arnol there is a lot of information to help you gain an understanding of crofting life and how it has changed throughout the years. As well as the restored blackhouses there is an animal byre and a later built and furnished crofthouse that was known as a Whitehouse.

Arnol Blackhouse Museum is open from 9.30am-6pm in the summer months, and from 9.30am-4pm during the rest of the year. There is a car park, cafe, interpretive centre and shop.

Calanais Callanish Standing Stones Ancient Neolithic Sites Lewis Outer Hebrides

In the centre of Lewis is a concentration of prehistoric and Iron Age sites. The most stunning of these is the Calanais (Callanish) Standing Stones near Loch Roag. Fifty stones are arranged to form what looks like a Celtic cross from an aerial view; all hewn from the beautiful pale Lewisian gneiss (the oldest rock on earth). These are thought to have been an important centre of power for the people who laid them 3,000 years BC. Later a chambered cairn was built in the middle of the central stone circle. Those in tune with the spiritual power of the stones can still feel it today. Many changes have happened to the land here as when records started being made in the 19th century peat was known to cover a large proportion of the stones until the peat was dug away.

Calanais is a good place to start exploring Lewis' ancient history and the exhibition and accompanying guide book are useful in giving you more background to the stones and their interpretation. The main Calanais site and visitor centre is signposted from the A858. There is a car park and visitor centre with a cafeteria and shop with an exhibition on the stones.

Around Calanais there are eleven other standing stone sites, both north and south of Calanais. The Calanais guide book has a map of where these are. To the south east of Calanais are Cnoc Ceann a'Gharraidh and Cnoc Fhilibhir Bheag - also known as Callanish II and III respectively. When you drive down the lane to the Calanais Visitor Centre you can see one of these on a hillock on the eastern side of the loch. Check the links right for more information.

Further up the A858 is Dun Charlabhaigh Broch. This is a remarkably intact Iron Age broch set on a hillside overlooking ruined blackhouses that were likely to have been built from stone from the broch itself. You can actually get into the remains of the broch which still stands to 30 feet tall in some areas. You might have to scramble on your hands and knees though. This would have been a fortified dwelling for several families and their animals. There is an unobstrusive visitor centre near the car park that has interpretation information and souvenirs. Admission is free but donations are welcomed.

Featured Scotland Accommodation

Ach-na-Brae Cottages - Isle of Mull

Luxury newly converted stone cottages. Lovely country scenery. Ideal for walking or relaxing on the Isle of Mull. Local food & grocery runs available.

£300 to £750 Per Week (Seasonal)