Isle of Lewis

Scotland > Western Isles > Isle of Lewis

Lewis and Harris form the northernmost island of the Outer Hebrides, but there the similarity ends. Lewis is, for the most part, fairly flat and treeless with enormous peat bogs and literally thousands of lochs.

About 100 villages are scattered over Lewis, more like spread out communities rather than villages due to their crofting way of life and human life has been here for over 5000 years. The standing stones at Callanish bear witness to an old civilisation here on Lewis and there are Iron Age forts and other archaeological sites all over the island.

Although the island may appear very boggy and peaty, this was not always the case for 1,500 years ago the island was quite fertile, probably warmer and with less rain!

These people were Celts and they had a hard time defending themselves from other Celt raiders , thus many fortifications were built , many duns and brochs. These were days before the Vikings arrived in the early 800s AD and stayed until 1263 when King Haakon of Norway was defeated by King Alexander the third of Scotland. Viking power may have been lost in the Hebrides by that defeat but the people stayed. A new 'order' was established more in keeping with what we now know as the Clan system. The Macleods, MacAulays and the Macdonalds were the main 'families' and these are still common surnames to this day. The place names are also a mixture of Norse and Gaelic languages.

To this day, Lewis has a very religious community and visitors to these islands really must respect this.

Stornoway is the largest town in The Hebrides and the administrative capital. A busy fishing port and the main ferry port to the mainland (Ullapool). Lews Castle overlooking the town is a mock-tudor 19th century building situated in Lady Lever Park surrounded by an abundance of fabulous trees and bushes. Designated walks throughout the park highlight its many significant features. The An Lanntair Arts Gallery, Museum nan Eilean and the Lewis Loom Centre are some of the popular attractions in the town. There is an Arts Centre in Ness, North Lewis, Taigh Dhonnchaidh, which includes a resource base for music, songs and writers past and present.

You can also fly to Stornoway from Glasgow and Inverness and hire cars to avoid your having to drive to Ullapool to catch the vehicle ferry , a saving in time and perhaps money?

There is nothing more poignant than the smell of a peat fire in an autumn evening , you have to experience it at least once in your life.