Stornoway Things to Do

Outside Stornoway are a couple of spectacular monuments of ancient settlements that dotted these island some 4000-5000 years ago. I'm guessing that the gulf stream allowed warmer conditions to prevail at the time.

This fort (broch) is well preserved, and is walking distance from the equally interesting stone circle at Callanish. The double rock wall is intact, and made entirely without mortar.

One of the most spectacularly sited stone circle in the UK, these slender standing stones are placed amidst a beautiful, rugged landscape of rolling grassy hills, crinkly inlets of the sea, and the wide open sky above.

It is speculated that these installations were a sort of clock of the seasons, to assist with timing of crop plantings and the like, and also no doubt used by the priestly cast to add authority to their pronouncements.

Much more impressive than Stonehenge, which I have always found strangely underwhelming.

The standing stones at Callanish are fascinating. It is a cross shaped setting of stones which is unique in Scotland. It dates to around 2,900 to 2,600 BC
It is open 7 days a week although the visitors centre on site is closed on Sundays.
It is known that man has been living on this island (Lewis and Harris are one island) for 6,000 years.

Visit the Blackhouse museum.
This is a traditional Lewis hatched house, complete with byre and stockyard, 1920's white house complete and furnished, and consolidated ruin of a blackhouse.
It gives a view of the crofting life as it was until about 50 years ago.
Open all year except on Sundays

In various parts of the island are huge standing stones. they are well signposted and infromation about them can be obtained from the visitors centre. This is the biggest single stone - it isa little walk from the road on a farm.

Built in the early 1920s, the big tower building on a hill overlooking Stornoway is a war memorial to the Lewismen who died in the first world war.

This feusty little shop has tons of various patterns of tweed. It's also got a loom so you can see how it's made. The fella that works there is very friendly and helpful.