LEWIS
On Sunday afternoon I arrived in Stornoway , the largest town in all Hebrides and comparing to Tarbert in the south - a metropolis. I found the town very geen , which is surprising as Western Isles are chiefly treeles and the landscape pretty barren. I noticed a number of palm trees too and because there was no wind at all (another surprise), I had impression of arriving to a place somewhere far away from Scotland . There was another surprise awaiting me soon. I had expected that I would be able to buy food and eat something decent in the town . To my amazement the superstore I came across was closed and a petrol station nearby too. I was puzzled when another superstore close to the center was shut as well. I left my car on the seashore promenade and went to find a grocery or a place to eat. Again , neither any grocery nor takeaway was opened , forget a restaurant. Stornoway seemed to be a ghost town ; the streets were lifless, empty .I remembered that on my first visit here a couple years earlier, the town had not been so much deserted .
Stornoway town center ( Gaelic: Steornabhagh)
Soon the mystery was revealed ; Sunday is a holy day, therefore working and running bussiness is forbiden by the local law . The community of Western Isles have been long considered as very pious and devoted to religion . In a hostel where I stayed for the next night, the women who run the place explained the matter . Although the younger generations nowadays have lost the interest in religion, the rule is still valid. It's convienient to have Sundays free of work and relax or visit family, friends . It makes a sense if you think about that for a while .
Yet the same afternoon on my arrival to Stornoway , I drove to Port of Ness which is a small settlement in the most northerly tip of Lewis. Most visitors want to see the lighthouse standing on the cliff , at Butt of Lewis (or Rubha Robhanais).
The lighthouse was build in 1862 by David Stevenson , uncle of famous Robert L. Stevenson and constructed using bricks. In 1998 the lighthouse was automated and is being monitored from Edinburgh. In the evening the sunset adds the aura of mistery ; the place at the end of the world. This is one of the most photographed spots in Lewis .
Wiew from Butt of Lewis .
I couldn't omit the small church nearby, in Europaidh.The medieval church of St Moluag was restored in 1912, its form is very simple . Interestingly , over centuries this small temple was famous as a healing place, especially for people with insanity .
St. Moluag church in Europaidh .
In northern parts of Lewis , there are two dominant elements ; the Sky and grassy , boggy land .There are some villages mainly at the north tip and along the Atlantic shore . Nothing to do nor visit , so by the nightfall I came back to my hostel in Stornoway .
Next day, on morning monday I was busy to visit all important historic monuments on the west side of Lewis.
I started with Black House Museum, so travelled from Stornoway westward and then down along coastal A858. The renovated "Blackhouse" in Arnol is an example how people once lived in Hebrides - the house was inhabited till 1960's. The name derives from black smoke burnt in the fireplace, giving walls dark colours.In the nearby surrondings I could notice a couple remnants of such household in the state of advanced ruin.
The kirk of Free Church of Scotland , Lewis is it's stronghold in Scotland .
The road signs in Western Isles are usually bilingual, but sometimes I could spot only gaelic place names, like here in Siabost.
Driving down to Carloway, I came across a place which used to be a Vikings' settlement in early middle ages. One of the restored houses was used as a watermill.
Carloway Broch
No doubt the ancient Broch in Carloway is a must-see monument, one of many historical buildings typical only for north-west Scotland. The round towers, built using only dry-stone method, are found mainly on shores. Constructed about 2000 years ago, their original functions aren't obvious - probably built as watchtowers , possibly these structures were inhabited too. The Carloway Broch is considered as one of the best preserved in Scotland, but I was much more impressed seeing Mousa Broch in Shetlands, which is practically intact. Originally the Brochs were about 10 metres tall, and with spiral staircase leading to the top.
Looking southward from Carloway Broch
Callanish Standing Stones are number one attraction of Lewis, I think most people come to the Island ( which is mostly flat and treeless) to see the famous stones. The stone circle was expanded over centuries ( 3500 - 1500 BC) and there is no clear explanation , what drove neolitic people to erect these stones in a certain order ( the stones form a shape of celtic cross). Given that there are smaller neolitic stone rings nearby, probably Callanish Stones served as ritual place. There is a theory that the circle was erected as an astronomical observatory too, but there is no proof however.
Nevermind scientific theories, the mysterious neolitic stones attract many visitors.The site was already busy when I arrived. One group of women from Norway hired a guide (from a visitor centre at the entry to the site) to hear stories about the Callanish Stones. I noticed a few people trying to meditate somewhere on the outside of the ring. I thought there were perhaps better places for meditation , as there were always people chatting around the stones. I left finally when I saw a large group of people coming in.
Callanish Stones
After visiting Callanish Stones, I was heading quickly back to Harris , there was nothing else to keep me in Lewis. I pulled off only from the road for a while, just to have a look at small blocks of peat , dug out and left to dry out. Dried peat has been long used in Hebrides as a fuel for households and Lewis has a lot of peat.
Eventually, the sight of mountains in North Harris rising on the horizon drew my attention and I moved stright away in that direction , south.
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