Isle of Lewis & Stornoway: The stone walls of Dun Carloway broch on a rocky knoll on the west coast of Lewis

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Isle of Lewis & Stornoway

Stornoway, the Calanais Stones, blackhouses and the Butt of Lewis

Benvenuti nella zona

Stornoway, the Calanais Stones, blackhouses and the Butt of Lewis

Lewis is the northern part of the largest island in the Outer Hebrides, and Stornoway, its harbour town, is the largest settlement in the islands. The ferry from Ullapool and most flights arrive here, and Lews Castle, with Museum nan Eilean, stands in its grounds just west of the town centre.

The west side holds the main historic sites: the Neolithic Calanais Stones, the broch of Dun Carloway, the thatched blackhouses at Arnol and Gearrannan, and the tall standing stone Clach an Trushal. The road north ends at Ness and the red-brick lighthouse on the Butt of Lewis, and Uig in the far west has the wide sands where the Lewis chessmen were found in 1831.

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Da dove iniziare

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Come orientarsi

Sulla mappa

The map shows Isle of Lewis & Stornoway and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.

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Consigli da insider

Prima di partire

1

Plan around Sundays

Many Free Church members on Lewis keep a strict Sabbath, and some services and businesses close or run less on Sundays. Check opening before you plan a Sunday.

2

Book the ferry

CalMac recommends vehicle reservations on the Ullapool to Stornoway crossing, and summer sailings fill up.

3

Check seasonal openings

Several visitor sites and cafés close for the winter; Gearrannan Blackhouse Village, for example, says it is closed for the rest of 2026. Check each website first.

4

Allow for distances

Calanais, Carloway and Arnol lie on the west side, and Ness and the Butt are at the far north end, so plan a car or a bus day for each.

Consigli della redazione di Britlens

Crediti fotografici

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits