Guidebook for Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Food Scene
Good dependable restaurant with excellent seafood. The "early bird" menu is good value.
28 abantu bendawo batusa
Digby Chick
5 Bank StreetGood dependable restaurant with excellent seafood. The "early bird" menu is good value.
The restaurant in the County Hotel has two menus: Italian and Indian; they are both good (best curry in Stornoway!)
14 abantu bendawo batusa
County Hotel
12-14 Francis StThe restaurant in the County Hotel has two menus: Italian and Indian; they are both good (best curry in Stornoway!)
The Woodlands Centre is a great place for home-made soup or coffee & cake before a stroll around the castle grounds. It also has occasional gigs in the evenings.
17 abantu bendawo batusa
Woodlands Centre
The Woodlands Centre is a great place for home-made soup or coffee & cake before a stroll around the castle grounds. It also has occasional gigs in the evenings.
Good for a family meal on a Sunday: buffet and carvery.
18 abantu bendawo batusa
Eleven Restaurant & Bar
11 James StGood for a family meal on a Sunday: buffet and carvery.
Drinks & Nightlife
"The Edge of the World" is a friendly little bar selling real ale brewed on the premises, with occasional live music, especially the Folk Club sessions on the first Thursday of every month.
Edge O' The World - Hebridean Brewing Company
10 Shell St"The Edge of the World" is a friendly little bar selling real ale brewed on the premises, with occasional live music, especially the Folk Club sessions on the first Thursday of every month.
For a quieter, more sophisticated evening, try the cocktail bar upstairs in the Crown - big comfy armchairs and a relaxed atmosphere.
16 abantu bendawo batusa
Crown Hotel
For a quieter, more sophisticated evening, try the cocktail bar upstairs in the Crown - big comfy armchairs and a relaxed atmosphere.
Arts & Culture
An Lanntair is our local arts centre: theatre, bar, restaurant, gallery and shop (where you can buy copies of my album Yes Why Not)
53 abantu bendawo batusa
An Lanntair
Kenneth StreetAn Lanntair is our local arts centre: theatre, bar, restaurant, gallery and shop (where you can buy copies of my album Yes Why Not)
Sightseeing
The castle has recently been restored to its former glory. During the day it has an interesting museum of local history and a tea-shop, and the castle grounds are well worth a visit. In the evenings musical events take place in the Grand Ballroom.
55 abantu bendawo batusa
Lews Castle
The castle has recently been restored to its former glory. During the day it has an interesting museum of local history and a tea-shop, and the castle grounds are well worth a visit. In the evenings musical events take place in the Grand Ballroom.
Unmissable. The visitors' centre has a good cafe, too.
81 abantu bendawo batusa
Izimbali zaseCallanish ezisebenza
Unmissable. The visitors' centre has a good cafe, too.
Well-preserved fortified building made from two concentric conical walls with staircases between them. Fascinating.
28 abantu bendawo batusa
Dun Carloway Broch
Lewis and Harris IslandWell-preserved fortified building made from two concentric conical walls with staircases between them. Fascinating.
A good way to see what blackhouse villages were like - this is a lovely location by the sea.
45 abantu bendawo batusa
I-Gearannan Blackhouse Village
5A GareninA good way to see what blackhouse villages were like - this is a lovely location by the sea.
A blackhouse left exactly as it was, with a peat fire smoking in the middle of the room.
36 abantu bendawo batusa
The Blackhouse, Arnol
A blackhouse left exactly as it was, with a peat fire smoking in the middle of the room.
A lovely 16th century church. Explore the graveyard and look out for the naughty carvings on the tower.
23 abantu bendawo batusa
St Clement's Church
A859A lovely 16th century church. Explore the graveyard and look out for the naughty carvings on the tower.
Shopping
You cannot go home without a selection of smoked fish from the Smokehouse: choose your favourites and they will vacuum-pack them for you, and (if you wish) have them posted home. Makes a great gift, too. I recommend the hot-smoked salmon.
6 abantu bendawo batusa
The Stornoway Smokehouse
10 Shell StYou cannot go home without a selection of smoked fish from the Smokehouse: choose your favourites and they will vacuum-pack them for you, and (if you wish) have them posted home. Makes a great gift, too. I recommend the hot-smoked salmon.
Essentials
Buth An Rubha Ltd
Our closest shop - general groceries etc plus a nice little cafe.
Co-Op station
My preferred supermarket - more spacious and easier parking than Tesco.
Parks & Nature
A wonderful drive along a twisting single-track road past a disused whaling station and a hunting lodge takes you to a remote and beautiful white beach. Climb the hill behind the beach for stunning views over the local islands. If you have a tent with you this is also one of the best spots on the island for rough camping: take the track away from the sandy beach to the other side of the promontory and camp by the pebble beach - the sun will set over Scarp.
6 abantu bendawo batusa
Huisinis
A wonderful drive along a twisting single-track road past a disused whaling station and a hunting lodge takes you to a remote and beautiful white beach. Climb the hill behind the beach for stunning views over the local islands. If you have a tent with you this is also one of the best spots on the island for rough camping: take the track away from the sandy beach to the other side of the promontory and camp by the pebble beach - the sun will set over Scarp.
One of my favourite places - a long white beach with huge black standing rocks and caves. Also worth driving a few hundred yards past the beach to see the "bridge to nowhere" built by over-optimistic Lord Leverhulme.
18 abantu bendawo batusa
Garry Beach
One of my favourite places - a long white beach with huge black standing rocks and caves. Also worth driving a few hundred yards past the beach to see the "bridge to nowhere" built by over-optimistic Lord Leverhulme.
Uig Bay, Isle Of Lewis
A truly spectacular beach.
The highest mountain in the Western Isles, at 799m. A stiff climb but on a clear day there are fantastic views over the whole island.
10 abantu bendawo batusa
Clisham
The highest mountain in the Western Isles, at 799m. A stiff climb but on a clear day there are fantastic views over the whole island.