The Outer Guide book

by Charles TaiT

Hebudes Innse Gall Sudreyar Na h-Eileanan an Iar The Western Isles

ISBN 09517859 3 1 The Outer The Guide Book copyright Charles Tait 2012 Published by Charles Tait Kelton, St Ola, KW15 1TR Tel 01856 873738 Fax 01856 875313 [email protected] Hebrides www.charles-tait.co.uk Guide book by Charles TaiT Na h-Eileanan an Iar This book is dedicated to the memory of my step-mother, Jean Maxwell Tait (1913-1999) Hebudes, Sudreyar,

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced Innse Gall, Western Isles in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise (except for the purpose of bona fide review) without the prior written permission of CONTENTS the publisher. The author has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1998 to be identified as the author of this work. Welcome to the Outer Hebrides 4 The Uists 128 The Main Ancient Sites 6 128 Nature and Environment 8 Berneray 132 Text, design and layout copyright Charles Tait, Archaeology 30 142 all photographs copyright Charles Tait unless History and Culture 48 150 otherwise credited, old photographs from 162 Charles Tait collection Lewis 68 168 OS maps reproduced from Ordnance Survey 70 168 mapping with permission of the Controller of East Lewis 76 180 HMSO, Crown Copyright Reserved MC 100035677 West Lewis 80 Bishop’s Isles 182 Printing by Callanish 82 Outlying Islands 188 North Lewis 86 Reference Section 206 ISBN 09517859 3 1 Bernera to Uig 98 Transport 206 Harris 110 Accommodation & Services 208 North Harris 110 Bibliography 214 Front cover: , Barra; Water Lilies, South Uist; Church, Harris; Chessman replica, East Harris 122 Index 218 Stornoway; Seilebost, Harris; Corncrake, Ness; Callanish sunrise, Lewis West Coast Beaches 114 Admiralty chart inside front cover This page:Traigh Iar, Harris South Harris 118 Western Isles map inside back cover WELCOME TO THE OUTER HEBRIDES FAILTE GU NA H-E ILEANAN AN IAR

but it was not until the late 17 th century that detailed accounts began to be made about visits to the area. In more recent times many eminent people have visited the Outer Hebrides and a number have written in various terms about their experiences.

There are a number of distin - guished local authors, and there is always a good selection of local books available in the bookshops, Loch Bee, South Uist - one of the largest of many in the Outer Hebrides including many in Gaelic. The library in Stornoway has a fine ref - apparent pace of life in the erence section for those wishing to islands rather well. COUNTRYSIDE CODE consult the many books which are We are justly proud of our historic out of print. Maps Some of the places sites, wildlife and environment. mentioned in this book are Please help ensure that future visitors signposted, but many oth - may enjoy them as much as you by Callanish Standing Stones The landscape is beautiful, history observing these guidelines: everywhere, and there are many ers are not. Signposts and THE OUTER HEBRIDES is a the population living in Lewis and to Barra. Berneray, Scalpay and 1. Always use stiles and gates and good opportunities to see wildlife. maps may be in modern chain of over 200 islands to the Harris (about 22,000). The main Vatersay are served by fixed links. Gaelic or in various cartog - close gates after you. west of northern , stretch - town and ferry port is Stornoway However there is another aspect of 2. Always ask permission before the islands which is perhaps the raphers’ spellings, so entering agricultural land. ing 200km (130mi) from the Butt with a population of about 9,000. Air links Loganair operates air Ordnance Survey refer - 3. Keep to paths and take care to 0 most important and rewarding to of Lewis in the north (58 31’N, services on behalf of Flybe . From ences are quoted for many avoid fields of grass and crops. 6016’W) to Barra Head (56 046’N, From mainland Scotland, the Stornoway there are daily flights to get to know, the local people. Do 4. Do not disturb livestock. sites of interest. Maps are 5. Take your litter away with you and 0 not hesitate to ask the way, or 7 39’W) in the south. The islands Outer Hebrides appear as a long and from Edinburgh, , do not light fires. about things as you are sure to get invaluable on all visits. are between 50km (30mi) and series of hilltops on the horizon. Aberdeen and Inverness. The Ordnance Survey 6. Do not pollute water courses or 100km (60mi) from the Scottish When approached from the east Benbecula has daily connections to a courteous reply. supplies. 1:50,000 Landranger 7. Never disturb nesting birds. Mainland across and they initially appear rocky and Stornoway, Barra and Glasgow, series covers the islands in 8. Do not pick wild flowers or dig up If you are lucky you might get a few plants. the Sea of the Hebrides. They bleak, with many inlets and small while Barra has daily services to six sheets, while the cover about 3,070km 2 (1,190mi 2). islands. In contrast, on the west Glasgow and Benbecula. Other good stories as well! There is a say - 9. Drive and park with due care and ing in the Outer Hebrides that 1:25,000 Explorer series attention - do not obstruct or endan - side there are many sandy beaches current flights are detailed in the comprises nine sheets, and ger others. The archipelago was referred to by and attractive bays, with relatively Service Section. “When God made time he made 10. Always take care near cliffs and plenty of it” , which describes the is recommended for all beaches - particularly with children Scottish Gaels as Innse Gall , few high cliffs. serious explorers. and pets. Many beaches are danger - Islands of Strangers, referring to The earliest written references to ous for swimmers. the Norsemen who held sway here Ferries Connections are operated the islands are probably by Pliny , Castlebay, Isle of Barra 11. Walkers should take adequate clothes, wear suitable footwear and for nearly 500 years. The name by Calmac with mainland the Elder around 70AD and tell someone of their plans. Hebrides probably arose from the Scotland. MV runs Ptolemy in about 150AD. 12. Above all please respect the life of Greek Hebudes by mistranscrip - between Stornoway and , Pytheas the Greek may have visit - the countryside - leave only foot - prints, take only photographs and tion. Today, the while MV Hebrides connects ed Lewis in about 325BC during pleasant memories. influence is strong, however the Tarbert in Harris with Uig in Skye his voyage, when he established the Norse heritage remains evident in and Lo chmaddy in North Uist. In latitude of the Stornoway area and Notice: While most of the sites of inter - est are open to the public and have many of the placenames and in the the south, MV Clansman links may have visited Callanish. marked access, many are on private language. in South Uist and land. No right of access is implied in the Castlebay in Barra with . The Norse sagas, which date from description, and if in doubt it is always polite to ask. Also, while many roads th About 26,500 people inhabit 15 There are ferries between Harris the 12 century, describe many and tracks are rights of way, not all are. of the islands, with the majority of and North Uist, and from Eriskay events and people in the Hebrides,

4 5 A TOUR OF THE MAIN ANCIENT SITES FROM THE NEOLITHIC AGE TO MODERN TIMES

There are so many sites of interest Duns and brochs form a in the Western Isles that it would class of domestic structure take many trips to visit them all. often termed as Atlantic However even on a short stay it is round houses . There are possible to observe human con - many throughout the structions from a wide range of islands, but the best are periods. probably in North Uist, especially Dun Sticir , near The early settlers have left Otternish and Dun much evidence behind them, Torchuil l. ranging from numerous cham - bered cairns, and standing Langass chambered cairn is one of the best preserved of its type Many are situated on loch Dun Torchuill in North Uist is a ruined broch on an islet in a loch stones. These include the well islets and accessed by cause - preserved cairn at Langass on ways. They were often occu - North Uist, the enigmatic pied for long periods, from Steinicleit at Shader in Lewis the Iron Age to Mediaeval and the spectacular standing times in some cases. stone settings at Callanish . There are only a few remain - Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron ing castles in the islands, and Age, Norse, Medieval and Kisimul Castle on Barra is more modern sites are scat - the most dramatic. The cas - tered from the north of Lewis tle at Stornoway was largely to Barra Head. While some destroyed by Cromwell’s Steinicleit is an enigmatic Neolithic ruin in north Lewis Kisimul Castle , Castlebay, Barra are signposted, most are not, troops during the Civil War. making maps essential in The remains now lie under many cases. the old ferry pier.

Perhaps the most dramatic of The Western Isles have all the Outer Hebrides monu - many ancient chapel and ments are the Standing Stones monastic sites. Most are at Callanish. These megaliths ruinous and remote. The and the adjacent smaller cir - best preserved Medieval cles represent an immense church is the 16 th century St amount of work for a Clement’s at Rodel, Harris. Neolithic society and were clearly erected with a strong Midsummer sunrise at Callanish Throughout Scotland black - St Clement’s Church at Rodel in south Harris has an elaborate MacLeod tomb sense of purpose and rever - Dun is a well-preserved broch house s were the standard Blackhouse Museum at , west Lewis ence. domestic building until the 19 th century. These appar - is the best pre - ently primitive dwellings served of the many Iron Age had thatched roofs, and a brochs and duns in the central fireplace. The smoke islands. Its drystone walls escaped through the thatch have survived despite being which the human inhabi - used as a quarry for nearby tants shared with their live - blackhouses and shows the stock, much as in Neolithic galleried structure typical of times. all brochs.

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