Hi. It’s been a while since I posted and I am glad to be back. I hope you haven’t given up on the Scotland Adventure.
Anne and I decided to visit the Isle of Lewis, one of the Outer Hebrides. Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides archipelago in Scotland. It is also known as the Isle of Lewis, as the two parts are frequently referred to as if they were separate islands. Harris is famous for the Harris Tweeds, which are also woven on Lewis.
Isle of Lewis and Harris 
Harris Tweed Label
We took a 2 1/2. hour ferry trip from Ullapool to get to Stornaway. We arrived at 8pm and went directly to the hotel. The ferry cost was £19 round trip, around $25.
The next morning we set off on an all-day tour with Hugh, owner of Hebridean Isle Tours. Since it is off-season, we were the only ones in the van and had a very personalized tour. We first went to the Butt of Lewis; the northern most point of the island, to visit the Lighthouse. It was very windy there, but the scenery over the North Sea was spectacular.
Butt of Lewis 
The Rocky Shore on the North Sea
Lightouse 
Anne and Me in the wind
The next stop was the St. Molaug’s Church, built in the 12th century. This site is believed to have been consecrated since St Moluag, a contemporary of St Columba, built a chapel here in the 560s. The present building is of unknown age, with estimates of its build date ranging from the 1100s to the 1500s. It is still in use today and there are services there twice a month. In earlier times, it was said that insanity could be cured by walking around the church seven times. Anne insisted that I try it. I made it around one time and there didn’t seem to be much improvement.
The Front Door 
A medieval window
Then on tp the Black Houses They are called that because the peat that they used to heat the houses made the walls and ceilings black. There were no stoves or chimneys and the smoke just found its way out through a hole in the roof. One of the houses we saw was still used as a residence as recently as the 1980’s. The people had lived there all their lives and didn’t see any reason to leave.
Smokey Inside 
A room in the Black House
Animals lived in one end, humans in the other. 
Front Door and Me
Anne cutting peat. 
Peat all stacked and ready to burn.
Hugh gave a wonderful tour and I recommend highly that you give him a call for your Isle of Lewis adventure.
I will end this post now, but Isle of Lewis, Part 2 will finish the story. See you soon.