Stornoway

Stornoway (Gaelic Steòrnabhagh) is the main town on Lewis and the admin centre for all of Scotland's Outer Hebrides. Indeed it's the only town in these islands; it has the best amenities and transport links, and it's the obvious base for exploring both Lewis and Harris.

• An Lanntair Art Centre, Kenneth Street, HS1 2DS, +44 1851 708480. M-Sa 10:00-00:00, last Su of month 13:00-17:00. Arts centre offering exhibitions, concerts and films.
• Lews Castle. Museum Apr-Sept M-W F Sa 10:00-17:00, Oct-Mar M-W F Sa 13:00-16:00. The castle was built in the 1850s for Sir James Matheson who made his fortune in the far eastern opium trade. To build it he demolished the remnants of the preceding medieval castle, whilst losing the "i" from Lewis. It was later sold to Lord Leverhulme the soap tycoon. In the 20th C it was used as a navy air base and as student accommodation then fell into disuse, but was refurbished from 2011. It now houses Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean, the museum and archive of island life. The ballroom is used as a ritzy event space, and there's expensive self-catering apartments available. The extensive castle grounds are always open to stroll. Free.
• Old Gun Battery. Two Royal Naval Reserve 6 inch guns, which were taken out of use in 1919. The power station next the guns overwhelms the impression, and somewhat spoils the setting.
• Stornoway Historical Society, Old Town Hall, 2 Cromwell Street. Summer: M W & F 11:00 -16:00. One room changing exhibition on Stornoway History donation requested.
• Iolaire Memorial.: in the early hours of New Year's Day 1919, HMY Iolaire was bringing home sailors demobilised at the end of the Great War, but she struck a rock at the entrance to Stornoway harbour and sank. The official death toll was 205, mostly local men, but the boat was overcrowded and it may have been higher. The memorial is at Holm east of town, follow the lane south just before the airport entrance. The centenary on 1 Jan 2019 was marked by the unveiling of a new memorial nearby.

An Lanntair Art Centre, Kenneth Street, HS1 2DS, +44 1851 708480. M-Sa 10:00-00:00, last Su of month 13:00-17:00. Arts centre offering exhibitions, concerts and films.

Lews Castle. Museum Apr-Sept M-W F Sa 10:00-17:00, Oct-Mar M-W F Sa 13:00-16:00. The castle was built in the 1850s for Sir James Matheson who made his fortune in the far eastern opium trade. To build it he demolished the remnants of the preceding medieval castle, whilst losing the "i" from Lewis. It was later sold to Lord Leverhulme the soap tycoon. In the 20th C it was used as a navy air base and as student accommodation then fell into disuse, but was refurbished from 2011. It now houses Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean, the museum and archive of island life. The ballroom is used as a ritzy event space, and there's expensive self-catering apartments available. The extensive castle grounds are always open to stroll. Free.

Old Gun Battery. Two Royal Naval Reserve 6 inch guns, which were taken out of use in 1919. The power station next the guns overwhelms the impression, and somewhat spoils the setting.

Stornoway Historical Society, Old Town Hall, 2 Cromwell Street. Summer: M W & F 11:00 -16:00. One room changing exhibition on Stornoway History donation requested.

Iolaire Memorial.: in the early hours of New Year's Day 1919, HMY Iolaire was bringing home sailors demobilised at the end of the Great War, but she struck a rock at the entrance to Stornoway harbour and sank. The official death toll was 205, mostly local men, but the boat was overcrowded and it may have been higher. The memorial is at Holm east of town, follow the lane south just before the airport entrance. The centenary on 1 Jan 2019 was marked by the unveiling of a new memorial nearby.

• Hebcelt Music Festival is held in mid-July, multiple venues but mostly in the grounds of Lews Castle and at An Lanntair in town. Flights, ferries and accommodation are booked solid while it's on; there's no camping within the venues, and no dogs allowed. The next event is Wed 15 - Sat 18 July 2020.
• Lews Castle Grounds Mountain Bike Trails. About 30 km of mountain bike tracks in the woodland around the castle. The paths are graded by difficulty and require a rugged mountain bike. There are also 24 km of surfaced or gravel tracks which are suitable for road bikes or walking.

Hebcelt Music Festival is held in mid-July, multiple venues but mostly in the grounds of Lews Castle and at An Lanntair in town. Flights, ferries and accommodation are booked solid while it's on; there's no camping within the venues, and no dogs allowed. The next event is Wed 15 - Sat 18 July 2020.

Lews Castle Grounds Mountain Bike Trails. About 30 km of mountain bike tracks in the woodland around the castle. The paths are graded by difficulty and require a rugged mountain bike. There are also 24 km of surfaced or gravel tracks which are suitable for road bikes or walking.

Never on a Sunday. Lewis has a stern Sabbatarian tradition that is fighting a bitter rearguard action. They've been unable to resist the ungodliness of flights and ferries on a Sunday, but all shops remain closed except Engebret's filling station, and the majority of eating and drinking places. On Saturday night, pubs and entertainments halt by midnight.

Stornoway is the only place in the Outer Hebrides where you will find a selection of shops like in a mainland town. There are both multiples and several independent stores including bakers, butchers and a bookshop. The local delicacy is Stornoway Black Pudding, a blood and oatmeal savoury sausage product. There are several shops selling Harris Tweed, either by the metre or made into clothes and bags.

A dwindling fishing fleet provides fresh fish and shellfish which can be bought fresh from the local fish shops.

• Stornoway Fish Smokers, Shell Street, +44 1851 702723. A good, traditional smokery cures the local fish
• Co-op, 8 MacAulay Road, HS1 2HU. M-Sa 08:00 - 22:00. The largest supermarket in the Outer Hebrides. Also a smaller store in the centre of town in Cromwell Street.
• Tesco, Ferry Road, HS1 2QY. M-F 06:00-00:00, Sa 06:00-22:00.
• Engebret Filling station, Sandwick Road, HS1 2SL, +44 1851 702303. M-Sa 06:00-23:00, Su 10:00-16:00. Filling station & convenience store.
• Iceland, 63 Cromwell St.. M-Sa 08:00 - 20:00. Branch of the frozen food chain.

Stornoway Fish Smokers, Shell Street, +44 1851 702723. A good, traditional smokery cures the local fish

Co-op, 8 MacAulay Road, HS1 2HU. M-Sa 08:00 - 22:00. The largest supermarket in the Outer Hebrides. Also a smaller store in the centre of town in Cromwell Street.

Tesco, Ferry Road, HS1 2QY. M-F 06:00-00:00, Sa 06:00-22:00.

Engebret Filling station, Sandwick Road, HS1 2SL, +44 1851 702303. M-Sa 06:00-23:00, Su 10:00-16:00. Filling station & convenience store.

Iceland, 63 Cromwell St.. M-Sa 08:00 - 20:00. Branch of the frozen food chain.

• Digby Chick, 5 Bank Street, HS1 2XG, +44 1851 700026. M-Sa 12:00-14:00 & 17:30-21:00. Good seafood and steaks, often gets booked out.
• Fusion, Perceval Rd S (Manor roundabout, +44 1851 706373. Tu-Th 12:00-14:00 & 16:00-22:00, F Sa 12:00-23:00, Su 13:00-21:00. Chinese & Malaysian takeaway at north edge of town.
• Peking Cuisine, 30 Church St, +44 1851 705548. Daily 16:00-21:00. Chinese take away.
• Thai, 27 Church St, +44 1851 701811. M-Sa 12:00-23:00. Thai restaurant also does takeaway.
• Woodlands Centre, Castle grounds, +44 1851 706916. M-Sa 10:00-17:00. Coffee & snacks.
• HS-1 Cafe Bar, within Royal Hotel, Cromwell St, +44 1851 702109. Daily 12:00-16:00, 17:00-21:00. For light bites or dining.
• Eleven, Caladh Inn, 11 James St. M-Sa 07:00-09:30, 12:00-14:30, 17:00-21:30; Su 08:00-10:00, 12:00-16:00, 17:00-20:00. Traditional restaurant with a buffet and carvery. The buffet is also available as a takeaway. Buffet £13, dinner £25.

Digby Chick, 5 Bank Street, HS1 2XG, +44 1851 700026. M-Sa 12:00-14:00 & 17:30-21:00. Good seafood and steaks, often gets booked out.

Fusion, Perceval Rd S (Manor roundabout, +44 1851 706373. Tu-Th 12:00-14:00 & 16:00-22:00, F Sa 12:00-23:00, Su 13:00-21:00. Chinese & Malaysian takeaway at north edge of town.

Peking Cuisine, 30 Church St, +44 1851 705548. Daily 16:00-21:00. Chinese take away.

Thai, 27 Church St, +44 1851 701811. M-Sa 12:00-23:00. Thai restaurant also does takeaway.

Woodlands Centre, Castle grounds, +44 1851 706916. M-Sa 10:00-17:00. Coffee & snacks.

HS-1 Cafe Bar, within Royal Hotel, Cromwell St, +44 1851 702109. Daily 12:00-16:00, 17:00-21:00. For light bites or dining.

Eleven, Caladh Inn, 11 James St. M-Sa 07:00-09:30, 12:00-14:30, 17:00-21:30; Su 08:00-10:00, 12:00-16:00, 17:00-20:00. Traditional restaurant with a buffet and carvery. The buffet is also available as a takeaway. Buffet £13, dinner £25.

Stornoway has a high density of pubs which reflect the absence of them around the rest of the island. Around half of them open on Sunday and the licensing hours are generally till 23:00 on weeknights and up until 01:45 on Fridays and 01:00 on Saturdays.

Lewis's only distillery, Abhainn Dearg, began production in 2009 so it now has a ten-year malt whisky. See Lewis#Drink for tours: it's on the far northwest of the island.

• The Star Inn, 13 South Beach, +44 1851 702289. open Sunday. Live music every Thursday.
• MacNeills, 11 Cromwell Street, +44 1851 703330. Live music 22:00 Thursdays.
• The Criterion, 32 Point Street, +44 1851 701990.
• The Lewis, 8-10 North Beach (Castle Street, +44 1851 704567. Open Sunday.

The Star Inn, 13 South Beach, +44 1851 702289. open Sunday. Live music every Thursday.

MacNeills, 11 Cromwell Street, +44 1851 703330. Live music 22:00 Thursdays.

The Criterion, 32 Point Street, +44 1851 701990.

The Lewis, 8-10 North Beach (Castle Street, +44 1851 704567. Open Sunday.

• Great Bernera
• Tarbert (Harris)
• Leverburgh Stornoway has plenty to see and do for the visitor on foot, but travels further afield require bus or car transport. There are no railway lines on the island.

The Callanish Stones are located around 30 minutes' drive from Stornoway and are the island's most popular outdoor tourist attraction.