Day 37: Lower Barvas, Isle of Lewis to Hushinish Bay, Isle of Harris

Virtual Walk: Scotland 2021

10th February 2021: 110.45km walked today taking the total to 3789.17/8854km. 11% of 139 entries submitting 1004.06km.

We continue our tour of Lewis including Arnol, Carloway and the Callanish Stones before crossing into Harris for some wild walking to do eagle spotting.

Route 11: Isles of Lewis & Harris

After walking the coast south through Lower Barvas on Loch Mor Bharabhais, we turn off the A858 to arrive at the settlement of Arnol, sitting on a coastal grassland plain called ‘machair’. This is a scarce type of habitat of low-lying fertile grassland found only on the western shores of north-western Scotland, Orkney, Shetland, and Ireland, erupt with wildflowers every summer, and used by crofters for grazing livestock. The settlement was originally much nearer the shore 2,000 years ago but moved back further inland in the 1700s.

There are several ruined blackhouses, ‘taigh-dubh’, dotted about the landscape which were built here in the 1850s; at Arnol there is one which has been preserved in its entirety and turned into The Blackhouse Museum, cared for by Historic Environment Scotland. No 42 Arnol is a fine example of a way of life which has now vanished; a low, rounded dry-stone-wall structure with a compacted earth floor and a turf and reed thatched roof, comprising a living area with a cattle area partitioned off at the other end, then a barn area behind that. There was no chimney, which caused the smoke to blacken the walls as it rose. The fire was never allowed to go out, as the rising smoke protected the thatch from damp and insect infestation as it filtered through to the exterior. Wandering through its smoky, dark interior today it is awfully hard to believe that the last owner only moved out in 1965! Across the road is another unroofed blackhouse ruin and The White House, 'taigh-geal', No 39, also part of the same Museum. This was built in the 1920s, now furnished how a family would have lived during that time. These more modern houses began to appear due to new health regulations which required the separating of livestock from living space. The houses were covered in lime mortar, which earned them their name 'taigh-geal', white house, a great contrast to the old style of longhouse which were then given the name 'taigh-dubh', blackhouse, as a result.

We continue onwards for 16 kilometres through more settlements including Bragar and Shawbost, to arrive at Carloway. For such a small settlement it has 2 sights to see here: the ‘Harris Tweed’ Carloway Mill and the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village.

The Carloway Mill is part of a network of 3 mills, supplied by home weavers producing ‘Clo-Mor’, or Big Cloth, in a tradition that goes back centuries on the islands. We know the cloth worldwide as Harris Tweed. Historically, islanders wove the cloth in their own homes using natural wool which they dyed, spun then wove for their own use or to use for barter. By the late 18th century, it was being used for trade with the Scottish mainland in exchange for supplies. The name Harris Tweed came about in the 1840s when the Countess of Dunmore, Lady Catherine Herbert, took an interest in the cloth. She promoted it as good sport and hunting wear and it became popular with the landed gentry and aristocracy. As a result, the cloth gained notoriety through several channels. At the heart of it all was a concern for the social and economic welfare of the islanders; something made by them, for them. A unique situation. So, this cottage industry became the Harris Tweed we see in the shops today. From such humble beginnings, the cloth is now exported worldwide. There have been a few Acts that have protected its reputation over the years, starting with the Orb Trade Mark in 1909 and the latest being The Harris Tweed Act of 1993, an Act of Parliament! It takes an hour to make 4 metres of cloth on the hand-woven treadle looms. The cloth is of good quality, of colourful character and there are many designs. The wool must be virgin wool, dyed, spun, then woven by islanders in the Outer Hebrides to be called Harris Tweed and display the Orb Trade Mark. Every 50 metres of the cloth is authenticated by a Harris Tweed Authority Inspector who visits the mills weekly.

Down the lane from the mill is Gearrannan Blackhouse Village. A group of 9 houses, just up from the North Atlantic coast shore, sitting nestled together in a secluded bay; a good example of what a typical community would have looked like years ago. They were inhabited until 1974, now most are renovated into places to stay, but one is a tea room and the other set up as a working museum of how it would have looked with a family living there in the 1950s.

We continue along the A858 for a further 2.7 kilometres to visit Dun Carloway Broch near Loch na Duin. Broch or Dun are both translated as ‘fort’. Dating back to the 1st century, the broch is an Iron Age roundhouse structure. This particular one is a good example and, from historical reference, didn't start to collapse until the 19th century! Yes, THAT well built! 

We walk on for a further 10.2 kilometres past Lochs an Dunain and na Muilne, then the settlement of Breasclete to arrive at one of Lewis’s most famous sites, the Callanish 'Calanais’ Standing Stones. There are several stone circles or standing stones sites here (at least 18) but the one next to the Callanish Visitor Centre is the largest, most intact, and famous, Calanais 1. It sits on top of the hill with outstanding views across Loch Roag and the surrounding landscape of Lewis’ North Atlantic coast. They were erected some 5,000 years ago in the Neolithic period, predating Stonehenge! No one knows their true purpose, but it is believed to be astronomical and ritualistic in nature. One local folklore legend talks of the ‘Shining One’ who walks the ‘avenue’ to the stones on midsummer morning, his arrival announced by the call of a cuckoo! The stones feature many times in popular culture and most recently featured in ‘Call the Midwife’s Christmas Special’ (2019). ‘Outlander’s’ Production Team also used the stones as a model for their ‘Craig na Dun’ stones in the series (2014), as did Pixar in their animation film, ‘Brave’ (2012).

We continue our walk on the west coast road to the Garrynahine settlement, taking the B8011 further south to remote Kinlochroag (17k m). We leave the road here to walk south through hilly, peaty moorlands, around lochs and over rivers to Loch Morsgail, crossing several fords and streams to reach Loch Reasort (10km). We are in one of the remotest areas of the UK here, so wildlife spotting will be far more interesting. In the skies, white-tailed, sea and golden eagle soar high above, as well as seabirds, waders, and the rare corncrake. On land, the red deer roam in large numbers so will be frequently in view. By the shore, and in the sea lochs, depending on where we are, otters play and swim, minke and orca whales, porpoise, and dolphin surface, and of course, grey and common seals bask on the rocks or play in the water; always an interesting watch.

Travelling onwards we are back in the north of the Isle of Harris once more. Why is this one island with two names you ask? It isn't 100% known. One story is that the MacLeod Clan split and as a result divided the island into 2 areas; the other is that due to the mountains that naturally separate Lewis and Harris, a natural divide took place. We continue wild walking through mountains for a further 7 kilometres south until we pick up a single-track road on Loch Bhoisimid. Passing Lochan an Fheoir and Loch Scourst we arrive at the North Harris Eagle Observatory. If we haven't yet seen eagles on our route, then here our luck may change. We crowd into the hide to watch for the golden eagles, which are in large numbers here; it’s a breezy day so our chances are high.

Heading south for 2 kilometres, after crossing Abhainn Mhiabhaig Bridge, we arrive at the Eagle Observatory Car Park on the B887 at Meavaig settlement. We turn right and follow the road for 14 kilometres to Hushinish Bay with its fantastic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the uninhabited island of Scarp. After enjoying a wee seat on its beautiful sandy beach and a dip in the sea, we retrace our steps back to the Eagle Observatory car park to continue our journey southwards.