Lewis may refer to: // Lewis, the largest island of the Western Isles of Scotland. ...

Coordinates: 58°13′13″N 6°22′59″W / 58.220163, -6.38301 This article is about the physical quantity. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... For local government purposes, Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as Council Areas of Scotland which are all governed by unitary authorities designated as Councils which have the option under the Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997 (as chosen by Na h-Eileanan an Iar) of being known... Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles) redirects here. ... The Lieutenancy areas of Scotland are the areas used for the ceremonial lords-lieutenant, the monarchs representatives, in Scotland. ... Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles) redirects here. ... // Constituent country is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a historical, currently non-legally officially recognised country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping. ... This article is about the country. ... This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged, gives an overview of states around the world with information on the extent of their sovereignty. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The HS postcode area, also known as the Outer Hebrides postcode area[2], is a group of postal districts around Isle of Barra, Isle of Benbecula, Isle of Harris, Isle of Lewis, Isle of North Uist, Isle of Scalpay, Isle of South Uist and Stornoway in Scotland. ... +44 redirects here. ... There are a number of policing agencies in the United Kingdom. ... Map showing the council areas of Scotland, with the ones in the police area highlighted. ... A Fire Appliance belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... The Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service (previously Highland and Islands Fire Brigade) is the fire service for Northern Scotland, covering the council areas of Highland, Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles, and so covering a major part of the Highlands and Islands area. ... Two Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based ambulances of the Scottish Ambulance Service The Scottish Ambulance Service serves all of Scotland and is a special health board funded directly by the health department of the Scottish Executive. ... This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name. ... Scotland constitutes a single constituency of the European Parliament. ... The United Kingdom House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs). ... Na h-Eileanan an Iar is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, created in 1918. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... The Western Isles are a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. ... List of burghs in Scotland List of cities in the United Kingdom Lists of places within Scottish regions List of places in Orkney List of places in Shetland List of places in the Borders region of Scotland List of places in the Central region of Scotland List of places in... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Lewis (Scottish Gaelic: Leòdhas pronounced [ʎɔː.ɣəs̪]) or the Isle of Lewis (Eilean Leòdhais pronounced [elan ʎɔː.ɣəʃ]), is the northern part of the largest island of the Western Isles (Na h-Eileanan Siar) or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Another name usually used in a cultural or poetic context is Eilean an Fhraoich (pronounced [elan ən̴̪ ɾɯːx]), The Heather Isle. The southern part of the island is called Harris (Na Hearadh). The two names however refer to the two parts of the same island despite the use of the terms 'Isle of Lewis' and 'Isle of Harris'. // Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles) redirects here. ... This article is about the country. ... An Cliseam from the Abhainn Mharaig, just off the main road to Lewis. ...

Lewis is, in general, the lower lying part of Lewis and Harris, with Harris being more mountainous. The flatter, more fertile land means Lewis contains the only town, Stornoway, and three-quarters of the population of the Western Isles. Beyond human habitation, the island's diverse habitats are home to an assortment of flora and fauna, such as the golden eagle, red deer and seals and are recognised in a number of conservation areas. Lewis and Harris make up the largest island in the Outer Hebrides In Scotland. ... This article is about the town in Scotland: for other uses, see Stornoway (disambiguation) , Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh in Scottish Gaelic) is a burgh on Lewis (Leòdhas), in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ... For other uses, see Golden Eagle (disambiguation). ... This article is about the species of deer. ... Families Odobenidae Otariidae Phocidae Pinnipeds (fin-feet, lit. ...

Lewis is of Presbyterian tradition with a rich history, having once been part of the Norse Kingdom of Mann and the Isles. Today, life is very different to elsewhere in Scotland with Sabbath observance, the Gaelic language and peat cutting retaining more importance than elsewhere. Lewis has a rich cultural heritage as can be seen from its myths and legends as well as the local literary and musical traditions. Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... The Kingdom of Mann and the Isles was a Norse kingdom that existed in the British Isles from 1079 till 1266. ... For other uses, see Sabbath. ... Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... // Boy on white horse by Theodor Kittelsen. ...

History

Main article: History of the Outer Hebrides

The first evidence of human habitation on Lewis is found in peat samples which indicate that about 8,000 years ago, much of the native woodland was torched to make way for grassland to allow deer to graze. The earliest archaeological remains date from about 5,000 years ago. At that time, people began to settle in permanent farms rather than following their herds. The small houses of these people have been found throughout the Western Isles, in particular, at Dail Mhor, Carloway in Lewis. // Main article: Kingdom of Mann and the Isles The Kingdom of Mann and the Isles was a Norse kingdom that existed in the British Isles from 1079 till 1266. ... This article is about modern humans. ... Peat in Lewis, Scotland Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. ... This article is about the ruminent animal. ... For referencing in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:Citing sources. ... The Western Isles are an archipelago in Scotland. ... Dail Mòr is a hamlet situated in the Northside of Carloway, a major village on the Isle of Lewis. ... , Dun Carloway Broch, Lewis Carloway (Scottish Gaelic: ) is a district of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides and village a situated west of the Island. ...

Callanish stone circle

The more striking great monuments of this period are the temples and communal burial cairns at places like Calanais. The Scots are recorded as arriving from around 1AD, bringing their still present Gaelic language with them.^[1] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 356 pixels Full resolution (1700 × 757 pixel, file size: 618 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Lewis Standing stone Callanish History... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 356 pixels Full resolution (1700 × 757 pixel, file size: 618 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Lewis Standing stone Callanish History... The stone circle at the centre of the Standing Stones of Callanish (Callanish I) A distant view of the circle, stone rows and part of the northern avenue The Callanish stone circle (or Callanish I),Clachan Chalanais in Gaelic, is situated near the village of Callanish (Gaelic: Calanais) on the... Callanish, or Calanais as it is spelled in Gaelic, is a collection of standing stones, situated in the village of Callanish on the Isle Of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. ... Scots may refer to: people from Scotland (i. ... Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ...

About 500 BC, island society moved into the Iron Age. The buildings became larger and more prominent, culminating in the brochs – circular, dry-stone towers belonging to the local chieftains – testifying to the uncertain nature of life then. The best remaining example of a broch in Lewis is at Dun Charlabhagh. As Christianity began to spread through the islands in the sixth and later centuries, following Columban missionaries, Lewis was inhabited by the Picts.^[1] Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ... Dun Carloway broch, Lewis, Scotland The Broch is an Iron Age dry stone structure of a type which is only found in Scotland. ... Photo of the broch Dún Chàrlabhaigh or, in English, Dun Carloway is a broch some 2 km to the south-west of Carloway, on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... A separate article is titled Columba (constellation). ... A replica of the Hilton of Cadboll Stone. ...

Two kings and two queens from the Lewis chessmen at the British Museum

In the 9th century AD, the Vikings began to settle on Lewis, after years of raiding from the sea. The Norse invaders intermarried with local families and abandoned their pagan beliefs. At this time, most buildings changed their forms from being round to rectangular, following the Scandinavian style. At this time, Lewis was part of the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles and officially part of Norway. The Lewis chessmen, which were found on the island in 1831, date from the time of Viking rule. The people were called the Gall-Ghaidheil, the ‘Foreigner Gaels', reflecting their mixed Scandinavian/Gaelic background, and probably their bilingual speech.^[2] The Norse language persists in many island placenames and some personal names to this day, although the latter are fairly evenly spread across Scottish Gaeldom. Two kings and two queens from the Uig, or Lewis chessmen at the British Museum. ... Two kings and two queens from the Uig, or Lewis chessmen at the British Museum. ... The Lewis chessmen top: king, queen, bishop middle: knight, rook, pawn bottom: closeup of queen The Lewis chessmen belong to one of the few complete medieval chess sets that have survived until today. ... London museum | name = British Museum | image = British Museum from NE 2. ... The name Viking is a loan from the native Scandinavian term for the Norse seafaring warriors who raided the coasts of Scandinavia, Europe and the British Isles from the late 8th century to the 11th century, the period of European history referred to as the Viking Age. ... The Kingdom of Mann and the Isles was a Norse kingdom that existed in the British Isles from 1079 till 1266. ... The Lewis chessmen top: king, queen, bishop middle: knight, rook, pawn bottom: closeup of queen The Lewis chessmen belong to one of the few complete medieval chess sets that have survived until today. ... The Norse-Gaels were a people who dominated much of the Irish Sea region and western Scotland for a large part of the Middle Ages, whose aristocracy were mainly of Scandinavian origin, but as a whole exhibited a great deal of Gaelic and Norse cultural syncretism. ...

Lewis(and the rest of the Western Isles) became part of Scotland once more in 1266 following the Treaty of Perth when it was ceded by the Kingdom of Norway. Under Scottish rule, the Lordship of the Isles emerged as the most important power in north-western Scotland by the 14th century. The Lords of the Isles were based on Islay, but controlled all of the Hebrides. They were descended from Somerled (Somhairle) Mac Gillibride, a Gall-Gaidheil lord who had held the Hebrides and West Coast two hundred years earlier. Control of Lewis itself was initially exercised by the Macleod clan but after years of feuding and open warfare between and even within local clans, the lands of Clan MacLeod were forfeited to the crown in 1597 and were awarded by King James VI to a group of Lowland colonists known as the Fife adventurers in an attempt to anglicise the islands. However the adventurers were unsuccessful and possession eventually passed to the Mackenzies of Kintail in 1609 when Coinneach, Lord MacKenzie, bought out the lowlanders.^[1] The Treaty of Perth ended military conflict between Norway under Magnus the Law-mender and Scotland under Alexander III over the sovereignty of the Western Isles, the Isle of Mann and Caithness. ... MacDonald, Lord of the Isles For the series of fantasy novels by David Drake, see Lord of the Isles (David Drake). ... Islay (pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: , or ee-luh), a Scottish island, known as The Queen of the Hebrides, is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides. ... This article is about the Hebrides islands in Scotland. ... Somerled (Old Norse Sumarliði, Scottish Gaelic Somhairle) was a military and political leader of the Scottish Isles in the 12th century who was known in Gaelic as ri Innse Gall (King of the Hebrides). Somerled first appears in historical chronicles in the year 1140 as the regulus, or King... Clan MacLeod Crest. ... James VI and I King of England, Scotland and Ireland James VI of Scotland and I of England (Charles James) (19 June 1566–27 March 1625) was a King who ruled over England, Scotland and Ireland, and was the first Sovereign to reign in the three realms simultaneously. ... In physical geography, a lowland is any broad expanse of land with a general low level. ... To anglicise (or in North American English anglicize) is to adapt a foreign word into the English language, often modifying its form to correspond to standard English French demoiselle, meaning little lady. Another common type of anglicisation is the inclusion of a foreign article as part of a noun (eg. ... Lowland-Highland divide The Scottish Lowlands (a Ghalldachd, meaning roughly the non-Gaelic region, in Gaelic), although not officially a geographical area of the country, in normal usage is generally meant to include those parts of Scotland not referred to as the Highlands (or Gàidhealtachd), that is, everywhere due...

Admiralty yacht HMS Iolaire (named as Amalthaea in 1908 photo).

Following the 1745 rebellion, and Prince Charles Edward Stewart's flight to France, the use of Gaelic was discouraged, rents were demanded in cash rather than kind, and the wearing of folk dress was made illegal. Emigration to the New World increasingly became an escape for those who could afford it during the latter half of the century. Lewis was bought by Sir James Matheson in 1844, but subsequent famine and land reform forced vast numbers off their lands, and increased again the flood of emigrants. Lewis was the site of numerous 'land struggles' which have recently been commemorated in modern cairn-style monuments in various villages.^[1] Image File history File links Admiralty-yacht-HMS-Iolaire-ship-Amalthaea-1908. ... Image File history File links Admiralty-yacht-HMS-Iolaire-ship-Amalthaea-1908. ... Flag of the Lord High Admiral The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. ... HBMS redirects here. ... The sinking of the Iolaire on 1 January 1919 was the worst maritime disaster in United Kingdom waters in peacetime since 1878. ... The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in the British Isles occurring between 1688 and 1746. ... For the U.S. politician, see Charles E. Stuart Bonnie Prince Charlie Charles Edward Louis Philip Casimir Stuart (December 31, 1720 – January 31, 1788), was the exiled claimant to the thrones of Ireland, commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. Charles was the son of James Francis Edward Stuart, the Old... James Matheson Memorial in Stornoway Castle Grounds Sir James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson, 1st Baronet (17 October 1796 – 31 December 1878) born in Shiness, Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland, was the son of a Scottish baronet and a trader in India. ...

During the First World War, thousands of islanders served in the forces, many losing their lives, including over 200 naval reservists from the island who were returning home after the war when the Admiralty yacht HMY Iolaire, sank within sight of Stornoway harbour. Many servicemen from Lewis served in the Royal and Merchant Navy during the Second World War and again, many lives were lost. Following the war, many more inhabitants emigrated to the Americas and mainland Scotland. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... The sinking of the Iolaire on 1 January 1919 was the worst maritime disaster in United Kingdom waters in peacetime since 1878. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Merchant Marine. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ...

Historical sites

The Isle of Lewis has a variety of locations of historical and archaeological interest including:

• Callanish standing stones;
• Dun Carloway Broch;
• Iron Age houses near Bostadh (Great Bernera);
• The Garenin Blackhouse Village in Carloway and the Black House at Arnol;
• Bragar whale bone arch;
• St. Columba's church in Aignish;
• Teampull Mholuaidh in Ness;
• Clach an Truiseil monolith;
• Clach Na Thursa, Carloway
• Bonnie Prince Charlie's Monument, Arnish;
• Lews Castle;
• Butt of Lewis cliffs and lighthouse;
• Dùn Èistean, a small island which is the ancestral home of the Lewis Morrisons.

There are also numerous 'lesser' stone circles and the remains of five further brochs. Callanish, or Calanais as it is spelled in Gaelic, is a collection of standing stones, situated in the village of Callanish on the Isle Of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. ... Photo of the broch Dún Chàrlabhaigh or, in English, Dun Carloway is a broch some 2 km to the south-west of Carloway, on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. ... Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ... Great Bernera, often known just as Bernera (Scottish Gaelic: Bearnaraigh) is an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ... Garenin (Scottish Gaelic: Gearrannan) is a formerly deserted blackhouse village, 2 kilometres from the Carloway township. ... , Dun Carloway Broch, Lewis Carloway (Scottish Gaelic: ) is a district of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides and village a situated west of the Island. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Bragar is a quiet village on the West Side of the Isle of Lewis, neighboured by Shawbost to the south and Arnol to the north. ... A separate article is titled Columba (constellation). ... Aignish (Scottish Gaelic: Aignis) is a crofting township at the entrance to the Eye peninsula on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. ... St Moluags church (locally known by its gaidhlig name of Teampull Mholuaidh) is a 13th Century temple in the village of Eoropie in Ness in the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. ... , Ness (Scottish Gaelic: ) is the northernmost part of the Isle of Lewis, a community consisting of about 16 villages, including Lionel, Habost, Swainbost, Cross, North and South Dell, Cross Skigersta, Skigersta, Eoradale, Adabrock, Port of Ness, Knockaird, Fivepenny and Eoropie. ... Clach an Trushal ( Scottish Gaelic: Clach an Truiseil ) is the tallest standing stone (Menhir) in Scotland at 5. ... For other uses, see Monolith (disambiguation). ... , Dun Carloway Broch, Lewis Carloway (Scottish Gaelic: ) is a district of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides and village a situated west of the Island. ... For the U.S. politician, see Charles E. Stuart Bonnie Prince Charlie Charles Edward Louis Philip Casimir Stuart (December 31, 1720 – January 31, 1788), was the exiled claimant to the thrones of Ireland, commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. Charles was the son of James Francis Edward Stuart, the Old... Lews Castle Lews Castle is a Victorian era castle located west of the town of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. ... The Butt of Lewisis in the area of Ness. ... Eddystone Lighthouse, one of the first wavewashed lighthouses For other uses, see Lighthouse (disambiguation). ... A view of the bridge connecting Dùn Èistean to the mainland Dùn Èistean is a multi-period archaeological site on an inter- tidal sea stack on the north east coast of the Isle of Lewis, specifically an Cnoc Àrd in the village of Nis in the Western Isles... Dun Carloway broch, Lewis, Scotland The Broch is an Iron Age dry stone structure of a type which is only found in Scotland. ...

Geography and geology

Satellite photograph of Lewis and Harris

A cross-section of Lewis would see mostly sandy beaches backed by dunes and machair on the east coast, giving way to an expansive peat covered plateau in the centre of the island. The Atlantic coastline is markedly more rugged and is mostly rocky cliffs broken by small coves and beaches. The more fertile nature of the eastern side spurred the majority of population there, including the largest (and only) town, Stornoway. Aside from the village of Achmore in the centre of the island, all settlements are on the coast.^[3] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (948x1280, 137 KB) The Isle of Lewis in Scotland. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (948x1280, 137 KB) The Isle of Lewis in Scotland. ... Machair The Gaelic word Machair or machar refers to a fertile low-lying coastal plain. ... This article is about the town in Scotland: for other uses, see Stornoway (disambiguation) , Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh in Scottish Gaelic) is a burgh on Lewis (Leòdhas), in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ...

Looking towards the Uplands in the centre of the Island of Lewis

Compared to Harris, Lewis is relatively flat, save in the south-east, where Ben More reaches 1,874 ft (571 m), and in the south-west, where Mealasbhal (1885) is the highest point; but there are only eleven peaks exceeding 1,000 ft (300 m) in height.^[4] Southern Lewis also has a large number of freshwater lochs compared to the north of the island. Uig Loch, Island of Lewis View of Uig Loch looking towards the mountains at the centre of the Island of Lewis. ... Uig Loch, Island of Lewis View of Uig Loch looking towards the mountains at the centre of the Island of Lewis. ...

South Lewis, Harris and North Uist collectively is a National Scenic Area, and there are 4 geographical Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on Lewis - Glen Valtos, Cnoc a' Chapuill, Port of Ness and Tolsta Head.^[5] National Scenic Area is a designation for natural areas of beauty used by more than one nation. ... A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. ...

The coastline is severely indented into a number of large sea lochs, such as Lochs Resort and Seaforth which form part of the border with Harris, Loch Roag surrounding the island of Great Bernera and Loch Erisort. The principal capes are the Butt of Lewis, in the extreme north, where the cliffs are nearly 150 ft (46 m) high and crowned with a lighthouse, the light of which is visible for 19 m.; Tolsta Head, Tiumpan Head and Cabag Head, on the east; Renish Point, in the extreme south; and, on the west, Toe Head and Gallon Head.^[4]The largest island associated with Lewis is Bernera or Great Bernera in the district of Uig and is linked to the mainland of Lewis by a bridge opened in 1953. Great Bernera, often known just as Bernera (Scottish Gaelic: Bearnaraigh) is an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ... Uig is a bay backed machair and hills on the western coast of the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. ...

Geology

Abandoned house and croft in SW Lewis, exposed gneiss visible

Lewis is composed of gneiss rocks, excepting a patch of granite near Carloway, small bands of intrusive basalt at Gress and in Eye Peninsula and some Torridonian sandstone at Stornoway, Tong, Vatisker and Carloway.^[4] Sedimentary rocks cover some low-lying areas aroung the Broad Bay area as well.^[3] Gneiss Gneiss (IPA: ) is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from preexisting formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks, which most commonly forms on ancient seabeds. ... For other uses, see granite (disambiguation). ... , Dun Carloway Broch, Lewis Carloway (Scottish Gaelic: ) is a district of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides and village a situated west of the Island. ... For the cities, see Basalt, Colorado and Basalt, Idaho. ... This article is about the geological formation. ...

Climate

Exposure to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream lead to a cool, moist climate on Lewis. There is little temperature difference between summer and winter, along with significant rainfall and frequent high winds, particularly during the autumn equinox. These winds have led to Lewis being designated a potential site for a significant wind-farm which has caused much controversy amongst the population. For the album by Ocean Colour Scene, see North Atlantic Drift (album) The Gulf Stream is orange and yellow in this representation of water temperatures of the Atlantic. ...

Nature

There are 15 SSSIs on Lewis in the biology category, spread across the island. Additionally, the Lewis Peatlands are recognised by Scottish Natural Heritage as a Special Protection Area, Special Area of Conservation and a Ramsar site, showing their importance as a wetland habitat for migratory and resident bird life.^[5] Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is a Scottish public body . ... A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Commission Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC). ... A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Commission Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora. ... The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i. ...

Birds

Golden eagle

Three hundred and twenty seven species of birds have been recorded in the Western Isles and more than 100 breed. The Islands provide a natural flyway for migrating landbirds to and from their Arctic breeding grounds and a refuge for windblown vagrants from America and northern Europe. Many species of bird breed in the Western Isles and the surrounding islands, including, most of Britain's corncrakes which breed on the croftlands of all the islands.^[6] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 33 KB) Summary http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 33 KB) Summary http://www. ... For other uses, see Golden Eagle (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Crex crex (Linnaeus, 1758) The Corn Crake (Crex crex) is a small bird in the family Rallidae. ...

Many species of seabirds inhabit the coastal areas of Lewis, such as shag, gannets, fulmars, kittiwakes, guillemots and the ubiquitous seagulls. The Sooty Tern is highly aerial and marine and will spend years flying at sea without returning to land. ... The term Shag may refer to one of the following. ... For other uses, see Gannet (disambiguation) Species Morus bassanus Morus capensis Morus serrator Synonyms Moris Gannets are seabirds in the family Sulidae, closely related to the boobies. ... Species (Linnaeus, 1761) (A. Smith, 1840) For other uses, see Fulmar (disambiguation). ... Species Rissa tridactyla Rissa brevirostris The Kittiwakes (genus Rissa) are two closely related seabird species in the gull family Laridae. ... The Guillemots are seabirds in the auk family. ... Seagull or Seagulls may refer to: Gull, a family of seabird, members of which are often called seagulls. ...

In the Uig hills, it is possible to spot golden eagles; it has also been claimed that white-tailed eagles have been seen in the area.^[7] In the Pairc area, it is possible to see feeding oyster catchers and curlews. Uig is a bay backed machair and hills on the western coast of the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. ... For other uses, see Golden Eagle (disambiguation). ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Light Green: nesting area Blue: wintering area Dark Green: all-year Synonyms Falco albicilla Linnaeus, 1758 Haliaeetus albicilla albicilla Haliaeetus albicilla groenlandicus The White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla[1]), also known as the Sea Eagle, Erne (sometimes Ern), or White-tailed Sea-eagle is a very... Park, (Scottish Gaelic: Am Pairc) also known as South Lochs, is a huge area of land connected to the rest of Lewis only by a narrow neck between Loch Seaforth and Loch Erisort. ... Species N. phaeopus N. tenuirostris N. arquata N. americanus N. madagascariensis N. minutus N. borealis N. tahitiensis For other uses, see Curlew (disambiguation). ...

A few pairs of peregrine falcons survive on coastal cliffs and merlin and buzzard are not uncommon anywhere on hill and moor. red-throated divers nest on countless small tarns and a very few black-throated divers on bigger lochs. Arctic skuas are spreading south from Lewis as far as South Uist but the great skua is still found breeding only in Lewis, St Kilda, North Rona, the Shiant Isles and Barra Head.^[6] Binomial name Tunstall, 1771 Global range Yellow: Breeding summer visitor Green: Breeding resident Blue: Winter visitor Light blue: Passage visitor Subspecies 17-19, see text Synonyms Falco atriceps Hume Falco kreyenborgi Kleinschmidt, 1929 Falco pelegrinoides madens Ripley & Watson, 1963 Rhynchodon peregrinus (Tunstall, 1771) and see text The Peregrine Falcon (Falco... Merlin dictating his poems, as illustrated in a French book from the 13th century For other uses, see Merlin (disambiguation). ... A buzzard is one of several large birds, but there are a number of meanings as detailed below. ... Binomial name Gavia stellata (Pontopiddan, 1763) Gavia, meaning sea smew (although Divers are not Smew), stella meaning starred, in reference to the white speckling on its back in winter. ... For other uses, see Tarn (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Gavia arctica (Linnaeus, 1758) Black-throated Diver, known in North America as Arctic Loon (Gavia arctica), is a medium-sized member of the loon or diver family. ... Binomial name Stercorarius parasiticus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Arctic Skua, Stercorarius parasiticus, known as the Parasitic Jaeger in North America, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. ... Binomial name Brunnich, 1764 Wikispecies has information related to: Stercorarius skua The Great Skua, Stercorarius skua, is a large seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. ...

An important feature of the winter bird life is the great diversity of wildfowl. A variety of duck, such as eider and long-tailed are found in the shallow water around Lewis.^[6] Subfamilies Dendrocygninae Oxyurinae Anatinae Aythyinae Merginae Duck is the common name for a number of species in the Anatidae family of birds. ... Species Eiders are large seaducks in the genus Somateria. ...

Marine life

Atlantic salmon

Salmon frequent several Lewis rivers after crossing the Atlantic. Many of the fresh-water lochs are home to fish such as trout. Other freshwater fish present include arctic char, European eel, 3 and 9 spined sticklebacks, thick-lipped mullet and flounder. Download high resolution version (1152x518, 99 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1152x518, 99 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... For other uses, see Salmon (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Trout (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 Arctic char or Arctic charr () is both a freshwater and saltwater fish in the Salmonidae family, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic and alpine lakes and coastal waters. ... For other uses, see Eel (disambiguation). ... Genera Apeltes Culaea Gasterosteus Pungitius Spinachia The Gasterosteidae are a family of fishes including the Sticklebacks. ... Mullet may refer to: Two families of fish: The grey mullets of the family Mugilidae, of which the most widely known species is the striped mullet, Mugil cephalus. ... Flounder or flukes are flatfish that live in ocean waters ie. ...

Offshore, it is common to see seals, particularly in Stornoway harbour, and with luck, dolphins, porpoises, sharks and even the occasional whale can be encountered. Families Odobenidae Otariidae Phocidae Pinnipeds (fin-feet, lit. ... For other uses, see Dolphin (disambiguation). ... Genera Neophocaena Phocoena - Harbor porpoise Phocoenoides - Dalls porpoise The porpoises are small cetaceans of the family Phocoenidae; they are related to whales and dolphins. ... For other uses, see Shark (disambiguation). ... This article is about the animal. ...

Occasional turtles, mainly loggerhead and leathery, may be met in coastal waters.^[6] Turtles and terapins may mean: plural of turtle Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Turtles band Turtles band Turtles Music stores See also: Turtle (disambiguation) This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ...

Land mammals

There are only two native land mammals in the Western Isles, red deer and otter. The rabbit, blue hare, hedgehog, brown and black rat, feral cat, Mink and polecat were introduced by man. The origin of mice and voles is uncertain.^[6] American Mink are another introduced species (escapees from fur farms) and cause problems for native ground-nesting birds, the local fishing industry and poultry farmers^[8]. Due to this impact and following a successful eradication^[9] of the species from the Uists and Barra, the second and ongoing phase of the Hebridean Mink Project aims to rid mink from Lewis and Harris in similar fashion [1]. This article is about the ruminent animal. ... This article is about the carnivorous mammals. ... For other uses, see Rabbit (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hare (disambiguation). ... This article is about the spiny mammal. ... This article is about rats. ... Rescued feral kittens Most feral kittens have little chance of surviving more than a few months and are vulnerable to starvation, predators, disease and even flea-induced anemia[1][2]. Here, kittens from two feral litters are fostered by a domestic mother. ... For other uses, see Mink (disambiguation). ... Polecat may refer to: One of several species of weasel: European polecat marbled polecat steppe polecat Skunks, or other members of the Mephitidae family Lineman (occupation), sometimes colloquially referred to as polecats The Polecats, a 1980s British new wave/rockabilly band Polecat (band) Typical Barbershop Songs Lockheed Martin Polecat, an... This article is about the rodent. ... For other uses, see Vole (disambiguation). ... Binomial name (Schreber, 1777) The American Mink is a trademark of the American Legend Cooperative The American Mink, Neovison vison, is a North American member of the Mustelidae family found in Alaska, Canada and most of the United States. ... A mink farm in the United States Fur farming is the practice of breeding or raising certain types of animals for their fur. ...

There are claims that the Stornoway castle grounds are home to bats.^[10] In addition, there are farmed animals such as sheep, cattle and a few pigs. “Chiroptera” redirects here. ... Species See text. ... For general information about the genus, including other species of cattle, see Bos. ... For other uses, see Pig (disambiguation). ...

Reptiles and amphibians

Dragonfly near Valtos, Uig

In common with Ireland, no snakes inhabit Lewis^[11], only the slow-worm which is merely mistaken for a snake. Actually a legless lizard, it is the sole member of its order present. The common frog may be found in the centre of the island^[12] though it, along with any newts or toads present are introduced species^[6]. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2400 × 1800 pixel, file size: 781 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2400 × 1800 pixel, file size: 781 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article is about the insect. ... Families Acrochordidae Aniliidae Anomalepididae Anomochilidae Atractaspididae Boidae Bolyeriidae Colubridae Cylindrophiidae Elapidae Hydrophiidae Leptotyphlopidae Loxocemidae Pythonidae Tropidophiidae Typhlopidae Uropeltidae Viperidae Xenopeltidae Snakes are cold blooded legless reptiles closely related to lizards, which share the order Squamata. ... Binomial Name Anguis fragilis Linnaeus, 1758 The Slow Worm (or Slowworm, also known as Blindworm or Blind Worm)(Anguis fragilsi) is a limbless reptile. ... Distribution of frogs (in black) Suborders Archaeobatrachia Mesobatrachia Neobatrachia - List of Anuran families The frogness babe is an amphibian in the order Anura (meaning tail-less from Greek an-, without + oura, tail), formerly referred to as Salientia (Latin saltare, to jump). ... smooth newt Newts are small, usually bright-coloured semiaquatic salamanders of North America, Europe and North Asia. ... Genera Ansonia Atelopus Bufo Capensibufo Crepidophryne Dendrophryniscus Didynamipus Frostius Laurentophryne Leptophryne Melanophryniscus Mertensophryne Nectophryne Nectophrynoides Nimbaphrynoides Oreophrynella Osornophryne Pedostibes Pelophryne Peltophryne Pseudobufo Rhamphophryne Werneria Wolterstorffina The true toads are amphibians in the Bufonidae family. ...

Insects

The island's most famous insect resident is the Scottish midge which is ever-present near water at certain times of the year. For other uses, see Midge (disambiguation). ...

During the summer months, several species of butterflies and dragon flies can be found, especially outwith Stornoway. Superfamilies and families Superfamily Hedyloidea: Hedylidae Superfamily Hesperioidea: Hesperiidae Superfamily Papilionoidea: Papilionidae Pieridae Nymphalidae Lycaenidae Riodinidae A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. ... This article is about the insect. ...

The richness of insect-life in Lewis is evident from the fact that carnivorous plants, such as the sundew, thrive in parts of the island. This article is about the plant. ...

Plant life

Sundew near Valtos

The machair is noted for different species of orchid and associated vegetation such as various grasses. Three heathers; ling, bell heather and cross-leaved heather are predominant in the large areas of moorland vegetation which also holds large numbers of insectivorous plants such as sundews. The expanse of heather-covered moorland explains the name Eilean an Fhraoich, Gaelic for The Heather Isle.^[13] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (1800 × 1200 pixel, file size: 417 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (1800 × 1200 pixel, file size: 417 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article is about the plant. ... Machair The Gaelic word Machair or machar refers to a fertile low-lying coastal plain. ... Orchid re-directs here; for alternate uses see Orchid (disambiguation) Genera Over 800 See List of Orchidaceae genera. ... For other uses, see Grass (disambiguation). ... Heather may be: In botany, the plant Calluna vulgaris, or, more loosely, various species of the closely related genera Erica and Cassiope, low evergreen shrubs (also called heaths). The term is also used to describe land which is vegetated with these plants; In apparel or textiles, interwoven yarns with a... Moorland in the Pennines (England); Coarse grasses and bracken tend to dominate especially in high rainfall areas. ... Any organism with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures is an insectivore. ... This article is about the plant. ... Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ...

Lewis was once covered by woodland, but the only natural woods remaining are in small pockets on inland cliffs and on islands within lochs, away from fire and sheep. In recent years, Forestry Commission plantations of spruce and pine were planted; but, most of the pines were destroyed by moth infestation. The most important mixed woods are those planted around Lews Castle in Stornoway, dating from the mid 19th century.^[14] The Forestry Commission (established in 1919) is a non ministerial Government Department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. ... Species About 35; see text. ... Subgenera Subgenus Strobus Subgenus Ducampopinus Subgenus Pinus See Pinus classification for complete taxonomy to species level. ... For other uses, see Moths. ... Lews Castle Lews Castle is a Victorian era castle located west of the town of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. ...

Politics and government

Flag of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, only official flag for any part the Outer Hebrides. ^[15]

Historically, while Harris was part of Inverness-shire, Lewis was part of Ross-shire (Ross and Cromarty) until the establishment of the Western Isles Islands Council in 1975. Now called Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, and still centralised in Stornoway, Lewis remains part of the authority's area. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is the local government council for Na h-Eileanan Siar council area of Scotland. ... Ross-shire (Siorrachd Rois in Gaelic), or simply Ross, is a traditional county of Scotland bordering on Sutherland, Cromartyshire (of which it contains many enclaves), Inverness-shire and on an exclave of Nairnshire. ... Ross and Cromarty: administrative county (1889-1975) Image:RossCromDistrict. ... Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is the local government council for Na h-Eileanan Siar council area of Scotland. ... This article is about the town in Scotland: for other uses, see Stornoway (disambiguation) , Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh in Scottish Gaelic) is a burgh on Lewis (Leòdhas), in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ...

Lewis is home to vast majority of the Western Isles electorate and as such 6 of the 9 multi-member council wards are within Lewis and one is shared with Harris. 22 councillors are effectively elected by Lewis residents using the Single Transferable Vote system, and following the 2007 elections 19 are independents, 1 has Labour and 2 SNP party affiliation.^[16] This STV ballot for the Australian Senate illustrates group voting tickets. ...

The Isle of Lewis is in the Highlands electoral region and is part of the identical Western Isles Scottish Parliamentiary and Na h-Eileanan an Iar Westminster constituencies, both currently represented by members of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and previously held by members of the Labour Party before the respective elections. The Highlands and Islands is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. ... The Western Isles are a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. ... Na h-Eileanan an Iar is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, created in 1918. ... The Scottish National Party (SNP) (Scottish Gaelic: is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... This article is about the Scottish Labour Party founded in 1976. ...

Current representatives

• Scottish Parliament: Alasdair Allan MSP (SNP), succeeding Alasdair Morrison (Labour)
• UK Parliament: Angus MacNeil MP, succeeding Calum MacDonald (Labour)

Dr Alasdair Allan (born May 6, 1971) is a Scottish National Party politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Western Isles since 2007. ... Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) (Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba (BPA) in Gaelic) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament. ... Alasdair Morrison was born on 18 November 1968 in Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides. ... Angus Brendan MacNeil (born July 21, 1970) is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Na h-Eileanan an Iar. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Calum Alistair MacDonald or Calum Alasdair Domhnallach (born 7 May 1956) was Labour Member of Parliament for the Western Isles from 1987 until he was defeated by the Scottish National Party in the United Kingdom general election of 2005. ...

Demographics

Lewis' main settlement, the only burgh on the Outer Hebrides, is Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh), from which ferries sail to Ullapool on the Scottish mainland. In the 2001 census Lewis had a usually resident population of 18,489. A sign in Linlithgow, Scotland. ... This article is about the town in Scotland: for other uses, see Stornoway (disambiguation) , Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh in Scottish Gaelic) is a burgh on Lewis (Leòdhas), in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ... The ferryboat Dongan Hills, filled with commuters, about to dock at a New York City pier, circa 1945. ... Ullapool (Ullapul or Ulapul in Gaelic) is a small town in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. ...

The island's settlements are on or near the coasts or sea lochs, being particularly concentrated on the north east coast. The interior of the island is a large area of moorland from which peat was traditionally cut as fuel, although this practice has become rarer. The southern part of the island, adjoining Harris, is more mountainous with inland lochs. The island of Bernera (Great Bernera) in the district of Uig is linked to the mainland of Lewis by a bridge opened in 1953 . For other uses, see Coast (disambiguation). ... A loch is the name given to a body of water in Scotland or Ireland. ... Peat in Lewis, Scotland Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. ... View across Loch Lomond, towards Ben Lomond. ... Great Bernera, often known just as Bernera (Scottish Gaelic: Bearnaraigh) is an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ... Uig is a bay backed machair and hills on the western coast of the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. ...

Parishes and districts of Lewis

• There are four parishes: Barvas (Barabhas), Lochs (Na Lochan), Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh), and Uig on which the original civil registration districts were based. The district of Carloway (after the village of that name) which hitherto had fallen partly within the parishes of Lochs and Uig, became a separate civil registration district in 1859 .
• The districts of Lewis are Ness (Nis), Carloway (Càrlabhagh), Back, Lochs (Na Lochan), Park (A' Phàirc), Point (An Rubha), Stornoway, and Uig. These designations are traditional and in use by the entire population.
• For civil registration purposes Lochs (Na Lochan) is nowadays split into North Lochs (Na Lochan a Tuath) and South Lochs (Na Lochan a Deas).
• The West Side is a generic designation for the area covering the villages from Borve to Shawbost (Siabost).

It is claimed that the site of the Stornoway War Memorial was chosen as it would be visible from at least one location in each of the four parishes; therefore, it is further claimed that it is possible to see all four parishes of Lewis from the top of the monument.^[17] Barvas (Scottish Gaelic: Barabhas) developed around a road junction. ... A loch is the name given to a body of water in Scotland or Ireland. ... See also Uig, Skye for the village and bay in the Inner Hebrides. ... , Dun Carloway Broch, Lewis Carloway (Scottish Gaelic: ) is a district of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides and village a situated west of the Island. ... Ness ) is a fictional character and the hero of the EarthBound video game. ... , Dun Carloway Broch, Lewis Carloway (Scottish Gaelic: ) is a district of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides and village a situated west of the Island. ... The road through Back (Scottish Gaelic: Am Bac) commences at a road junction in Newmarket, north of Stornoway. ... Point can refer to: Look up Point in Wiktionary, the free dictionary // Mathematics In mathematics: Point (geometry), an entity that has a location in space but no extent Fixed point (mathematics), a point that is mapped to itself by a mathematical function Point at infinity Point group Point charge, an... This article is about the town in Scotland: for other uses, see Stornoway (disambiguation) , Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh in Scottish Gaelic) is a burgh on Lewis (Leòdhas), in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ... See also Uig, Skye for the village and bay in the Inner Hebrides. ... The West Side is the name used for the townships which lie on the Isle of Lewis between the road junctions at Barvas in the northeast and Garrynahine in the south. ...

Settlements

While Lewis has only one town, Stornoway, with a population of approx 8,000, there are also several large villages and areas of population on Lewis, such as North Tolsta, Carloway and Leurbost with significant populations as well as areas such as Laxdale, Sandwick and Holm which, although still de-facto villages, have now become quasi-suburbs of Stornoway. The population of the greater-Stornoway area would be nearer 12,000. This article is about the town in Scotland: for other uses, see Stornoway (disambiguation) , Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh in Scottish Gaelic) is a burgh on Lewis (Leòdhas), in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ... , Dun Carloway Broch, Lewis Carloway (Scottish Gaelic: ) is a district of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides and village a situated west of the Island. ... Leurbost, (Scottish Gaelic: Liurbost) is a village in the North Lochs district of Lewis. ...

The following is a non-exhaustive list of villages in Lewis according to their location:

Satellite image of Point Point (Scottish Gaelic: An Rubha), also known as the Eye Peninsula, is a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, connected to the rest of the Isle of Lewis by a narrow isthmus, one mile in length and barely 100 metres wide. ... Uig is a bay backed machair and hills on the western coast of the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. ... The West Side is the name used for the townships which lie on the Isle of Lewis between the road junctions at Barvas in the northeast and Garrynahine in the south. ... This article is about the town in Scotland: for other uses, see Stornoway (disambiguation) , Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh in Scottish Gaelic) is a burgh on Lewis (Leòdhas), in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ... The road through Back (Scottish Gaelic: Am Bac) commences at a road junction in Newmarket, north of Stornoway. ... Gress (Scottish Gaelic: Griais) is a hamlet on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. ... Tong (Tunga in Scottish Gaelic) is a village on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, approximately 4 miles north-east of the main town of Stornoway on the road to Back and Tolsta. ... Also known as the Latin cross or crux ordinaria. ... Habost is a township in the Ness area of Lewis. ... Lionel is a male given name, and may also have the following meanings: Lionel Richie, An American singer from Alabama. ... Adabroc is a place in Lewis, in Scotlands Western Isles (58. ... Skigersta (Scottish Gaelic: Sgiogarstaigh ) is a village in the south east of Ness. ... Balallan. ... Leurbost, (Scottish Gaelic: Liurbost) is a village in the North Lochs district of Lewis. ... Gravir (Grabhair in Scottish Gaelic), is a village on the banks of Loch Odhairn in the Park district of the Isle of Lewis. ... Aird (Gaelic: Aird An Rubha) is a village in the Scottish council area of Eilean Siar (Western Isles). ... Aignish (Scottish Gaelic: Aignis) is a crofting township at the entrance to the Eye peninsula on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. ... Flesherin (Gaelic Fleisirin) is a small village near Portnaguran, Point, Outer Hebrides on the Isle of Lewis. ... Lower Bayble (Scottish Gaelic:Pabail Iarach) in Point, Isle of Lewis is a seaside crofting township. ... Portnaguran (Scottish Gaelic:Port nan Giuran) in Point, Isle of Lewis is the township at the northeasternmost point of the peninsular. ... Coastline near Portvoller Portvoller (in Gaelic, Port Mholair) is a small village on the north tip of the Eye Peninsula (also known as Point) on the Isle of Lewis (north west Scotland) 11 miles from the Outer Hebrides only town (Stornoway, Outer Hebrides). ... Upper Bayble (Scottish Gaelic:Pabail Uarach) in Point, Isle of Lewis is a crofting hamlet which lies a mile (1. ... Uig is a bay backed machair and hills on the western coast of the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Barvas (Scottish Gaelic: Barabhas) developed around a road junction. ... , Borve is a village in Western Isles, Scotland. ... Bragar is a quiet village on the West Side of the Isle of Lewis, neighboured by Shawbost to the south and Arnol to the north. ... Breasclete or Brèascleit is a village on the west side of the Isle of Lewis, in Scotland. ... Callanish (Scottish Gaelic: Calanais) is a village (township) on the West Side of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides (Western Isles), Scotland. ... , Dun Carloway Broch, Lewis Carloway (Scottish Gaelic: ) is a district of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides and village a situated west of the Island. ... Garynahine (Scottish Gaelic: Gearraidh na h-aibhne) lies at a T-junction where roads from Stornoway, Uig and the West Side of Lewis all meet. ... Shaders are a set of different technologies. ... Shawbost (Scottish Gaelic: Siabost) is a large township in the West Side of the Isle of Lewis. ... Melbost is a village to the east side of the Isle of Lewis, in Scotlands north-west Categories: | ...

Economy

Industry

Arnish Industrial Estate

Traditional industries on Lewis are crofting, fishing and weaving. Though historically important they are currently in decline and crofting in particular is little more than a subsistence venture today. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 465 pixelsFull resolution (3696 × 2150 pixel, file size: 996 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 465 pixelsFull resolution (3696 × 2150 pixel, file size: 996 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... In Scotland a croft is a small parcel of agricultural land that is occupied and farmed by a crofter who pays rent to the landlord who owns the land. ... For the computer security term, see Phishing. ... Tweed loom, Harris, 2004 Woven sheet Weaving is an ancient textile art and craft that involves placing two sets of threads or yarn called the warp and weft of the loom and turning them into cloth. ...

Despite the name the Harris tweed industry is today focused in Lewis with the major finishing mills in Shawbost and Stornoway. Every length of cloth produced is stamped with the official Orb symbol, trademarked by the Harris Tweed Association in 1909, when Harris Tweed was defined as "hand-spun, hand-woven and dyed by the crofters and cottars in the Outer Hebrides"; Machine-spinning and vat dyeing have since replaced hand methods, and only weaving is now conducted in the home, under the governance of the Harris Tweed Authority, established by an Act of Parliament in 1993. Harris Tweed is now defined as "hand woven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides, finished in the islands of Harris, Lewis, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra and their several purtenances (The Outer Hebrides) and made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides."^[18] For other uses, see Harris Tweed (disambiguation). ... Queen Elizabeth II held a globus cruciger, called the Sovereigns Orb, for her coronation portrait in 1953. ... “(TM)” redirects here. ...

Aside from the concentration of industry and services in the Stornoway area many of the historical sites have associated visitor centres, shops or cafes.^[19] There is a pharmaceutical plant near Breasclete which specialises in fatty acid research.^[20] Breasclete or Brèascleit is a village on the west side of the Isle of Lewis, in Scotland. ... Not to be confused with fats. ...

The main fishing fleet (and associated shoreside services) in Stornoway is somewhat reduced from its heyday, but many smaller boats perform inshore creel fishing and operate from smaller, local harbours right around Lewis. Fish farms are present in many of the sea lochs and along with the onshore processing and transportation required the industry as a whole is a major employer.

Commerce

Stornoway is the commercial centre of Lewis, there are several national chains with shops in the town as well as numerous local businesses. Outwith Stornoway, many villages have an all-purpose shop (often combined with a post-office). Some villages have more than one, with these usually being specialist stores such as pharmacies or petrol stations.

Itinerant, travelling shops also tour the island visiting some of the more remote locations. The ease of transport to Stornoway and the advent of the Internet have led to many of the village shops closing in recent times.

Transport

Stornoway Airport, a former NATO base

MV Isle of Lewis

A daily (except Sunday) Caledonian Macbrayne ferry (MV Isle of Lewis) sails from Stornoway to Ullapool on the Scottish mainland, taking 2 hours 40 minutes connecting Lewis with the mainland. There are an average of two return crossings a day, with an increase and reduction in frequency in summer and winter months respectively. As ferry traffic has increased, a second ship (MV Muirneag) now provides a single early morning sailing to carry most of the island's freight lorries. Other ferries sailing from Harris are easily accessible by road enabling transport to Skye and Uist. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 371 pixelsFull resolution (1970 × 914 pixel, file size: 194 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 371 pixelsFull resolution (1970 × 914 pixel, file size: 194 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article is about the military alliance. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixels Full resolution (1200 × 800 pixel, file size: 693 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixels Full resolution (1200 × 800 pixel, file size: 693 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... MV Juno (Iùno in Scottish Gaelic) arriving at Gourock on the Dunoon service The Caledonian MacBrayne headquarters building at Gourock pierhead and a visit from MV Caledonian Isles and MV Isle of Mull. ... The ferryboat Dongan Hills, filled with commuters, about to dock at a New York City pier, circa 1945. ... MV Isle of Lewis is a ship operated by Caledonian MacBrayne, the Clyde and Hebridean Isles ferry operator. ... This article is about the town in Scotland: for other uses, see Stornoway (disambiguation) , Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh in Scottish Gaelic) is a burgh on Lewis (Leòdhas), in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ... Ullapool (Ullapul or Ulapul in Gaelic) is a small town in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. ... The Old Man of Storr, Skye The Isle of Skye, usually known simply as Skye (Scottish Gaelic: An t-Eilean Sgiathanach) is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. ... The Uists are the central group of islands in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ...

Suggestions for the possibility of an undersea tunnel linking Lewis to the Scottish mainland were raised in early 2007. One of the possible routes, between Stornoway and Ullapool, would be over 40 miles (64 km) long and hence become the longest road tunnel in the world;^[21][22] however, shorter routes would be possible.

Stornoway is the public transport hub of Lewis with bus service links to Point, Ness, Back and Tolsta, Uig, the West Side, Lochs and Tarbert, Harris. These services are provided by the local authority and several private operators as well as some community-run organisations. Tarbert is the main community on Harris in the Western Isles of Scotland. ...

Stornoway Airport is 2 miles (3.2 km) away from the town itself, and is located next to the village of Melbost. From here services operate to Aberdeen, Benbecula, Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow, with flights from British Airways franchisee Loganair, Eastern Airways and Highland Airways. The airport is also the base of a HM Coastguard Search & Rescue Sikorsky S-92 helicopter, and was previously home to RAF Stornoway. Stornoway Airport is an airfield outside the town of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, off the coast of Scotland. ... Melbost is a village to the east side of the Isle of Lewis, in Scotlands north-west Categories: | ... For other uses, see Aberdeen (disambiguation). ... Benbecula (Scottish Gaelic: Beinn na Faoghla, meaning the mountain of the ford) is an island of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ... For other uses, see Edinburgh (disambiguation). ... This article is about the city in Scotland. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... For the 1930s airline of similar name, see British Airways Ltd. ... Loganair is an airline based at Glasgow International Airport (GLA) in Scotland. ... Eastern Airways is an airline based at Humberside International Airport, United Kingdom. ... Highland Airways is an airline based in Inverness, Scotland. ... Her Majestys Coastguard is the agency of the government of the United Kingdom concerned with co-ordinating rescue at sea. ... The Sikorsky S-92 is a medium-lift twin-engine helicopter. ... RAF Stornoway was a Royal Air Force station near the town of Stornoway, Outer Hebrides. ...

Peats

A peat stack in Ness

Peat is still cut as a fuel in many areas of Lewis. Peat is usually cut in late spring with a tool called a peat knife or tosg (sometimes toirsgian, or tairsgeir) which has a long wooden handle with an angled blade on one end. The peat bank is first cleared of heather turfs. The peat, now exposed, is cut using the peat knife and the peats thrown out on the bank to dry. A good peat cutter can cut 1000 peats in a day.^[23] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 460 pixelsFull resolution (2966 × 1704 pixel, file size: 840 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 460 pixelsFull resolution (2966 × 1704 pixel, file size: 840 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Peat in Lewis, Scotland Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. ... Peat in Lewis, Scotland Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. ...

Once dried,the peats are carted to the croft and built into a large stack. These often resembled the shape of the croft house - broad, curved at each end and tapered to a point about 2 metres high. They varied in length from about 4 to 14 metres. Peat stacking also follows local customs and a well built peat stack can be a work of art. Peat stacks provide additional shelter to houses. A croft can burn as many as 15,000 - 18,000 peats in a year.^[23]

The odour of the peat-smoke, especially in winter time, can add to the general atmosphere of the island. While peat burning still goes on, there has been a significant decline in recent years as people move to other, less labour-intensive forms of heating; however, it remains an important symbol of island life.

Religion

St Columba's Church, Aignish, Isle of Lewis

Religion is important in Lewis, with much of the population belonging to the Free Church and Church of Scotland (both Presbyterian in tradition). The Sabbath (i.e., Sunday) is generally observed with most shops and licensed premises closed on that day, although there is a scheduled air service to mainland Scotland. While Presbyterianism dominates Lewis, other denominations and other religions have a presence with a Catholic church, a Mormon church and a Jehovah's Witness kingdom hall all present in Stornoway. Aignish (Scottish Gaelic: Aignis) is a crofting township at the entrance to the Eye peninsula on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. ... A free church is a Christian church or denomination that is intrinsically separated from any government (as opposed to a theocracy or the state church). ... The Church of Scotland (CofS; Scottish Gaelic: ), known informally by its pre-Union Scots name, The Kirk, is the national church of Scotland. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... For other uses, see Sabbath. ... This article is about the history and use of the word Mormon. For information about the religious beliefs and culture of Mormons, see Mormonism. ... Jehovahs Witnesses (JW) are members of a worldwide Christian denomination. ...

The Christian religion has deep roots in the Western Isles, but owing mainly to the different allegiances of the clans in the past, the people in the northern islands (Lewis, Harris, North Uist) have historically been predominantly Protestant (Presbyterian), and those of the southern islands (Benbecula, South Uist, Barra) predominantly Roman Catholic. There are also small Episcopalian congregations in Lewis, though many of their members originate outside the islands. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Protestantism encompasses the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated with the doctrines of the Reformation. ... Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity. ... Catholic Church redirects here. ... Logo of the Scottish Episcopal Church with the motto: Evangelical truth and Apostolic order. ...

The northern parts of the Western Isles (particularly Lewis and Harris) have been described as the last bastion of fundamentalist Calvinism in Britain^[24] with large numbers of inhabitants belonging to the Free Church of Scotland or the still more conservative Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Services in the Free Church, the Free Presbyterian Church and some congregations of the Church of Scotland do not use instrumental music or any songs other than the metrical Psalms. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Calvinism... The contemporary Free Church of Scotland is that part of the original Free Church of Scotland that remained outside of the union with the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1900. ... St. ... A free church is a Christian church or denomination that is intrinsically separated from any government (as opposed to a theocracy or the state church). ... Free Presbyterian Church may mean: Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, a breakaway from the Free Church of Scotland in 1893 (the Free Church of Scotland itself may occasionally have been referred to as Free Presbyterian before 1893, especially in its early years after the Disruption of 1843) Free Presbyterian Church... The Church of Scotland (CofS; Scottish Gaelic: ), known informally by its pre-Union Scots name, The Kirk, is the national church of Scotland. ... Psalms (Hebrew: Tehilim, תהילים, or praises) is a book of the Hebrew Bible included in the collected works known as the Writings or Ketuvim. ...

It has also generally been considered unacceptable for people to appear in church improperly dressed, although this is slowly changing. Violations of this nature might include the failure by women to wear a hat, or trousers being worn instead of a skirt, or the wearing of informal clothing such as jeans.

The local council refused in December 2005 to conduct ceremonies for same-sex couples wishing to register under the Civil Partnerships Act 2004. ^[25] The Civil Partnership Act 2004 is an Act of Parliament passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom in 2004. ...

Education

See also: Education in Scotland

School education in Lewis is under the remit of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, there are a total of 23 schools^[26] covering the 5-18 age range. Unusual features are the prevalence of Gaelic medium education (offered in 15 of 22 primary schools^[27]) and the 5 2-year secondary schools in communities outside Stornoway. Pupils who attend the rural 2-year secondaries then move to the Nicolson Institute, the only six-year secondary school on the island. The large number of village schools lead to necessarily small rolls, and further recent falls in pupil numbers have led to plans being drawn up for closures including all of the rural secondary departments.^[28] The closure plans have been deferred pending a full review^[28], but upcoming changes to the curriculum (a change to a 3 year junior secondary structure) would seem to place the rural secondaries under threat of change if nothing else. Educational oversight Cabinet Secretary Scottish Government Fiona Hyslop MSP National education budget n/a (2007-08) Primary language(s) English and Scottish Gaelic National system Compulsory education 1872 Literacy (2005 est)  â€¢ Men  â€¢ Women 99% 99% 99% Enrollment  â€¢ Primary  â€¢ Secondary  â€¢ Post-secondary 1,452,240 390,2602 322,980 739,0003... The Nicolson Institute, Stornoway is the largest school in the Western Isles, Scotland. ...

Stornoway is home to a small campus of the University of Stirling, teaching nursing, which is based in Ospadal nan Eilean (Western Isles Hospital). There is also a further education college, Lews Castle College, which is part of the UHI Millennium Institute. The college is the umbrella organisation for other vocational and community education, offered in several rural learning centres as well as on the main campus and covering subjects such as basic computer skills, Gaelic language classes and maritime qualifications.^[29] The University of Stirling (Scottish Gaelic: ), (Scots: Varsitie o Stirlin), (Latin: Universitas Strivilinse) is a campus university, founded in 1967, in Stirling, Scotland. ... Lews Castle College is an Education Centre in the Western Isles (Main campus is in Stornoway) of Scotland. ... UHI Millennium Institute (UHI) is a federation of 15 colleges and research institutions, in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland delivering higher education. ...

Culture and sport

Language

Garenin Black House Village

Lewis has a linguistic heritage rooted in Gaelic and Old Norse, which both continue to influence life in Lewis. Today, both Gaelic and English are spoken in Lewis, but in day to day life, a hybrid of English and Gaelic (Highland English) is very common.^[30] As a result of the Gaelic influence, the Lewis accent is frequently considered to sound more Irish, Welsh and even North American than stereotypically Scottish in some quarters. The Gaelic culture in the Western Isles is more prominent than in any other part of Scotland. Gaelic is still the language of choice amongst many islanders and around 60% of islanders speak Gaelic, whilst 70% of the resident population have some knowledge of Gaelic (including reading, writing, speaking or a combination of the three). Most signposts on the islands are written in both English and Gàidhlig and much day-to-day business is carried out in the Gaelic language.^[31] Almost all of the Gaelic speakers are bilingual. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 388 KB) Summary Photograph of black house village in Garenin, Carloway, Lewis. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 388 KB) Summary Photograph of black house village in Garenin, Carloway, Lewis. ... For the novel by the same name, see Black house (novel). ... Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... Highland English is the variety of Gaelic influenced Scottish English spoken in the Scottish Highlands. ... This article is about the country. ... North American redirects here. ...

Most of the place names in Lewis and Harris come from Old Norse. The name Lewis is the English spelling of the Gaelic Leòdhas which comes from the Old Norse Ljóðhús, as Lewis is named in medieval Norwegian maps of the island. Ljóðhús translates from Old Norse to English as Home of the Poet (Ljóð = Poet, hús = house). The 12th century ruler of the Island, Leod, taking his name from the Norse word for Poet.^{[citation needed]} Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ...

Media and the arts

Lewis has been home to, or inspired, many writers. As well as regularly playing host to the Royal National Mod, there are annual local mods. Stornoway Castle Green hosts the annual 3 day Hebridean Celtic Festival in July, attracting over 10,000 visitors. The festival includes events such as ceilidhs, dances and special concerts featuring storytelling, song and music with performers from all round the Isles and beyond. A mod is a festival of Scottish Gaelic song, arts and culture. ... The Hebridean Celtic Festival (Scottish Gaelic: Fèis Cheilteach Innse Gall) is an international Celtic music festival, which takes place annually in Stornoway on Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. ...

The radio station Isles FM is based in Stornoway and broadcasts on 103FM, featuring a mixture of Gaelic and English programming. The town is also home to a studio operated by BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, and Studio Alba, an independent television studio from where the Gaelic TV channel TeleG is broadcast. Isles FM is a local radio station operating from Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. ... // Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... BBC Radio nan Gàidheal is the BBCs Scottish Gaelic language station. ... A television station is a type of radio station that broadcasts both audio and video to television receivers in a particular area. ... Tele-G is a free-to-air Scots Gaelic channel on the Freeview. ...

The Stornoway Gazette is the main local paper, covering Stornoway, Lewis and beyond and is published weekly. The Hebridean is a sister paper of the 'Gazette' and also provides local coverage.^[32] Some community organisations in the rural districts have their own publications with news and features for these particular areas, such as the Rudhach for the Point district.^[33][34] The Stornoway Gazette is a local newspaper reporting on local issues in the Western Isles of Scotland, Specifically Stornoway and the Outer Hebrides. ...

Sport

Badge of Lewis Camanachd

There is a good provision of sporting grounds and sports centres in Lewis. Sports such as Football, Rugby union and Golf are popular. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Lewis Camanachd is the senior shinty team from the Isle of Lewis, Scotland Lewis Camanachd is the amalgamation of several teams based around the Stornoway area of Lewis. ... Soccer redirects here. ... For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ... This article is about the game. ...

• Football is the most popular amateur sport in Lewis with Goathill Park in Stornoway hosting special matches involving select teams and visiting clubs and other organisations. Local teams currently participate in the Lewis and Harris Football League .

• Shinty is not as popular as in the rest of the West of Scotland, but the Lewis Camanachd team is based around the town.

• Attached to the Nicolson Institute School is the Ionad Spors Leòdhas (Lewis Sports Centre), an all-weather pitch and running track.

• The Lews Castle Grounds is the home of Stornoway Golf Club (the only 18-hole golf course in the Outer Hebrides).

• Angling is a very popular pass-time in Lewis as there are several good lochs and rivers for fishing.

• Hunting is possible in certain parts of the island.^{[citation needed]}

• As Lewis is an island, various water sports, such as surfing are popular activities.

• Lewis has a terrain very suited to hillwalking, particularly in Uig and near the border with Harris.

The Lewis and Harris Football League is the annual football League contested between clubs from the Isle of Lewis and the Isle of Harris. ... // A shinty game in progress Shinty (Scottish Gaelic camanachd or iomain) is a team sport played with sticks and a ball. ... Lewis Camanachd is the senior shinty team from the Isle of Lewis, Scotland Lewis Camanachd is the amalgamation of several teams based around the Stornoway area of Lewis. ... The Nicolson Institute, Stornoway is the largest school in the Western Isles, Scotland. ... This article is about the game. ... Angling. ... This article is about the hunting of prey by human society. ... For other uses, see Surfing (disambiguation). ... Hillwalking or fellwalking is the recreational practice of hiking in mountainous terrain. ... An Cliseam from the Abhainn Mharaig, just off the main road to Lewis. ...

Myths and legends

Main article: Hebridean Myths and Legends

The Isle of Lewis has a rich folklore, including: // Boy on white horse by Theodor Kittelsen. ...

• The Blue Men of the Minch (also known as storm kelpies), who occupy the stretch of water between Lewis and mainland Scotland, looking for sailors to drown and stricken boats to sink.
• Kelpies were said to occupy several lochs, including one at Leurbost.
• 

  Teampull Mholuaidh, 13th century temple in the village of Eoropie
  Seonaidh - a water-spirit who had to be offered ale in the area of Teampull Mholuaidh in Ness.
• Searrach Uisge - a monster who was said to occupy Loch Suainbhal. Resembling a capsized boat, this creature has been reported swimming around for one and a half centuries. Locals say lambs were once offered annually to the creature.^[35] Other such creatures have been reported in several other lochs, including Loch Urubhal.
• A family of werewolves were said to occupy an island on Loch Langavat. Although long deceased, they promised to rise if their graves were disturbed.
• Various sea monsters have been reported off the shores of Lewis over the years, including a sighting reported in 1882 by a German ship off the Butt of Lewis. The ship, 15 kilometres off the coast, reported a sea serpent around 40 metres in length, several bumps protruding from the water, along its back. Sea serpents have also been reported at the southern side of the island.^[35]
• Glowing Balls have been reported in the area of Sandwick. The lights that float around the area normally announce approaching death for a local. Some say the light belongs to an Irish merchant who was robbed and murdered on the island.^[35]

The Minch is a body of water separating north-west mainland Scotland from the Isle of Lewis (the northern Outer Hebrides). ... This article is about the mythological creature. ... Image File history File links Teampull_Mholuaidh. ... Image File history File links Teampull_Mholuaidh. ... St Moluags church (locally known by its gaidhlig name of Teampull Mholuaidh) is a 13th Century temple in the village of Eoropie in Ness in the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... For other uses, see Ale (disambiguation). ... St Moluags church (locally known by its gaidhlig name of Teampull Mholuaidh) is a 13th Century temple in the village of Eoropie in Ness in the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. ... Lake monster or loch monster is the name given to large unknown animals which have purportedly been sighted in, and/or are believed to dwell in freshwaters, although their existence has never been confirmed scientifically. ... For other uses, see Werewolf (disambiguation). ... For the television series about extinct sea animals, see Sea Monsters. ... The Butt of Lewisis in the area of Ness. ... Example of a photograph featuring an orb The term orb is the popular name given to typically circular anomalies appearing in photographs. ...

Gastronomy

• Each year, men from Ness go out to the island of Sula Sgeir in late August for two weeks to harvest young gannets known locally as Guga, which are a local delicacy.

• Lewis has many hotels and restaurants serving varied menus from the more remote locations to the centre of Stornoway. In the town, there are Chinese, Thai and Indian restaurants as well as numerous establishments with authentic Scottish menus. Chefs use local produce as much as possible, and the crofting and fishing industry on the islands ensures they have a wide range of high quality ingredients from which to choose. Naturally, fresh seafood is featured heavily with the catch landed that morning, often put straight into the pot.

Teampull Mholuaidh, 13th Century temple in the village of Eoropie Ness (Scottish Gaelic: Nis) is the northernmost part of the Isle of Lewis, a community consisting of about 16 villages, including Lionel, Habost, Swainbost, Cross, North and South Dell, Cross Skigersta, Skigersta, Eoradale, Adabrock, Port of Ness, Knockaird, Fivepenny and... Sula Sgeir is a small, uninhabited Scottish island in the North Atlantic. ... Species Morus bassanus Morus capensis Morus serrator The gannets are part of the family Sulidae. ...

People with Lewis connections

• James Gilmore, Former Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States.^{[citation needed]}
• Sheilagh M. Kesting, first woman minister to be nominated to be Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
• Angus MacAskill, the strongest man to have ever lived - born in Berneray and briefly lived in Stornoway before emigrating to Canada.
• Cathy MacDonald, TV presenter
• Alexander MacKenzie, explorer, after whom the Mackenzie River in Canada is named
• Colin Mackenzie, 1st Surveyor-General of India
• Anne MacKenzie, BBC current affairs presenter and radio presenter
• Ken MacLeod, science fiction writer
• Hans Matheson, plays the title role in Granada's £8.5m serialisation of Boris Pasternak's novel, Doctor Zhivago.
• Campbell Morrison, world famous entrepreneur related to John Wayne and Jim Morrison.
• Donald Stewart, politician
• Donald Trump, American billionaire - mother came from Tong, a village four miles (6 km) from Stornoway.
• Derick Thomson, Scottish Gaelic poet, born elsewhere in Lewis, but educated in Stornoway.

James Stuart Jim Gilmore III (born October 6, 1949) is a Republican politician who was Governor of Virginia from 1998 to 2002. ... The Rev Sheilagh Kesting is a Scottish minister and the first female minister to be nominated to be Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. ... The standard of the Moderator The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is an honorary role, held for 12 months. ... The current version of this article or section is written in an informal style and with a personally invested tone. ... For other persons named Alexander Mackenzie, see Alexander Mackenzie (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mackenzie River (disambiguation). ... Colin Mackenzie (born 1754, Stornoway, Scotland, died 1821, Calcutta (India) Colonel and surveyor in the British Raj, also an art collector and orientalist. ... Anne Erica Isobel MacKenzie (born March 10, 1960) is an award winning Scottish broadcast journalist and political analyst. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Ken MacLeod (born August 2, 1954), an award-winning Scottish science fiction writer, lives near Edinburgh. ... Hans Matheson (born August 7, 1975 in Outer Hebrides, Scotland) is a Scottish-born actor who made his feature film debut as Johnny Silver in Jez Butterworths critically acclaimed directorial debut, Mojo. ... Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (Russian: ) (February 10 [O.S. January 29] 1890 – May 30, 1960) was a Nobel Prize-winning Russian poet and writer, in the West best known for his epic novel Doctor Zhivago. ... For other uses, see Doctor Zhivago (disambiguation). ... For other persons named John Wayne, see John Wayne (disambiguation). ... For other persons named James or Jim Morrison, see James Morrison. ... Donald Stewart 1920 - 1992, Scottish National Party (SNP) Member of Parliament (MP) from 1970 to 1987 for the Western Isles. ... Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946 in Queens, New York, New York) is an American business executive, entrepreneur, television and radio personality and author. ... Tong (Tunga in Scottish Gaelic) is a village on the Isle of Lewis (Eilean Leòdhais), approximately 4 miles north-east of the main town of Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh). ... Professor Derick S. Thomson (1921-), known as Ruaraidh Mac Thòmais in his native Scottish Gaelic, is a Scottish poet, publisher, lexicographer, academic and writer. ...

See also

Lewis and Harris make up the largest island in the Outer Hebrides In Scotland. ... // Main article: Kingdom of Mann and the Isles The Kingdom of Mann and the Isles was a Norse kingdom that existed in the British Isles from 1079 till 1266. ... // Boy on white horse by Theodor Kittelsen. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... For other uses, see Gannet (disambiguation) Species Morus bassanus Morus capensis Morus serrator Synonyms Moris Gannets are seabirds in the family Sulidae, closely related to the boobies. ... Lewis Camanachd is the senior shinty team from the Isle of Lewis, Scotland Lewis Camanachd is the amalgamation of several teams based around the Stornoway area of Lewis. ...

References

External links

Find more about Isle of Lewis on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Dictionary definitions
	Textbooks
	Quotations
	Source texts
	Images and media
	News stories
	Learning resources

• Visitor's guide for the Island of Lewis
• hebrides.ca Home of the Quebec-Hebridean Scots who were cleared from Lewis to Quebec 1838-1920's
• Website of the Western Isles Council with links to other resources
• Panoramas of the Island (QuickTime required)
• Wind power dilemma for Lewis
• Disabled access to Lewis for residents and visitors
• article from 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica on Lewis and Harris

v • d • e Lewis and Harris Outer Hebrides · Scotland Inhabited islands Lewis/Leòdhas and Harris/Na Hearadh · Great Bernera/Bearnaraigh · Scalpay/Sgalpaigh (Eilean Glas) Islands of Loch Ròg Eilean Chearstaidh (Eilean Kerstay) · Fuaigh Beag (Vuia Beg) · Fuaigh Mòr (Vuia Mòr) · Pabaigh Mòr · Vacsay Other islands Eilean Chaluim Chille · Eilean Liubhaird · Eilean Mhealasta · Ensay/Easaigh · Hermetray · Killegray · Pabbay, Harris/Pabaigh na Hearadh · Scarp/An Sgairp · Seaforth Island · Sgeotasaigh · Soay Beag · Soay Mòr · Stockinish Island · Taransay Outliers North Rona/Ronaigh a Tuath · Sula Sgeir Towns and villages Stornoway · Adabroc · Aignish · Aird An Rubha · Balallan/Baile Ailein · Barvas/Barabhas · Bayble/Pabail · Bragar · Breacleit · Callanish/Calanais · Carloway/Carlabhagh · Gravir/Grabhair · Habost/Tabost · Huisinis · Leurbost · Leverburgh/An t-Ob · Lingerbay · Portvoller · Shawbost/Siabost · Skigersta · Tarbert/Tairbeart · Tong/Tunga Districts Bac(k) · Ness (Nis) · North Lochs (Na Lochan a Tuath) · Park (Pairc/Na Lochan a Deas) · Point/Eye Peninsula (An Rubha) · Uig · West Side (Taobh Siar) Geographical features Butt of Lewis/Rubha Robhanais · The Clisham · The Minch Historical sites Callanish stone circle · Clach an Truiseil · Dun Carloway · Dùn Èistean · Lews Castle · St Clement's Church/Tur Chliamainn · Teampull Mholuaidh

v • d • e Islands of the Hebrides Inner Hebrides Ascrib Islands · Canna · Cara · Coll · Colonsay · Crowlin Islands · Eigg · Gigha · Iona · Isay · Islay · Jura · Kerrera · Lismore · Oronsay · Muck · Mull · Raasay · Rona · Rùm · Skye · Slate Islands · Soay · Staffa · Summer Isles · Tiree · Treshnish Isles · Ulva Outer Hebrides Barra (Isles) · Benbecula · Berneray · Eriskay · Flannan Isles · Great Bernera · Harris and Lewis · Monach Islands (Heisgeir)  · North Rona · North Uist · Rockall · Scalpay · Shiant Isles · South Uist · St Kilda