Gearrannan Blackhouse Village
Modernised examples of traditional thatched houses can be seen at Garenin in Carloway. Rural homes like these blackhouses were used until about 50 years ago.
The Gearrannan Blackhouse Village was finally abandoned by 1974 but a community trust restored them in recent years. One houses is now a bunkhouse with three others available for holiday lets. A cafe is opened during the week.
The houses nestle in a scenic bay with great views of islands at the mouth of Loch Roag seen from the high ground above the village. A marked walk takes you along the moor and coast to the stunning beach at Dalbeg. Be extra careful and stay on the landward side of the wooden markers when passing the cliffs.
The term blackhouse is commonly used to describe the traditional low long thatched house. But it never existed until the late 1800s when pale coloured cement and mortar was used to bind the stone blocks of the newly introduced white houses.
As the newer designs dominated the landscape the older thatched cottage became to be referred to as a taigh dubh to highlight the distinction between the two styles. In the Gaelic language taigh tugaidh means a thatched house.