North Lewis
Jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean the Butt of Lewis is often the first sign of landfall for ships sailing from America to North Europe. In addition, giant oil tankers and huge cargo freighters heading north and south steam round the Butt on the deepwater route to avoid the narrower confines of the Minch.
Perched on 15-metre high sheer cliffs is the Butt of Lewis lighthouse. In March 1998 the last keepers finally climbed its 168 steps to tend the light and since then it has been remotely operated from Edinburgh. Its 37 metre-tall red-brick tower stands as a prominent navigation mark during the day. In darkness, it flashes a white light every five seconds warning passing vessels up to 25 miles away not to come too close to the jagged rocks.
The lighthouse is the tallest building on Lewis and was built in 1862 by brothers David And Thomas Stevenson. Thomas' only son was the famous Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson who authored The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in addition to the children's classics of Treasure Island and Kidnapped.
Construction work commenced as the winter of 1959 approached but was then delayed for months after a ship transporting materials and equipment was smashed in trying to land at nearby Stoth Bay. Originally fish oil was used to burn the light flame and then paraffin before conversion to electricity in 1976.
The district's has a brand new, modern, sports centre. Sitting on the Lionel School campus Spòrs Nis (Ness Sports) offers a fitness suite, with cycles, treadmill, multi-gym and rower machine. There are three sports courts, viewing gallery and a sauna room.
The £ 2 million centre is visible reward of dedicated community effort which strived for the past 13 years to provide a modern sports and recreation facility for the district. The centre is open to visitors and will also be used by school pupils as well as the wider community. Swimming facilities are available at Lionel School.
Eoropie Bothan (Bothan Eòropaidh) was used for illegal drinking from around 1945 until the mid seventies.
#Off the track going to the Dunes Playpark is the site of the old Eoropie Bothan which was a unlicensed den used by the menfolk for illegal drinking. It was in active use until a police raid in the 1970s resulted in a high profile trial at Stornoway Sheriff Court.
Dell Mill is a typical example of a village is a restored 19th century grain mill with a full range of equipment and machinery together with interpretive displays on the mill and local grain production.
Clach an Truiseil is a single giant standing stone in the village which takes its name. Clach an Truiseil is though to mean stone of sorrow while Ballantrushal means the farm of the Truiseal stone. At 5.8 metres high it is the tallest ancient standing stone in Scotland.
Its present solitary presence combine by its name fuels local suggestions that it marks a battle site or the grave of a Viking warrior. However, the stone is thousands of years younger than the Norse period or battles between the warring Morrisons of Ness and the MacAulays of Uig.
The monolith is the final remaining erect member of a large stone circle which was built on the site. Local knowledge and recent surveys recalls that the other stones were knocked down and used in drystone dykes around the site about 100 years ago. One ended up as a door lintel in a village house in 1914.
There is a "hidden" site of an another large stone circle just two hundred yards or so to the south east - around half-way between Clach an Truiseil and the main road. Although it would have been known to villages the Ballantrushal Stone Circle was rediscovered and officially reported just five years ago. Again, this would have been erected in the Neolithic era some 3000 to 6000 years ago. Deep peat formed around the site of the megalith but was cut for fuel by crofters in the last couple of generations. Two small standing stones are erect but others have fallen or were used for walls or dykes.
Steinacleit stone circle in Barvas is a standing circle with eleven upright stones. Others have fallen on site and perhaps four are still buried. They protruded about one metre above ground and it is suspected that about the same length is hidden underground. There is an argument if the ruined structure within the circle is actually a chambered cairn.