Photos and the City

Category: Sotland

Norse Mill and Kiln

Close to Shawbost, there is a hidden but very special sight, a Norse mill and kiln, just a few steps from a parking spot.

Overlooking Loch Roinavat you will find a renovated pair of thatched buildings used in past times to process barley grain. The Corn Mill and kiln were in use right up till the 1930s.

The Mill and Kiln were restored and rebuilt in the late 1960s and would be working today. The Kiln, the first one on the right side, is a drying room with a raised stone floor and a fire pit underneath to prepare the corn for milling. The Mill was powered by the stream running to the loch and had a mill laid running through the middle of the building to drive the paddles and mill wheel.

Once upon a time, Lewis houses about 200 of this kind of mills.

Looking inside the mill. These two buildings give us another glimpse of how life used to be in Lewis.

And as a bit of a contrast, a modern time windmill:

07/03/2023
Dun Carloway Broch – Dùn Chàrlabhaigh

It´s been a while since I visited a broch, but luckily there is one in Carloway on the Isle of Lewis. Dun Carloway has probably been constructed about 200 BC and used until about AD 1000. It is said that the members of the Morrison Clan used the broch in Carloway as a stronghold in the 1500s.

And there was another blackhouse.

The broch was closed and under renovations, while I was in Lewis, but it was possible to walk around the almost 9m tall tower.

Dun Carloway is a striking monument in the landscape. This impressive example of Iron Age architecture may have been designed to make a bold statement of status, wealth or power. It was also easily defended, sitting high on a rocky outcrop, with wide views for miles around. (Historic Enviroment Scotland)

The main features of the Dun Carolway are a double-skinned wall with two tiers of internal galleries, a low entrance on the ground level, a small room off the entrance passage (guard room?), a stairwell that led to the upper floors and a stone ledge on the wall that probably supported the upper floor.

Dalmore Beach

On the way home I made two more stops, the first one at Dalmore Beach for a little evening stroll along the waves.

And met a cute dog!

Lewis Gneiss – these stones are 1 to 3 million years old.

02/03/2023
Callanish II and III

After visiting the big stone circle at Callanish I decided to walk to two smaller ones – Callanish II and Callanish III. It is a quick and fun little walk, starting from the parking at the visitor centre.

Passing one of the typical bus shelters in Lewis I already could see the first stone circle, Callanish II, Cnoc Ceann a’ Gharraidh.

Callanish II

Callanish II has 7 stones set in an ellipse, five stones are standing, and two are fallen. The stone circle surrounds a cairn in the middle.

Callanish III

The path to the next one was a bit boggy but I made it to Callanish III, Cnoc Fhillibhir Bheag. This stone circle is pretty impressive, it has twenty stones in a double circle, and might be a welcome retreat from the crowds at Callanish I on a busy day.

The outer ellipse contains 13 stones, of which eight are still standing and five have fallen. The inner one has only 4 remaining stones. There is no visible sign of a mould or cairn in the middle of the rings.

28/02/2023