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Callanish

The Callanish Stones are situated near the village of Callanish on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. Construction of the site took place between 2900 and 2600 BC, though there were possibly earlier buildings on the site, dating to before 3000 BC.

The 13 primary stones form a circle about 13 m in diameter, with a long approach avenue of stones to the north, and shorter stone rows to the east, south, and west. The overall layout of the monument recalls a distorted Celtic cross. The individual stones vary from around 1 m to 5 m in height, with an average of 4 m, and are made of local Lewisian gneiss.

The tallest of the stones marks the entrance to a burial cairn where human remains have been discovered. An excavation campaign in 1980 and 1981 showed that the burial chamber was a late addition to the site, and that it had been modified a number of times. Pottery finds suggested a date of 2200 BC for the erection of the circle. It has been speculated, among other theories, that the stones form a calendar system based on the position of the moon.

Local tradition says that giants who lived on the island refused to be converted to Christianity by Saint Kieran and were turned into stone as a punishment.

Another local belief says that at sunrise on midsummer morning, the "shining one" walked along the stone avenue, "his arrival heralded by the cuckoo's call." This legend could be a folk memory recalling the astronomical significance of the stones.

In 1984, the new romantic band Ultravox used an image of the stones on the cover of their album Lament. They also used the scenery to record the video of One Small Day, first single taken from that album. In 1988 Jon Mark released a CD, The Standing Stones of Callanish, intended to evoke Britain's celtic legacy.

Ness

Ness (Scottish Gaelic: Nis) is the name given to the northern part of the Isle of Lewis. The area includes the villages and crofting communities of Lionel, Habost, Swainbost, Cross, North and South Dell, Cross Skigersta, Skigersta, Eoradale, Adabrock, Port of Ness, Knockaird, Fivepenny and Eoropie. Ness has the distinction of being the most north-westerly community in the European Union is also an important area for migratory birds.

Ness is accessible via the A857 road and is about 25 miles (40 km) by road from Stornoway. There is also a coastal path from North Tolsta to Skigersta that runs for about 10 miles (16 km) along the east coast of Lewis.

Gaelic is the primary language of the community.

Landmarks include the 13th-century Teampull Mholuaidh in Eoropie and the small island of Dùn Èistean which is the ancestral home of the Lewis Morrisons, which is now bridged and archaeological excavations have been taking place there.

Each year 10 men from Ness go out to the island of Sula Sgeir in late August for two weeks to harvest around 2,000 young gannets known locally as Guga. The Guga is a Ness tradition and favourite.

Harris

Harris (Na Hearadh, in Gaelic) is the southern and more mountainous part of Lewis and Harris. Although not an island itself, Harris is generally known as the Isle of Harris. The division of Lewis and Harris is administrative with Lewis formerly being part of Ross and Cromarty, prior to the establishment of Western Isles as a local authority in 1974.

Harris divides naturally into northern and southern parts which are separated by West and East Loch Tarbert. These halves are joined by a narrow isthmus at the main settlement of Tarbert.

The island of Scalpay is located to the of East Loch Tarbert. Scalpay is now joined to Harris via a bridge. Well known for its fishing industry, today this is restirtced to managment of local fish farms.

Harris has a largely Presbyterian population, and as in common with Lewis Sabbath observance is a feature of the local culture.

Harris is well know for walkers with a diverse environment from coastal paths and wide beaches to Clisham, the highest hill on Lewis and Harris that is classed as a Corbett at just over 2,600 feet.

Lewis

Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, and the largest island of the Western Isles. The total area of Lewis is 683 square miles, around 10% larger than the surface area occupied by the City of London.

Lewis is flat in comparison to Harris, though the west side of the island around Uig has some hills. Lewis largest settlement in the Western Isles, Stornoway, which is the administrative and commercial centre of the isles. The island has diverse habitats that are home to an assortment of flora and fauna, such as the golden eagle, red deer and seals the value of these are recognised in a number of conservation areas.

Lewis has a Presbyterian tradition with a rich history, having once been part of the Norse Kingdom of Mann and the Isles. It is also the tradition seat of one of the branches of the MacLeod clan. With the oldest evidence of modern civilisation dating to St. Columba through the Ui Church in Point.

Life can be different from elsewhere in Scotland with strict Sabbath observance, the extent of spoken Gaelic and numerous other traditions that have survived.Lewis has a rich cultural heritage where local stories still abound today. Music has and continues to play a vitally important part of island life. Lewis is often known as Eilean an Fhraoich, ("The Heather Isle").

Generally, the island settlements are on or near the coasts or sea lochs, being particularly concentrated in the area around Stornoway. There are four parishes in Lewis: Barvas (Barabhas), Lochs (Na Lochan), Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh), and Uig on which the original civil registration districts were based. The district of Carloway  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.