Stornoway (and The Island) - General Overview - 5 Minute Read
The Outer Hebrides (Innse Gall in Gaelic, or Na h-Eileanan an Iar), an archipelago of over 200 islands, lie approximately 30 miles (48 kms) off the north-west coast of Scotland in the North Atlantic Ocean. They are separated from the north-west coast of Scotland by the Minch and Little Minch Seas and form part of Scotland's Highlands and Islands region.
Also referred to as the Western Isles (Na h-Eileanan Siar in Gaelic), they stretch for over 130 miles (210 kms) from the Isle of Lewis in the north, to Barra in the south. Just over a dozen or so of these islands are inhabited, and the Isle of Lewis (Eilean Leodhas in Gaelic) and Harris (Na Hearadh in Gaelic) together make up the largest island.
Harris, to the south end of the island, is separated from Lewis by a solid range of several hills, the highest one being The Clisham at 2,600 ft (799 mtrs); and, together, Lewis and Harris are known as the Long Island.
The Isle of Lewis and Harris is approximately 60 miles (95 kms) in length, and, at its widest, is approximately 30 miles (50 kms) across. It is the third largest landmass in Great Britain, after the United Kingdom mainland and Ireland.
The only town on the island is Stornoway (Steornabhagh in Gaelic) which is the commercial, shopping, and capital and administrative centre of the Western Isles.
Over the last millenium Stornoway has developed from its Viking origins of 800 A.D. to be, at various times, a medieval castle, a colonial settlement, a Cromwellian fortification, a major fishing port and the centre of the Harris Tweed textile industry. The origins of the burgh can be traced back to the foundation of a castle there in the twelfth century, although there is evidence for activity in the area going back to the prehistoric period.
The town has the advantage of a sheltered, safe harbour which, over the centuries, has attracted Viking seafarers, later Swedish shipbuilders, would be colonists from the east coast mainland of Scotland, and Dutch and English fishing fleets.
Stornoway's development capitalised on its natural assets especially during the time of Sir James Matheson, the island's proprietor (1844-1918); shipping was assisted by the building of a new lighthouse in the outer harbour, fish-curing sheds were set up encouraging the fish market to flourish, and a steam boat quay was established offering services to Poolewe and Glasgow. These initial steps led to Stornoway's emergence as an important shipbuilding town and a centre for deep-sea mariners.
The town has a built up area of approximately 1.6 square miles (4 squ. kms) and a population, including local environs, of approximately 8,000, which is about 30% of the total Outer Hebrides population of 26,000; the population of Lewis is 18,500. It is the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands, after Inverness and Fort William.
There are several large villages and groupings of villages (crofting townships) on the island. Around Stornoway there are 11 of these villages (of a total of 76 on Lewis; 280 in total in the Outer Hebrides) and the population of the greater Stornoway area, including these (and other) villages, would be nearer 12,000. The town and harbour, which has over 1 mile (1.6kms) of quayage, are overlooked by the Lews Castle and its extensive grounds which were constructed by Sir James Matheson between 1847-54.
Traditional industries on the island are crofting, fishing, and weaving, with crofting being little more than a subsistence activity today. Among the industries formerly established in the Stornoway area were kelp production, whisky distilling, oil refining, brick-making, shipbuilding, kippering, fish-canning, Harris Tweed mills, and oilrig construction. In the late 19th and early 20th Century there were also plans for a variety of railways, none of which were built, and for a canal between Broadbay and Stornoway.
Fishing remains a significant industry in the Western Isles, presently employing around 10% of the working population. Shellfish have become the most important source of income, notably prawns, scallops, lobster and crabs, most of which are exported to markets on the United Kingdom mainland and Continental Europe.
Fish farming is also very important to the island economy and the processing of both prawns and salmon is centred on Stornoway which supports approximately 50 and 100 jobs respectively.
Other industries include the island's major quarry within the Lews Castle Grounds, a modern sawmill which makes use of the timber in the grounds, and the redeveloped renewables energy fabrication yard at Arnish in the outer harbour.
The Lews Castle College, which employs 150 staff and has 300 full-time and 2,300 part-time, and open learning, students, is a partner of the University of the Highlands and Islands which gained full university accreditation status in 2012. The college is engaged in leading-edge research into renewables technologies.
A number of firms and organisations related to modern media are also based in Stornoway, including television and radio production units, internet ventures, a call centre and related activities.
The island is also home to a microbrewery and two distilleries. The Stornoway based Hebridean Brewing Company produces several award-winning real ales. As for the distilleries, The Abhainn Dearg Distillery is located on the west side of the island at Carnish Uig, and the Isle of Harris Distillery is based in Tarbert. The Abhainn Dearg, which is a 10 year old malt, will be available in 2018. The Isle of Harris Distillery, which opened in 2015, produces an award-winning gin, and will produce its first malt, The Hearach, in 2019.
Tourism, which sustains over 1,500 jobs (17% of the working population) in the islands, is the growing commercial industry bringing in over 218,000 visitors who annually inject £53 million into the economy. For details on the economy please go here.
A typical profile of an island tourist is :- younger visitor (<45 years) from overseas, older visitor (>45 years) from the United Kingdom; motivated to come to the Outer Hebrides by the scenery, nature, and remoteness and tranqillity of the area, and the uniqueness of the cultural environment; the majority engage in walking, sightseeing and touring, visiting beaches and archaeological sites, with a lower level of engagement in activities such as cycling, fishing, sailing, golf etc; they spend an average of £221 per person excluding the cost of travel to the islands; and their trip exceeds their expectatons. The value of tourism is increasing due to both visitor numbers and visitor spending as value is added to the tourism product.
In an attempt to stimulate economic growth and employment in the region the Scottish Government introduced the Road Equivalent Tariff Scheme in 2008, which involves setting ferry fares on the basis of the cost of travelling the equivalent distance by road; fares have been reduced by up to 40%, increasing journey numbers by 30%. It was scheduled to end in 2012 but it has become a permanent feature for cars, small commercial vehicles and coaches.
By promoting its mix of seasonality, quality, and world class environment, the tourism offering of the Hebrides continues to grow. The key aspects which contribute to the tourism product are the superb and varied natural environment of numerous beautiful beaches, and the contrasting terrains of flat coastal machair and rolling hills; and the rich heritage of historical and archaeological sites. There are more than 2,000 recorded archaeological or historical sites in the Western Isles, some of which are 5,000 years old, such as the renowned Callanish (Calanais) Standing Stones which pre-date both Stonehenge and the Egyptian Pyramids.
The island offers a wide scope for diverse and varied activities such as hill-walking, cycling, golf, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, and world class activities such as fishing and surfing. The Grimersta system, on the west side of the island, is judged to be the finest salmon and sea trout water in Europe, and it is probably one of the most prolific salmon rivers in the world. It holds the world record for the most salmon taken on fly during a single day: 57 fish.
As for surfing, the island receives ocean swells from almost every direction giving it some of the best and most consistent surfing conditions in Europe. It also has world class beaches and reef breaks.
In Stornoway, An Lanntair is a multi-purpose arts venue, and cinema, which was opened in 2005. It celebrates the cultural and artistic traditions of the islands, and attracts artistic talent from around the globe. There is also a large modern well stocked library in the town centre offering free wi-fi and internet access.
The Lews Castle Grounds, which overlook Stornoway and the harbour, are 600 acres (243 hectares) of community-owned mixed woodland including three walks of over 9 miles (14 kms) in length designed to highlight the main features of shoreline, woodland, river, and open moorland; and 7 miles (11kms) of bike trails; there is salmon and sea-trout fishing on the River Creed, an 18-hole golf course, a woodlands centre and cafe, and a commercial sawmill. The Lews Castle College of Further Education and campus of the University of Highlands and Islands is located in close proximity to the Castle. The grounds also host the annual three-day Hebridean Celtic Music Festival that attracts several thousand visitors every year.
In 2016 the £19.5 million Lews Castle redevelopment opened which included a luxury self-catering complex with an attached new Museum Nan Eilean and archive centre. In addition to the museum and accommodation the complex houses event facilities, a restaurant and a bar.
There is a TripAdvisor review of the many attractions and activities offered on Lewis and Harris, read the review here.
Stornoway's extensive natural harbour accommodates many large visiting cruise ships. The port receives an average of 15,000 cruise ship passengers every year and is one of the most popular ports of call for cruise ships in Scotland. The port is continually working on improving the facilities for passengers and cruise ships, with a view to increasing the town's status as a top cruise destination. The Port Authority has produced a 20 year Master Plan ; the inner harbour also includes a recently expanded 70 berth marina with further expansion plans included within the Master Plan.
As the visitor gateway, Stornoway offers excellent, and affordable, communication links with the mainland - less than an hour by air from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness, with numerous same-day inbound and outbound connecting flights to all parts of the United Kingdom. The four major Scottish airports all have connecting flights into major international aviation hubs, with Glasgow and Edinburgh also having direct flights to North America.
Island residents qualify for the Air Discount Scheme which provides a 40% discount on core air fares for passengers travelling to and from Scotland's key population centres and/or between airports within the peripheral areas of the Highlands and Islands.
There is a twice-daily car ferry crossing (three crossings in summer) between Stornoway and the mainland port of Ullapool which is a 2 hours and 30 minutes journey, with a further 45 minute (one hour by bus) scenic drive from Ullapool to the Highland capital, Inverness. The sea crossing time was reduced following the introduction, in 2015, of a new, better performing, 700 passenger/ 143 car capacity ferry on the route.
The island is the heartland of Gaelic culture in Scotland, and much of the population is bilingual. In 2001 49% of residents with knowledge of Gaelic could speak, read and write the language, and 72% had some Gaelic language ability.
The Outer Hebrides (Innse Gall in Gaelic, or Na h-Eileanan an Iar), an archipelago of over 200 islands, lie approximately 30 miles (48 kms) off the north-west coast of Scotland in the North Atlantic Ocean. They are separated from the north-west coast of Scotland by the Minch and Little Minch Seas and form part of Scotland's Highlands and Islands region.
Also referred to as the Western Isles (Na h-Eileanan Siar in Gaelic), they stretch for over 130 miles (210 kms) from the Isle of Lewis in the north, to Barra in the south. Just over a dozen or so of these islands are inhabited, and the Isle of Lewis (Eilean Leodhas in Gaelic) and Harris (Na Hearadh in Gaelic) together make up the largest island.
Harris, to the south end of the island, is separated from Lewis by a solid range of several hills, the highest one being The Clisham at 2,600 ft (799 mtrs); and, together, Lewis and Harris are known as the Long Island.
The Isle of Lewis and Harris is approximately 60 miles (95 kms) in length, and, at its widest, is approximately 30 miles (50 kms) across. It is the third largest landmass in Great Britain, after the United Kingdom mainland and Ireland.
The only town on the island is Stornoway (Steornabhagh in Gaelic) which is the commercial, shopping, and capital and administrative centre of the Western Isles.
Over the last millenium Stornoway has developed from its Viking origins of 800 A.D. to be, at various times, a medieval castle, a colonial settlement, a Cromwellian fortification, a major fishing port and the centre of the Harris Tweed textile industry. The origins of the burgh can be traced back to the foundation of a castle there in the twelfth century, although there is evidence for activity in the area going back to the prehistoric period.
The town has the advantage of a sheltered, safe harbour which, over the centuries, has attracted Viking seafarers, later Swedish shipbuilders, would be colonists from the east coast mainland of Scotland, and Dutch and English fishing fleets.
Stornoway's development capitalised on its natural assets especially during the time of Sir James Matheson, the island's proprietor (1844-1918); shipping was assisted by the building of a new lighthouse in the outer harbour, fish-curing sheds were set up encouraging the fish market to flourish, and a steam boat quay was established offering services to Poolewe and Glasgow. These initial steps led to Stornoway's emergence as an important shipbuilding town and a centre for deep-sea mariners.
The town has a built up area of approximately 1.6 square miles (4 squ. kms) and a population, including local environs, of approximately 8,000, which is about 30% of the total Outer Hebrides population of 26,000; the population of Lewis is 18,500. It is the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands, after Inverness and Fort William.
There are several large villages and groupings of villages (crofting townships) on the island. Around Stornoway there are 11 of these villages (of a total of 76 on Lewis; 280 in total in the Outer Hebrides) and the population of the greater Stornoway area, including these (and other) villages, would be nearer 12,000. The town and harbour, which has over 1 mile (1.6kms) of quayage, are overlooked by the Lews Castle and its extensive grounds which were constructed by Sir James Matheson between 1847-54.
Traditional industries on the island are crofting, fishing, and weaving, with crofting being little more than a subsistence activity today. Among the industries formerly established in the Stornoway area were kelp production, whisky distilling, oil refining, brick-making, shipbuilding, kippering, fish-canning, Harris Tweed mills, and oilrig construction. In the late 19th and early 20th Century there were also plans for a variety of railways, none of which were built, and for a canal between Broadbay and Stornoway.
Fishing remains a significant industry in the Western Isles, presently employing around 10% of the working population. Shellfish have become the most important source of income, notably prawns, scallops, lobster and crabs, most of which are exported to markets on the United Kingdom mainland and Continental Europe.
Fish farming is also very important to the island economy and the processing of both prawns and salmon is centred on Stornoway which supports approximately 50 and 100 jobs respectively.
Other industries include the island's major quarry within the Lews Castle Grounds, a modern sawmill which makes use of the timber in the grounds, and the redeveloped renewables energy fabrication yard at Arnish in the outer harbour.
The Lews Castle College, which employs 150 staff and has 300 full-time and 2,300 part-time, and open learning, students, is a partner of the University of the Highlands and Islands which gained full university accreditation status in 2012. The college is engaged in leading-edge research into renewables technologies.
A number of firms and organisations related to modern media are also based in Stornoway, including television and radio production units, internet ventures, a call centre and related activities.
The island is also home to a microbrewery and two distilleries. The Stornoway based Hebridean Brewing Company produces several award-winning real ales. As for the distilleries, The Abhainn Dearg Distillery is located on the west side of the island at Carnish Uig, and the Isle of Harris Distillery is based in Tarbert. The Abhainn Dearg, which is a 10 year old malt, will be available in 2018. The Isle of Harris Distillery, which opened in 2015, produces an award-winning gin, and will produce its first malt, The Hearach, in 2019.
Tourism, which sustains over 1,500 jobs (17% of the working population) in the islands, is the growing commercial industry bringing in over 218,000 visitors who annually inject £53 million into the economy. For details on the economy please go here.
A typical profile of an island tourist is :- younger visitor (<45 years) from overseas, older visitor (>45 years) from the United Kingdom; motivated to come to the Outer Hebrides by the scenery, nature, and remoteness and tranqillity of the area, and the uniqueness of the cultural environment; the majority engage in walking, sightseeing and touring, visiting beaches and archaeological sites, with a lower level of engagement in activities such as cycling, fishing, sailing, golf etc; they spend an average of £221 per person excluding the cost of travel to the islands; and their trip exceeds their expectatons. The value of tourism is increasing due to both visitor numbers and visitor spending as value is added to the tourism product.
In an attempt to stimulate economic growth and employment in the region the Scottish Government introduced the Road Equivalent Tariff Scheme in 2008, which involves setting ferry fares on the basis of the cost of travelling the equivalent distance by road; fares have been reduced by up to 40%, increasing journey numbers by 30%. It was scheduled to end in 2012 but it has become a permanent feature for cars, small commercial vehicles and coaches.
By promoting its mix of seasonality, quality, and world class environment, the tourism offering of the Hebrides continues to grow. The key aspects which contribute to the tourism product are the superb and varied natural environment of numerous beautiful beaches, and the contrasting terrains of flat coastal machair and rolling hills; and the rich heritage of historical and archaeological sites. There are more than 2,000 recorded archaeological or historical sites in the Western Isles, some of which are 5,000 years old, such as the renowned Callanish (Calanais) Standing Stones which pre-date both Stonehenge and the Egyptian Pyramids.
The island offers a wide scope for diverse and varied activities such as hill-walking, cycling, golf, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, and world class activities such as fishing and surfing. The Grimersta system, on the west side of the island, is judged to be the finest salmon and sea trout water in Europe, and it is probably one of the most prolific salmon rivers in the world. It holds the world record for the most salmon taken on fly during a single day: 57 fish.
As for surfing, the island receives ocean swells from almost every direction giving it some of the best and most consistent surfing conditions in Europe. It also has world class beaches and reef breaks.
In Stornoway, An Lanntair is a multi-purpose arts venue, and cinema, which was opened in 2005. It celebrates the cultural and artistic traditions of the islands, and attracts artistic talent from around the globe. There is also a large modern well stocked library in the town centre offering free wi-fi and internet access.
The Lews Castle Grounds, which overlook Stornoway and the harbour, are 600 acres (243 hectares) of community-owned mixed woodland including three walks of over 9 miles (14 kms) in length designed to highlight the main features of shoreline, woodland, river, and open moorland; and 7 miles (11kms) of bike trails; there is salmon and sea-trout fishing on the River Creed, an 18-hole golf course, a woodlands centre and cafe, and a commercial sawmill. The Lews Castle College of Further Education and campus of the University of Highlands and Islands is located in close proximity to the Castle. The grounds also host the annual three-day Hebridean Celtic Music Festival that attracts several thousand visitors every year.
In 2016 the £19.5 million Lews Castle redevelopment opened which included a luxury self-catering complex with an attached new Museum Nan Eilean and archive centre. In addition to the museum and accommodation the complex houses event facilities, a restaurant and a bar.
There is a TripAdvisor review of the many attractions and activities offered on Lewis and Harris, read the review here.
Stornoway's extensive natural harbour accommodates many large visiting cruise ships. The port receives an average of 15,000 cruise ship passengers every year and is one of the most popular ports of call for cruise ships in Scotland. The port is continually working on improving the facilities for passengers and cruise ships, with a view to increasing the town's status as a top cruise destination. The Port Authority has produced a 20 year Master Plan ; the inner harbour also includes a recently expanded 70 berth marina with further expansion plans included within the Master Plan.
As the visitor gateway, Stornoway offers excellent, and affordable, communication links with the mainland - less than an hour by air from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness, with numerous same-day inbound and outbound connecting flights to all parts of the United Kingdom. The four major Scottish airports all have connecting flights into major international aviation hubs, with Glasgow and Edinburgh also having direct flights to North America.
Island residents qualify for the Air Discount Scheme which provides a 40% discount on core air fares for passengers travelling to and from Scotland's key population centres and/or between airports within the peripheral areas of the Highlands and Islands.
There is a twice-daily car ferry crossing (three crossings in summer) between Stornoway and the mainland port of Ullapool which is a 2 hours and 30 minutes journey, with a further 45 minute (one hour by bus) scenic drive from Ullapool to the Highland capital, Inverness. The sea crossing time was reduced following the introduction, in 2015, of a new, better performing, 700 passenger/ 143 car capacity ferry on the route.
The island is the heartland of Gaelic culture in Scotland, and much of the population is bilingual. In 2001 49% of residents with knowledge of Gaelic could speak, read and write the language, and 72% had some Gaelic language ability.
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