3 Sides to 1 Island Hebridean Sense Explore Connect Experience

HARRIS TWEED... LET'S GET WEAVING!!

SENSE the sights, sounds, smell and feel of Harris Tweed® with my weaving demonstration at the first stop of our tour in the village of Vatisker.

During the demonstration, the adventurous amongst you will even get an opportunity to pedal the loom. Who knows where your bit of finished Harris Tweed® will end up!!

I’m sure several questions will be raised on the day and I’ll answer those as we go along so this makes for a highly interactive experience.

YOUR FREE SOUVENIR ... It’s good to capture the moment so I can take your photo sitting at the loom, which is then inserted in a personalised, free souvenir for you to take home.

GRESS RAIDERS MONUMENT

The Gress monument is a poignant reminder of the crofter’s struggle for land rights. The poverty and injustice people suffered here under the oppression of heartless landlords threatened their very existence. So it was that after having faced the horrors of the first world war, returning ex-servicemen found that the promise made by the government to grant them land and homes had been broken. Unrest folowed and they eventually won the struggle for land.

We will stop here and appreciate the beautifully designed cairn which creatively reflects trenches and waves and I certainly believe does justice to the struggle and will of those brave land raiders.

Looking across from the Gress Memorial we can see an ancient monument across the river. The monument consists of the ruins of a small pre-Reformation Church situated within a graveyard in use.

It is dedicated to St Aula (St Olaf). This is the only example of a Norse Saint’s commemoration in the Western Isles.

ROCKS, SAND & SEA… Let’s Go Walking

EXPLORE this magnificent Hebridean seascape on the second stop of our tour. We’ll go walking past the lilly pond surrounded by peaty, heather covered hills and walk onto a glorious expanse of sand.

What we’ll do is take a walk along Garry beach, head over to the majestic sea stacs rising like giants teeth and marvel at their rugged beauty, take our time and take all of this in... EXPLORE.

Fill your lungs with scents of the ocean and flowers of the machair.

The tallest and most substantial of the three stacs rising from the sands and is called Caisteal a’Mhorair (the Castle of the Nobleman). It is called this as the remains of a possible medieval castle sit on top of this stac.

The Bridge to Nowhere was thus named because beyond the bridge there is no road. The bridge was built as part of planned new route along the east coast of Lewis from Tolsta to Ness. It was one of the many ambitious plans Lord Leverhulme never quite made to fruition.

CURIOUS?… Let’s Discover

Our last stop of the day takes us to the beautiful surroundings of Lews Castle where Museum nan Eilean is located. Here we CONNECT with the rich heritage and distinctive culture of the Outer Hebrides.

We begin with an immersive and relaxing film which is a firm favourite with many of our visitors. The film lets you CONNECT with the starkly changing landscapes across the Outer and beautifully captures the changing seasons and mood of our islands.

A Taste of the Islands is the main gallery and has four sections based on the Land, the Sea, Working Life and Community Life. Here you’ll get up close and CONNECT with the original and world famous Lewis Chessmen.

In Lews Castle we wander the star-lined corridors and appreciate the splendour of the opulent rooms offering a marvellous view of Stornoway harbour before our tour now comes to an end leaving you with fond memories of your Hebridean adventure