Location
Situated in the township of Leurbost, The Weavers Cottage is perfectly situated to allow you to explore the Isles of Lewis and Harris
Leurbost & North Lochs
Local Crafts
The Weaving Shed
The most important local attraction as its my shop! We have a studio and shop just 5 minutes drive or 15 - 30 minutes walk down the road in the neighboring village of Crossbost. We weave our own tweed (of which you will see plenty in the house!) and I then craft it into clothing, accessories, homeware, jewellery and more. I also create jewellery from things I find on the beaches round the Island and paint original artwork
Local walks
Walking
There are plenty of lovely walks to do from the house, of various levels of difficulty. Simply wandering along the roads gives stunning scenery and you can do walks of any length you fancy. Or you can head off round the various shorelines pretty much anywhere in North Lochs for more adventurous hiking and the possibility of seeing some amazing wildlife
Local encounters
Wildlife
We have an abundance of wildlife right on our doorstep here in North Lochs - literally in the case of this stag that I photographed directly across the road from the Cottage! Sea and Golden Eagles regularly fly up the lochs and overhead so keep an eye to the skies. Very occasionally we actually see an otter on the shore though we know they are there all the time from the crab and sea urchin shells as well as their latrines! Seals and dolphins are occasionally seen in the bay and there are plenty of wading and diving shore birds
Meet the locals
Cafe
Creagan Cafe open Wednesdays and Fridays 11 - 3 is a great place to get a very tasty cake or warming bowl of soup plus a great way to meet the locals for a bit of craic! A short walk from the Cottage.
Lewis & Harris
Ancient Monuments
Callanish Stones
Only a 20 minute drive from the Cottage, Callanish Stones is a spectacular stone circle, older than stone henge! Stunning views, ancient stones, and the possibility of getting transported back in time... a not to be missed sight!
There are multiple other stone circles in the surrounding area plus various single standing stones around the island, the most notable is at Baile an Truiseil an enormous behemoth of a stone!
The people and the place
History
Gearrannan Blackhouse Village and Arnol Blackhouses are the two places to see a restored blackhouse in the way it would have been inhabited originally. There are also hundreds of ruined blackhouses across the island and derelict white houses. These stone cottages are the same as The Weavers Cottage, however many now lie empty as the cost of renovation is prohibitive!
Poignant ruined villages dot the coastline - Stiomrabhaig and Mealasta are two very good examples. Reminders of the clearances and villages lost. Mealasta can be reached by a short walk from the car, Stiomrabhaig is a 2-3 hour hike on a well marked but narrow and muddy path.
Go further back in time by walking out to the various beehive dwellings and marvel at the centuries old constructions (strenuous walks only for those comfortable with bog walking with no paths)
Perfect in any weather!
The Beaches
No matter the weather I would always recommend you visit at least one beach while you're here! We have some of the best beaches in the world, although not always the weather to go with it, they are spectacular whether is glorious sunshine or blowing a hoolie! My personal favorites are Reef and Garry beach on Lewis. Other gorgeous beaches are Bosta, Ardroil, Shawbost, Dalbeg, Dalmore and Traigh Mhor to name but a few!
Close Encounters
Wildlife
Always keep your eyes peeled as you never know when something might appear. We spotted this otter running down the beach just in-front of us! We have a huge abundance of land animals and bird life plus there are boat trips available to go whale watching or visit the outer islands such as St Kilda or the Shiants to see even more species
Lews Castle
Stornoway
The main town of Stornoway is only 20 minutes from the house with multiple supermarkets, gift shops, pharmacies, boutiques, cafes, restaurants, pubs and general stores it contains everything you could possibly need. A great place for a bit of retail therapy or rnr. Lews castle and grounds on the outskirts of stornoway is another great visiting point, you can look inside the castle, go round their museum and take walks in the extensive grounds. Its a great place to watch seals in the harbour!
Get outdoors
Walking
There are unlimited numbers of walks to do around the island for all levels and abilities. From gentle beach strolls or road explorations to full blow hikes across the mountains. And for those who love horses you can even go riding on a beach with Traigh Mhor Pony Trekking!
Luskentyre and Seilebost
Harris Beaches
An hours drive from the Cottage, Luskentyre is the most famous beach on the island. With its neighbor Seilebost they create a huge expanse of sand, sea and sky to enjoy. All down the West coast there are numerous stunning beaches, craft shops and a couple of cafes to enjoy
History
Rhodel
St Clemant's Church is a amazing medieval building with stone carvings, and a wonderful calm presence. Its a fair way down but you can also visit Leverburgh brewery and Grannie Annie's mini emporium of vintage and new treasures is a must visit!
History
Dun Carloway
Dun carloway is the largest, most well preserved broch in the Outer Hebrides and a fascinating place to visit. Round the westside loop you can also find the Norse Mill and kiln at Shawbost. Further up towards the Butt of Lewis you can find the peaceful church of St Moulag's and the much older historic broch of Dun Eistean as well as the lighthouse.
Heritage
Weaving
We weave on two single width MK1 Hattersley looms and a wooden floor loom. You can visit our shop 5 minutes down the road from the Cottage for a demonstration and talk. You can also find out about the islands rich textile heritage by visiting the Harris Tweed Authority exhibition in Stornoway, Harris Tweed Hebrides outlet shop in Stornoway or one of the other weavers for example Amor Weavers in Shawbost, Adabrock Weavers near Ness or A Harris Tweed Weaver (Gordon) in Stornoway