Iceland Cruise July 4th 2017 - Stornoway Page

Stornoway is another 'anchor port', rather a long way out. There would be no time to walk round the town, not taht it looked remotely as cute as Tobermory. We took a tour to see "Historic Lewis", which went to two of the sites, one ancient, one old.

The ancient one, about 5,000 years old, is the Callanich Stone Circle, a somewhat tedious coach ride away through a flattish landscape with many lochans. This pre-dates Stonehenge & is based on the phases of the Moon, all of them being represented by the stones. There is an avenue leading up to it & arms of stones leading out. One fascinating feature is a stone with a carved overhang. If one stands in the right place, it forms a window through which the Harvest Moon can be seen.

To the South of the circle is this feature, which seems to have utilised these existing rocks & which must have decided the location of the circle, having had their previous ritual significance. Beneath this is the Visitor Centre.

The less ancient feature, dating from 1AD (having been carbon dated) is Dun Carloway, a broch & one of the best preserved.

Because it is half-ruined, as a result of a sacking in a clan war, the structure of the building is well exposed, showing the double wall with the spiral staircase inside it. The ground floor would have housed the animals, the first floor, of substantial stone, the facilities including a fire & the upper floor of wood, would have had the bedrooms. Back at Stornoway, there was along wait for the tender to take us back to the ship. However, the restaurant was still open, as is usual when trips arrive late.