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Town on the Isle of Lewis, in Scotland
Photo: Tom Parnell from Scottish Borders, Scotland, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Stornoway (Gaelic Steòrnabhagh) is the main town on Lewis and the admin centre for all of Scotland's Outer Hebrides. Indeed it's the only town in these islands; it has the best amenities and transport links, and it's the obvious base for exploring both Lewis and Harris. It is industrial, and not particularly picturesque, but has lots to see. The population was 4800 in 2021, a sharp decline on previous figures.
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Arts centre hosting exhibitions, concerts and films; the name means "The Lantern". The cafe and bar are open daytime and some evenings.
Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean
The castle was built in the 1850s for Sir James Matheson, who made his fortune in the far eastern opium trade. To build it he demolished the remnants of the preceding medieval castle, whilst losing the "i" from Lewis. It was later sold to Lord Leverhulme the soap tycoon. In the 20th century it was used as a navy air base and as student accommodation then fell into disuse, but was refurbished from 2011. It now houses Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean, the museum and archive of island life. The ballroom is used as a ritzy event space, and there's expensive self-catering apartments available. The extensive castle grounds are always open to stroll.
Chinese takeaway, quick, inexpensive and filling. Cash only.
Mixed reviews for this Thai restaurant which also does takeaway.
Chinese takeaway at the north edge of town. It's convenient for the Cabarfeidh and Laxdale caravan site but the food is mediocre.
Serving coffee & snacks.
Sports bar with live music Thursdays, no food.
Good trad bar, dog-friendly.
Welcoming pub with food, dog-friendly.
Clean efficient place with good facilities open Apr-Oct, with 35 pitches for tents and 19 hook-ups for caravans, plus static caravans, bunkhouse (no dogs) and wigwams.
Friendly well-run central hostel open Apr-Oct. No pets.
Friendly comfy B&B at north end of town.
Small hotel, dog-friendly, some street noise. With a public bar (the one where Prince Charles asked for a cherry brandy) and upstairs restaurant.
Small central place, comfy enough but pricey for what you get.
Simple hotel with 68 rooms, handy for the ferry and the bus station. Most rooms are comfy enough but the economy singles are horrid little broom cupboards.
Comfy hotel on waterfront with 24 rooms and Boatshed restaurant. Built in 1845 and the state of some facilities confirms this.
Hotel with 46 rooms and Solas restaurant north side of town, often caters to weddings. Overpriced for what you get.
17 luxury self-catering apartments. The castle has a cafe and a bar, see website for seasonal restaurant. Accommodation management is outsourced to a third party based in Wilmslow, Cheshire.
A good traditional smokery cures local fish.
Books, including a large selection on island interests, with newspapers, stationery and gifts.
They stock a wide range of premium loose leaf teas (and some coffee), many blended to their own recipe.
Filling station and convenience store.
By boat
Calmac ferries sail to Stornoway from Ullapool on the mainland, taking 2 hr 30 min. There are two sailings year-round M-Sa, and on Sunday two Apr-Oct and just one Nov-Mar.
By bus
See Lewis for buses around the island, which all converge on Stornoway. They're sparse M-Sa with nothing on Sunday. The bus station is next to the ferry terminal.
By bus: see Lewis for routes around the island, which all converge on Stornoway.
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Stornoway, Western Isles · Regional · SYY
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