📌 Shader, Isle of Lewis
★★
Steinacleit is found on a slightly elevated area of grass and peatland above the settlement of Shader, Lewis, and consists of an array of larger boulders surrounded by a ring of smaller ones, with these then rubbing up against a much larger, oval-shaped enclosure marked out by more stones. After its uncovering during peat clearance in the 1920s, the site was originally believed to be a chambered cairn and stone circle, but is now thought to be a prehistoric farmstead, incorporating the remains of a house and yard area. The nearby body of water – Loch an Dùn – features a reasonably-preserved fort and causeway; this can be viewed from a wooden jetty next to the car park, perhaps with the help of a camera with a decent zoom function.
🌍 Location
📌 Access from minor road end, off A857 at Shader, Isle of Lewis
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NB 396541
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 58.397372,-6.457944
🚌 Infrequent bus stops on A857 at Steinacleit turnoff
🚗 Car park at 🧭 NB 394541 / 🛰️ 58.397356,-6.462560
📝 Key info
⌚ Always open
🎫 Free
💬 From the car park it’s a 5-min walk to Steinacleit, gently uphill on a potentially boggy path.
