📌 Town on the Isle of Lewis
★★
Stornoway is the capital of Lewis, capital of the Western Isles and by far the largest settlement on this beautiful chain of islands. “Lovely Stornoway”, claims the title of the well-known folk song, but your feeling about the place is likely to be influenced by where you approach it from. Arrive here from elsewhere on the island and the town feels like a real metropolis, with exotic sights such as roundabouts (!), chain shops (!) and trees (!). Arrive directly from the mainland ferry and the settlement’s “normal” feel may be underwhelming. Whatever your first impression, Stornoway makes a great base to explore Lewis (but not Harris), boasting accommodation and eateries to suit all preferences and budgets. The nearby Lews Castle grounds are also a key draw with good walking trails, an excellent museum and the castle itself.
🌍 Location
📌 Isle of Lewis
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NB 423327
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 58.208422,-6.388161
🚶 Lews Castle, its museum and grounds are an easy walk around the harbour from the small town centre. The war memorial is a 1 mi walk to the north.
✈️🚢🚌 Stornoway is the main transport hub on Lewis, with ferries from Ullapool on the mainland. There are several bus routes from most other Lewisian settlements, as well as Tarbert and Leverburgh on Harris. Stornoway Airport is a few miles away, with bus connection.
🚗 Some parking has a charge, but there are also plenty of free spots.
Explore nearby
<1 mi away
>> Museum nan Eilean ★★★
<3 mi away
>> Lewis War Memorial ★★ (1 mi ↑)
