An Lanntair is located next to Stornoway’s central bus station on South Beach Street. It’s a useful landmark if you’d like to include art and events in your plans for the town: its facilities include a contemporary art gallery, theatre, cinema, dance studio, concert hall, a poetry and literature platform, and a studio.

Art, History and Gaelic Culture

The Museum nan Eilean is also housed in a purpose-built modern extension of Lews Castle. Significant loans at the museum include the Lewis Chessmen from the collections of National Museums Scotland and the British Museum; individual displays may change. An Lanntair also hosts the Hebrides International Film Festival and regularly holds special screenings with Q&A sessions. The specific screenings vary.

The Stornoway Historical Society regularly holds exhibitions at Stornoway Town Hall. In winter, a series of talks on local topics supplements the programme. An Taigh Cèilidh, a Gaelic community and cultural centre in Stornoway with a community café and shop, offers another way to experience culture. Events there include live music sessions, conversation groups, talks on culture and the environment, and film screenings. Check the schedule if you’re planning to attend a particular event.

Trails Through the Lews Castle Grounds

The Lews Castle Grounds cover more than 270 hectares of woodland, parkland and gardens belonging to Lews Castle. An extensive network of paths takes walkers and cyclists across open moorland, along the coast, over wooded hills and beside the river. This lets you complement a visit to the town with a range of landscapes, as the trails don’t all have the same character.

The River Creed offers a pleasant, level walk alongside a working salmon river. Another route is the Shore Road Walk, which passes Stornoway’s Inner Harbour and ends at the River Creed. Gallows Hill has a Neolithic burial cairn at its summit and a heronry on its slopes.

For a walk around the town and harbour area, try the free, self-guided Stornoway Sculpture Trail. Along the way, you’ll encounter sculptures, carvings and public art. Stornoway Golf Club also combines a distinctive setting with an activity: its course lies in the woods of Lews Castle and rises from there towards the moorland west of the town. Visitors are welcome; check booking requirements before your round.

Crafts, Food and Guided Experiences

The Harris Tweed Story Room explores the history and craftsmanship behind the fabric. The experience includes a short film, an account of its industrial development and a live demonstration on a loom. Visitors can also make their own tweed on a loom there. Check the tour arrangements before your trip.

The Stornoway Distillers Gin School combines a guided tasting with designing and distilling your own recipe on mini stills. More than 50 botanicals are available to choose from, and the experience includes a personalised 70 cl bottle to take home. Check availability in advance.

If you’d like to explore Stornoway from the water, Immerse Hebrides offers two-hour whale and dolphin watching boat trips from the Inner Harbour, accompanied by a wildlife guide. Confirm departure details before travelling. Landstory, based on Seaforth Road in Stornoway, offers archaeological tours of the Hebrides. The Western Isles Tour Guide Association provides professional tours for visitors to the Outer Hebrides in nine languages; its premises are at the Fàilte Centre in Stornoway. Confirm availability with both providers in advance.

Plan Events and Travel

The HebCelt festival site is on Lews Castle Green, about a ten-minute walk from the town centre. Dates and access depend on the festival year. Stornoway is also home to the islands’ main ferry terminal, an airport and a deep-water harbour that welcomes cruise ships from around the world. Check current transport links before planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Garrabost, Borve.

Go to the main travel overview: Hebrides.