Lewis, Scotland.  Day 8, 6th July.

Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

Gearrannan Blackhouse Village is on the coast not far north of Calanais.  It comprises nine traditional dry stone dwellings.  These were abandoned by their traditional owners in 1974 and subsequently reconditioned.

.

Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

The cottages have the traditional thatch roofs weighed down with stones.

.

Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

You can elect to stay in one of them, four are available renovated to a modern standard with electricity and appliances.

.

Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

There being virtually no trees on the island, the traditional form of heating was from burning peat.

.

Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

An elaborate mechanical loom, likely dating from the nineteenth century.

.

Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

Loom on the right, carding machine on the left.  Carding is a process of disentangling, straightening and incorporating the raw fibres to make them suitable for further processing.

.

Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

Although there have been people in the area for thousands of years, the village dates from the 1600s.  Moreover the houses here today date only from the end of the nineteenth century, though their form is ancient.

.

Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

.

Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

.