Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

Gearrannan Blackhouse Village is formerly an abandoned traditional village. It is located in the  Carloway district in the Outer Herbrides on the Isle of Lewis. The village sits on a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean with the rugged architecture of the stone built houses constructed in the 1800s. These houses were traditional houses that were once seen dotted over the Hebridean countryside. For hundreds of years Highlanders and their livestock habituated these one room abodes. The houses were constructed with packed earth floors, drystone walls and thatched roofs which offered protection from the wild North American weather. A fire was the cornerstone of the house which kept them warm and acted as a divider which separated the humans from the livestock. It was not until between 1945 and 1965 that these crofts and blockhouses on the Isle of Lewis received running water and electricity. It was not until the 1970s that people started to move away from these type of houses and moved to more modern homes that required more minimal upkeep. After a period of the homes being lost to time in 1989 a local trust set out to work at restoring and preserving these historic building.

There are lots of fun things to do in this traditional village such as see how the locals once lived while they resided here and watch activities unique to the area such as the weaving of the Harris Tweed. A small gift shop and a café make up the village.