Great Bernera: Bostadh Sands & Iron Age Village
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Port
Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$130
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
3¾ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Starting out from Stornoway, you'll drive to the island of Great Bernera. It is joined to the main island by a narrow bridge. Bernera is a rocky island dotted with lochans (streams), fringed by a few small lobster-fishing settlements, and is owned by the family of Queen Elizabeth's former herald.
The coach will drop you close to the deserted village of Bostadh.
In 1992, gale-force winds revealed an entire Iron Age settlement here, perched above a little bay of glorious golden sand. A program of excavations in 1996 revealed a complex of houses beneath the sand. Once archaeologists had explored them, they were re-covered intact and left to rest in their sandy tombs. Glimpses of them come and go as the sand moves with the wind. Fortunately, a full-scale replica of one of the ancient dwellings is open to the public -- the Iron Age House. Inside, take in the distinctive aroma of the real peat fire as your guide describes the way of life of the ancient folk who lived here.
Afterward, explore the small graveyard nearby and take photos of the wide Bostadh Beach of fine white, golden and pink sand, with fabulous views out to the turquoise-blue Atlantic. As you return to the ship at Stornoway, you'll enjoy fine vistas of Carloway Broch to the north.
Please note: Wear comfortable walking shoes. Dress warmly in layered clothing with gloves, a scarf, and a hat; outer layer should be windproof and waterproof.