Scottish islands: Lewis

No apology required for re-visiting this astonishing place, for my post on the Isle of Lewis!

Callanish takes you back to the elements – it’s raw and cold, like bones of the earth, and it has a strong magic, too. We went there on a windy day in September, with a strangely ethereal sky and quite challenging lighting. At first I thought most of the photos were useless but with a bit of imagination they have been resurrected.

You can read more about my visit to Callanish here on The Hazel Tree.

More Scottish islands in this series: Kerrera, Islay, Skye, Lismore

Jo Woolf

I live by the sea in Argyll, Scotland, and I write about the landscape, its wildlife and wonderful history. I'm also Writer in Residence at the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

12 Comments

http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com

August 4, 2015 at 3:03 pm Reply

fabulous place = land of fables. The photos capture the mystery of Lewis.
- Jo Woolf
  
  August 4, 2015 at 3:50 pm
  
  Thank you, Viv! Yes, Lewis is a powerful place, full of mystery and magic.
david

August 4, 2015 at 3:34 pm Reply

I love Callanish and all the other stone circles nearby! It’s a bit like stone circle central. Callanish 1 surpasses all the rest though!
- Jo Woolf
  
  August 4, 2015 at 4:16 pm
  
  That’s true, David! Where people could come and, er… circulate! 🙂
Pat Webster

August 4, 2015 at 4:20 pm Reply

I visited Lewis and saw these stones more than 50 years ago on my first trip to Scotland. The memory is as clear now as the experience then — it’s a place of mystery and magic. Thank you, Jo, for bringing the memories from the back to the front of my mind.
- Jo Woolf
  
  August 4, 2015 at 5:57 pm
  
  You are so welcome, Pat! I really enjoyed going back there myself, in memory at least, while looking through the photos. It’s the kind of place that stays with you forever.
Pat

August 4, 2015 at 6:43 pm Reply

My jaw dropped at the first picture. Hard to doubt there’s magic there. But I do doubt there are many around who could make use of it anymore. Thanks, Jo!
- Jo Woolf
  
  August 4, 2015 at 7:39 pm
  
  Glad you liked this, Pat! Yes, it’s an awe-inspiring place. The more I learn about these sites, the deeper the mystery seems to get. There’s a huge yawning gap between our historical data and the wisdom of the people who built places like this.
Martin

August 4, 2015 at 10:14 pm Reply

Great pictures, Jo. The textures of the Lewis stones are just so wonderful. I’m not a morning person, but there’s nowhere I’ve been happier to get up for a summer sunrise than Callanish. Such a wonderful (and baffling) site.
- Jo Woolf
  
  August 5, 2015 at 11:19 am
  
  Thank you very much, Martin! Yes, I agree with you – I would get up at any time to go and see the sunrise over Callanish! 🙂
christinelaennec

August 15, 2015 at 4:28 pm Reply

I have had the chance to visit Callanish twice this year, and it never fails to disappoint. A magical place.
- Jo Woolf
  
  August 15, 2015 at 4:48 pm
  
  How wonderful, Christine! Yes – I would love to go back there myself.