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A great experience, we stayed in Taigh Glas, very comfortable, high ceilings, thick stone walls.
Atmospheric early morning and late at night when there were no visitors. Lovely sunset from the hill overlooking the bay.
Absolutely incredible stay for 2 nights in one of the Blackhouses. Took you back in time, yet was so comfortable and with all the mod cons of modern life. The people were so friendly and it truly is a fab experience- the one we stayed in was only for 2 people so is fairly small, but with ample room for everything needed. Your car is parked a little way away but they allow it closer for hours whilst the museum is closed. This made total sense. We enjoyed our stay immensely.
Interesting and historic venue in lovely location- expect a slow visit!
Enjoyed the visit to the village, but felt we were competing with the bus tour, as other reviewers said. Yet, I acknowledge places like this have to continue to make money after two difficult years, and increase in costs. Not sure how they can manage it differently.
As a result we were unable to get a coffee when we wanted to, and lunch was not an option due to the main part of the cafe being booked. The price of the coffee and cake was high, but I expected that in the Higlands and Islands due to having to import everything. There are not many places to have lunch outside of Stornoway so beware, or bring a picnic!
Service eventually was excellent and the staff very friendly and obliging.
The village was really interesting, but again, we couldn't get into the Musseum when we wanted to, due to the bus tour, and had to wait. Not a problem in such beautiful surroundings, but an irritation.
The weaving video was fascinating and the weaver on his loom in the weaving shed was very helpful and told us a lot.
Despite all this, it is well worth a visit, and a lot of work has gone into showing us how people lived in the "bad old days".
Date of stay: June 2022
Written June 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is the best tourist experience I have been to in years . So tastefully renovated and really shows how it was to live in a Blackhouse . I would definitely recommend to everyone. Food was delicious too
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Date of stay: August 2023
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Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was another place on Lewis that we just had to visit. Gearrannan Blackhouse Village was not only an historic site, but this quaint group of stone cottages is also used for holiday accommodation. They were built in the late 1800s and both Highlanders & their livestock lived in these one bedroom houses. Right up until the 1970s people lived in them but by that time they were deteriorating so the elderly residents were moved to more modern accommodation. We went inside one of the cottages which was as people lived in it. This is quite a fabulous place to visit and perhaps rent a holiday cottage.
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Date of stay: June 2023
Location
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:This place doesn’t have facilities but it’s an historic site & being able to visit an authentic...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Location, location, location! Loved this place, steps from the ocean and fantastic views. Great place to use as a homebase to visit many attractions on the island. The cottage was clean and comfortable. Every staff person we interacted with was very friendly and helpful. We had a fantastic time. Highly recommend.
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We visited as a family and it was such a lovely experience A nice little gift shop as you enter then onto some information in the black houses you can enter Telling you about the history and how they would have looked. We particularly liked the film on cutting peat and and demonstration on how to make Harris tweed
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Well worth a visit - an opportunity to visit real traditional blackhouses, in an unmatchable location, with splendid views from the hills alongside the village of the bay below. Staff were friendly and there is a great little cafe too (which welcome visitors and made no drama about visitors who needed an emergency recharge!)
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Absolutely incredible stay for 2 nights in one of the Blackhouses. Took you back in time, yet was so comfortable and with all the mod cons of modern life. The people were so friendly and it truly is a fab experience- the one we stayed in was only for 2 people so is fairly small, but with ample room for everything needed. Your car is parked a little way away but they allow it closer for hours whilst the museum is closed. This made total sense. We enjoyed our stay immensely.
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
These blackhouses have seen the cycle of life through generations of crofting families. They were occupied until the early 1970s when the last few elderly residents moved to new accommodation that didn’t need the annual maintenance of thatch and stonework. The old houses and their environs were declared a conservation area shortly after the last residents left as there was a unique opportunity here to preserve a style of house building which had survived for centuries but which had almost disappeared in the last half of the 20th century – the blackhouse. The double drystone walls, the low profile and the insulating thatch made the houses suitable for the Hebridean weather, and they were indeed eco-friendly houses in that all the building materials were natural and found locally. This is music to the ears of conversationists in the current environment - climate change and energy crisis.The also used local peat as fuel. Unbeknown to them they were eco warriors well ahead of their time. There is an excellent educational video of what daily living was for these inhabitants The coastal setting completed the picture Also there was a wonderful gift shop selling an array of high quality local craft…
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Date of stay: June 2022
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My wife and I travelled to Lewis just to see this museum and were not disappointed. We’ve wanted to see this for some time. They’ve done a great job of preserving the Blackhouse way of living - even down to having a lit fire inside. This helps you appreciate the smokey affect and warmth. We loved reading about how people lived in these in generations past.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Very interesting place to visit and learn about the local area in years gone by. Was good to see homes as they were back in time and interesting that people lived in them till 1974. Loved watching the volunteer working the original loom and taking the time to answer all my questions and tell me his experience of being a weaver since he was 14. All volunteers were very friendly and stopped to chat. Highly recommend a visit if you are in the area.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Well worthwhile a diversion to see this excellent, careful reproduction of black house building that were in typical occupation until remarkably recently. Even apart from any educational aspects it is sobering to reflect on just what a relatively cosseted time we now have these days.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.