Isle of Lewis

John was scheduled to preach in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis this past weekend. He had planned on taking Kristiana with him. The night before the early morning ferry, we got a call saying they had found a self-catering house for our whole family. Getting packed for a big family is no small job so I got right on to it. We were in the van the next morning by 7am and on the ferry for 9am.

The sky was clear and the water was calm. Smooth sailing!

 The house was fantastic and overlooked the sea. We were able to see the ferry come and go.

 We visited the Calanais Stone Circle. This structure consists of about 50 stones.  The stones were erected between 2900 - 2600BC.

We also visited this Broch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dun_Carloway.

Blackhouses are a traditional type of house which used to be common in the Scottish Highlands.

The buildings were generally built with double wall dry-stone walls packed with earth and wooden rafters covered with a thatch of turf with cereal straw or reed. The floor was generally flagstones or packed earth and there was a central hearth for the fire. There was no chimney for the smoke to escape though. Instead the smoke made its way through the roof.
The blackhouse was used to accommodate livestock as well as people. People lived at one end and the animals lived at the other with a partition between them. (thanks Wikipedia)

 Brothers

 The beaches in Stornoway are fantastic! If the weather were warmer they would be far too busy.

  Sisters

The kids didn't mind the cold Atlantic water. . .

 . . .but preferred the warm water in this little stream that they dammed off.