Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
When
Lord Leverhulme
, founder of the soap empire Unilever, acquired the island
(along with Harris) in 1918, he was determined to drag Lewis out of its cycle of
poverty by establishing an integrated fishing industry. To this end he founded
MacFisheries, a nationwide chain of retail outlets for the fish which would be caught
and processed on the islands: he built a cannery, an ice factory, roads, bridges and a
light railway; he bought boats, and planned to use spotter planes to locate the shoals of
herring. But the dream never came to fruition. Unfortunately, Leverhulme regarded the
island's centuries-old tradition of crofting as inefficient and “an entirely impossible way
of life”. In 1923, financial difficulties prompted Leverhulme to pull out of Lewis and
concentrate on Harris. He gifted Lews Castle and Stornoway to its inhabitants and
offered free crofts to those islanders who had not been involved in land raids. In the
6
LEWIS & HARRIS
Butt
of Lewis
Rubha
Robhanais
Europie
Port of Ness
Cross
Habost
NESS
Shader
Barvas
Clach an Truiseil
Arnol
Bragar
North Tolsta
Bru
Shawbost
A858
Gare
n
i
n
Carloway
Gress
Bosta
Dun
Carloway
Aird Uig
Cliff
Tiumpan
Head
Bernera
Timsgarry
Kneep
Stornoway
Callanish
Garrynahine
Miavaig
Callanish
Standing Stones
UIG
Leurbost
Lewi
s
Mealaisbhal
(1885ft)
Balallan
Kershader
Scarp
Tiogra Mor
(2227ft)
P A R K
Ardvourlie
Hushinish
An Cliseam
(2619ft)
Beinn Mhor
(1874ft)
Amhuinnsuidhe
Sgaoth Aird
(1829ft)
Taransay
Rhenigidale
Tarbert
Kyles Scalpay
Luskentyre
Seilebost
Shiant Isles
Scarista
Scalpay
N
Harris
Lickisto
Cluer
Northton
Roineabhal
(1506ft)
Lingerabay
Leverburgh
Berneray
Rodel
0
10
miles
North Uist
Uig (Skye)
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