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Ness is the most northerly community in the Western Isles, or Outer Hebrides as the chain of islands is often called. It comprises 15 villages that occupy the sandy plains, or 'machair', that stretches along the west coast of Lewis. The main areas of population within Ness lie along the north and west coasts, with expansive moorland to the south and east making up most of the land mass.

The community boasts a number of natural and built attractions, such as the Butt of Lewis lighthouse. Completed in 1862, the lighthouse was designed by David Stevenson, Engineer to the Northern Lighthouse Board and an uncle of Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, famous for writing classics such as Treasure Island, Kidnapped and The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde. [More]

Ness has several beautiful and unspoilt sandy beaches, as well as the harbours of Port of Ness (right) and Skigersta (below), which were originally built to service the bustling 19th century long-line fishing industry of northern Lewis.

The harbour area was recently acquired by Port of Ness Harbour Ltd on behalf of the Ness community. The company is currently working on a number of exciting projects, including the building of a new visitor facility and public toilets

The picturesque village of Skigersta with the road ending at a small pier. During the 19th century Skigersta had a thriving fishing industry, with whitefish such as ling and cod being cured at the fishing stations and lain out on the cobble beach to dry before export to Europe.

The pier is now mainly used for leisure sailing and fishing, though a few small crab boats use the harbour during the summer months.

Ness and other parts of the Western Isles are rapidly gaining a reputation for its superb natural water sports resources.

The silhouette of windsurfers and surfboarders are regularly seen enjoying the waves and golden sands of northern Lewis.

Taigh Dhonnchaidh - Gaelic for ‘Duncan’s House’ - is the most recent arts and music centre to be opened in the Outer Hebrides. This modest, but powerful facility offers an attractive venue and meeting place for a wide range of activities that support the rich cultural, musical and artistic heritage of the Isles.

Opened as part of the Millennium celebrations in 2000, Taigh Dhonnchaidh currently provides regular tuition for over 60 children who are learning to play a range of musical instruments.
Taigh Dhonnchaidh also regularly hosts small ceilidhs (musical evenings) and organises a number of excellent annual events and festivals, such as Ceol Nis (Ness music), Feis nan Orain (Gaelic song festival) and a Gaelic summer school.

Following the recent completion of the Eoropie Dunes Playpark, Ness now has an excellent new outdoor facility for residents and visitors. Owned and managed by GAIN (Guth Airson Iarrtasan Nis, gaelic for A Voice for the Needs of Ness), This unique play and leisure space is the inspiration of a group of mothers whose children had no local playground.

Formed in 1998, GAIN worked hard to involve the community, liase with statutory and voluntary organizations and local groups, secure funding and build this visionary park.

Created from wasteland the park was designed to blend in with the magnificent landscape. High quality timber equipment was used to create a safe, environmentally friendly play and leisure facility that offers something for everyone. Young and the old, those on low incomes, families and single parents, the sedentary and those with physical and mental health problems are able to benefit from this facility, which is free and easily accessible to all.

Established in 1977, Comunn Eachdraidh Nis - Ness Historical Society - has amassed a superb collection of over 3,000 photographs, audio and video tapes, social history documentation and artefacts.

Among the many artefacts that can be seen at the Ness Heritage Centre are a granite cross and a smooth ball of marble stone that both originated on the island of North Rona.

Right: Visitors enjoying a day out at the Ness Heritage Centre

Ness has a long association with the island of North Rona, which lies 44 miles NNE of the Butt of Lewis. It is believed that the island takes its name from St Ronan, a monk who settled there and built a small chapel. Until about 1680 the island supported a population of up to 30 people who sustained themselves on oats, barley, cattle and sheep, seabirds and seabird eggs, seals and fish. Since 1844 it has been used by successive Ness farmers or crofters as grazing for sheep.

The Rona Cross used to stand in the middle of the small graveyard on Rona. According to tradition the stone marked the grave of St. Ronan himself. The figure of a naked man is carved in outline on the granite cross, which also has three holes going through the upper part of the cross. The naked man perhaps suggests the merging of a pre-Christian belief with the Christian symbol of the cross. The Rona Cross is difficult to date accurately but may belong to the 7th or 8th century. The cross was removed from Rona earlier this century and later placed in St. Moluadh’s church where it was kept until 1992. It was then given by the Friends of St. Moluadh’s to the Ness Historical Trust for safekeeping and display.

The Rona Stone is a small piece of green serpentine marble. It is said to have been brought to Rona by St Ronan around 700 AD from the early Christian community on Iona. It seems that the early Christian monks who travelled from Iona preaching the gospel often took special stones with them when they left Iona.

Lionel School Swimming Pool

Lionel School has a superb modestly sized swimming pool that is available to the public after school hours and Saturdays. The excellent facilities are staffed at all times by trained and certificated staff. Swimming lessons are available for beginners, as well as parent & child sessions on Saturdays.
Pool Timetable

With several beautiful little sandy beaches enriching the coastal landscape, the grassy 'machair' land offers an excellent experience for walkers and ramblers.

The island's coast is carved out of ancient Lewisian gneiss, which geologists have dated at nearly 3000 million years, making it the oldest rock formation in Britain.

Dun Eistein, a small island yards from the coast of Knockaird in Ness, is the ancestral home of the Morrison Clan and is currently subject to extensive archaeological renovations being carried out by Glasgow University. Looking arguably nondescript to the practiced eye, Dun Eistein has had a long and turbulent history and has yielded some very exciting material over the past few years.

According to the archaeological team currently working on the site, the features uncovered on the island stack appear to be predominantly of medieval or later date, though some elements may be prehistoric in origin.

In 2002 a footbridge across the gorge separating Dun Eistein from mainland Ness was officially opened by the Clan Chief, Dr Iain Morrison.

For more information on the work being carried out on Dun Eistein you can visit Glasgow University's Archaeological Research Division (GUARD) website [select 'Projects']. There is further information on Dun Eistein and the Clan Morrison at the Clan Morrison Society of North America web.

For further information on the community of Ness, please visit the Western Isles Tourist Board website, or the pages of Undiscovered Scotland. There are also excellent web pages on visitor attractions produced by the pupils of Lionel School.