THE EYE PENINSULA

The Eye Peninsula, otherwise known as Point, lies about 4 miles east of Stornoway, and is separated from the rest of Lewis by a narrow isthmus called the Braigh. There is a mythical story told locally about how, back long ago when Point was a separate island, a ferocious storm caused Lewis to drift away, but the people of Point hauled it back again with the aid of a rope. The debris and sand which gathered around the rope over time was said to be the origin of the isthmus.

As soon as you enter the peninsula, you are greeted by the evocative ruins of St Columba's Church, or Eaglais Chaluim Chille in Gaelic, dating originally from the 14th century. The land around the church was used as the burial ground for the MacLeods of Lewis. It is one of several early Christian sites on the peninsula. Near St Columba's Church is a memorial to the Aignish rioters who took part in the Lewis Land Struggle in the 1800s. At the eastern extreme of the peninsula is Tiumpan Head with its lighthouse, built in 1900. It is worth taking binoculars if you decide to visit the lighthouse, as it is sometimes possible to see basking sharks or whales out at sea from here.

Map of the area.

Tiumpan Head Lighthouse - geograph.org.uk - 1246880. Photo by Stephen Branley, via Wikimedia Commons.