Arriving in Stornoway

Stornoway offers a warm welcome to visitors arriving on cruise ships and as well as a gateway to other parts of the island, it has its own exciting contributions to all kinds of exciting experiences, an array of great independent local shops, a museum in a historic Castle, a vibrant arts venue, fabulous eateries, bars and lots more.

This historic town is the largest and only town in Lewis, indeed in the Outer Hebrides, and is the main administrative centre for the Western Isles. With a population of around 7000, it is pretty compact and is easy to get around.  Across the busy harbour, proudly overlooking the town, stands the magnificent victorian-era Lews Castle and Grounds with lots of amenities, walking and cycling opportunities. 

ARRIVAL

Your arrival in Stornoway will depend on the size of the Cruise ship. Smaller ships can berth at the towns Harbour which is a couple of minutes’ walk from the town centre. Larger vessels will dock at the deep-water terminal and there are regular shuttle buses to the town centre which will take around 15 minutes. If you prefer to stretch your legs there is a 45 minute walk through the stunning Castle Grounds and across to the town centre.    

INFORMATION

Download our Stornoway Guide and there are also a number of other guides and leaflets are available to download here.

Pop into the VisitScotland iCentre in Stornoway for the local intel, events, maps, guides and activities.