Wednesday 28 May 2008

Garenin Blackhouses

Tuesday 27th May, 2008
Next, we called at Garenin - simply because I needed the loo! Garenin is a crofting township in the Carloway area and has a population of about 30 people. Today the village is most famous for the Blackhouse Village, which consists of 9 restored traditional thatched cottages. These houses were lived in until 1974 and were the last group of blackhouses to be inhabited in the Western Isles.




In 1989 Urras nan Geàrrannan (The Garenin Trust) was established to restore the houses. Over a decade later the project was complete and the restored Blackhouse village was opened by HRH Princess Anne. The Blackhouse Village is managed by Gearrannan Village Ltd and offers a wide range of services to both tourists and the local community. There is a Youth Hostel, four self-catering cottages, a Café, a museum (a blackhouse set in 1955), a resource centre and a small gift shop.



1 comment:

  1. the thing the highland clearnce people had to live throught was shockiung and they must have been old at night! If you have eny info about the highland clearncce e-mail me at kirstymacinnes@live.ccom

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