Back, Lewis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Back
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 Morning view from Broad Bay House, Back |
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 Back
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| Language | Scottish Gaelic English |
| OS grid reference | NB484405 |
| Civil parish | |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ISLE OF LEWIS |
| Postcode district | HS2 |
| Dialling code | 01851 |
| Police | Northern |
| Fire | Highlands and Islands |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Back (called Am Bac in Scottish Gaelic) is a village and a wider area on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis. This island is part of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. Back is located by a coastal area known as Loch a'Tuath, or Broad Bay. It's part of the Stornoway parish and can be reached by the B895 road. The people of Back use the motto "Tre Dhilseachd Buaidh," which means "Through Loyalty Success." You can see this motto on the crest of the local football team, Back FC.
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Exploring the Villages of Back
The Back area includes several villages, all located along the coast of Broadbay. These villages are Gearraidh Ghuirm, Upper Coll, Coll, Inner Coll, Vatisker, Back itself, and Gress.
Getting Around Back
Back is about five miles from Stornoway by road. You can get there by taking the B895 road from where it meets the A857, just north of Stornoway.
Back School: Sgoil a' Bhac
Sgoil a’ Bhac is a school that teaches children from primary age. It used to teach older students too, but now secondary school pupils go to the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway.
The school currently teaches children aged 5 to 11 years. Around 190 to 200 students attend. There's also a nursery for younger children before they start primary school. The school has two main parts: one where lessons are in English, and another where about half the students learn mostly in the Scottish Gaelic language.
Sgoil a’ Bhac is a very important part of the community. It's often used for local events and has a strong connection with the local Free Church of Scotland. The school is also known for its success in sports, especially football and Badminton. School teams have won many local tournaments over the years.
Community Life in Back
The people of Back have several places and groups that help the community.
- The Hut - Community Hall: This is a small hall with a kitchen. Local groups can rent it for meetings, and it's also used for children's parties and other events.
- Loch a Tuath News: This is a monthly magazine run by the community. It shares local news, stories, and history from Back and the nearby Tong area. You can find copies in local shops or subscribe to it.
- Còisir Sgìre a' Bhac: This is a traditional Gaelic choir from the area. They have been very successful at the Royal National Mod, which is an important annual festival for Gaelic culture.
Discovering Tourism in Back
While not as famous as some other places in the Outer Hebrides, the Back area has some amazing beaches. You can find wide, sandy beaches at Coll, Vatisker, and Gress. These beaches are becoming more popular for surfing and other water sports all year round.
The rivers in the district are good for fishing. You can catch salmon, sea trout, and brown trout. There are two small rivers in Coll (the Angus River and Coll River) and a main river at Gress. You need a permit to fish in these rivers. However, in the moorland areas around the district, there are many lochs (lakes) where you can fish for brown trout without a special permit.
The area is also home to lots of wildlife. You can see many types of birds that live by the coast and in the moorlands. In the summer, you might hear the unique call of the corncrake and the cuckoo. Broad Bay also has a large population of seals and other sea mammals.
If you want to visit, there are several good bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) and self-catering places to stay in the area. You can find more details on the Visit Outer Hebrides website.
Religion in Back
Religion is very important to the community in Back. The local church is a Free Church of Scotland. Services are given in both English and Scottish Gaelic. Two CDs of Gaelic psalm singing, sung without musical instruments, have been recorded at the church. The current minister at Back Free Church is Rev Calum Iain MacLeod.
Sports in Back
| Full name | Back FC |
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| Nickname(s) | The Blues, Bacachs |
| Founded | 1933 |
| Ground | Coll Centre Upper Coll Back Isle of Lewis |
| Chairman | The Clubs Board |
| Manager | James 'Bommie' Macurthur |
| League | Lewis and Harris Football League |
Football is the most popular sport in Back, and many people from the community go to watch games. Back F.C. was started in 1933 and plays its games near the beach at Upper Coll.
The sports facilities, known as the Coll Centre, are some of the best in the North of Scotland:
- There is a large hall, big enough for five badminton courts.
- An astro turf pitch, which is currently being covered with a roof to become an indoor pitch.
- A full-sized natural grass football pitch, where the football club plays its matches.
- In 2011, a golf driving range was opened next to the grass football pitch.
- There is also a beach across the road, which is often used for football training.
Back F.C. is named after the Back district and attracts players from all the local villages. Players from other parts of the island, nearby islands, and even new residents have played for the team. The team is mostly made up of young players, thanks to a development club where children as young as eight train twice a week.
The club has won many trophies since it began. They have won the highly desired Eilean Fhraoich Cup 17 times. Only people who live in the district or have close family there can play in this cup, which makes winning it a special source of pride.
Back won a very big trophy in 2004: the Highland Amateur Cup. Clubs from all over the Highlands and Islands compete in this knockout competition, and it's a dream for all the clubs in the region to win it.
Since winning the Highland Amateur Cup, the senior team has found it hard to reach those heights again. However, the junior teams have been very strong. The under-18 team, for example, won three major trophies in one season without losing a single game.
A famous player named Andy Gray played for the club as a youth. He later went on to play for the Scotland national team and for big clubs like Rangers F.C., Wolves F.C., Aston Villa F.C., and Everton F.C., where he won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
Images for kids
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Morning view from Broad Bay House, Back
