Brenish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brenish
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 Brenish coastline |
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 Brenish
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| Population | 25 |
| Language | Scottish Gaelic English |
| OS grid reference | NA991261 |
| 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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Brenish (Scottish Gaelic: Brèinis) is a small village. It is located on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. This island is part of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. Brenish is found within the area known as Uig. Sometimes, people spell the village name as Breanish. However, maps usually show it as Brenish.
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Exploring Brenish: A Scottish Village
Brenish is known as one of the most beautiful places on the island. Even though it's very scenic, not many people visit. This is because it's in a remote spot. The road leading there is long and winding. The village sits right along the Atlantic Ocean. The huge Mealisval mountain, the tallest on the island, watches over it.
Brenish is right next to Mealista. Mealista is an empty village famous for its amazing sandy beaches. The road ends at Mealista. This makes Brenish the very last village with people living in it on the C39 road.
To get to Brenish, you can take the A859 from Stornoway or Tarbert, Harris. Then, you turn onto the A858 towards Garynahine. After that, you follow the B8011 road. This road changes into the C39 at Timsgarry. The trip can take about 60 to 90 minutes from Stornoway.
Cool Features: The Brenish Blowhole
One of the most interesting things in Brenish is called the Blowhole. It's a deep hole in the ground. It sits about 20 meters away from the sea. There's a sea cave that funnels ocean water into this hole. Sometimes, the water rushes in so fast that it shoots out the top of the hole!
The Blowhole is located north of the village. It's quite large but can be hard to spot. This is because it's in a dip in the ground. There are no fences around the hole. This means walkers need to be careful when exploring the area.
Nature and Wildlife in Brenish
The land around Brenish is mostly moorland. It's covered in heather and has many lakes of different sizes. Lots of rain keeps these lakes full. The ground here has a lot of peat. Many villagers still use peat as a natural fuel. They burn it for heating their homes and cooking food. The land between Brenish and Islivig has been used for cutting peat for many years.
Only tough plants can grow here. This is because the weather is wild, wet, and salty. You'll see many sheep walking around freely. More and more deer are also appearing. They sometimes come into people's gardens in the evenings. Other animals living here include rabbits, hares, rats, and wild cats. Recently, people have even seen frogs, which is new for the area. You can often spot seals fishing for salmon and sea trout in Brenish Bay.
The Isle of Lewis is a great place for birds that are migrating. You can see them along with the strong seabirds that live here all the time. Sometimes, Golden eagles also visit the village.
Brenish Weather: Long Summer Days
Brenish has an oceanic climate. This means it gets a lot of rain. Temperatures often stay low for much of the year. They usually don't reach above 10 degrees Celsius. However, Brenish is far enough north to have very long summer days. During summer, there can be daylight for over 20 hours!
It's also a fantastic place to see the Aurora Borealis. This amazing natural light show is also known as the Northern Lights.
People and Community in Brenish
Brenish used to have many more people living there. But in the 1900s, its population dropped a lot. Younger people moved to the mainland for work. Older residents passed away. There aren't many jobs in the area. The traditional way of life, called crofting (small-scale farming), has also declined since the 1980s.
However, since the late 1990s, the village has seen a small population increase. More than half of the people living in Brenish now have moved there from other parts of the UK. This has brought a new feeling of life and energy to the village.
Village Homes and Buildings
The buildings in Brenish look much like other houses on the island. Homes are usually built next to the road. They are at the top of a croft, which is a small piece of farmland. The croft then slopes down towards the sea. Several new houses have been built since the late 1990s. These new homes are slowly changing how the village looks.
Religion in the Community
Brenish, like other parts of the Hebrides, has a strong religious community. Most people are Presbyterian. Because of this, Sundays are usually very quiet in the village. Not long ago, even watching television on a Sunday would have been seen as wrong.
Images for kids
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Mealista beach
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Mealista beach
