Port of Ness facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Port of Ness Scottish Gaelic: Port Nis
Port of Ness, the beach and the harbour basin
Port of Ness
Language	Scottish Gaelic English
OS grid reference	NB537638
Civil parish	Barvas
Council area	Na h-Eileanan Siar
Lieutenancy area	Western Isles
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ISLE OF LEWIS
Postcode district	HS2
Dialling code	01851 810
Police	Northern
Fire	Highlands and Islands
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Scottish Parliament	Na h-Eileanan an Iar
List of places UK Scotland 58°29′35″N 6°13′37″W / 58.493°N 6.227°W / 58.493; -6.227

Port of Ness, known as Port Nis in Scottish Gaelic, is a small village in Scotland. It is located on the Isle of Lewis, which is part of the Outer Hebrides islands. Port of Ness is found within the Barvas area.

You can find the village at the very end of the A857 road. This road starts in Stornoway, the main town on the island. In 2014, a special memorial was built here. It celebrates the village's long history of fishing. It also honors the 96 people who sadly lost their lives while fishing between 1835 and 1900.

The Harbour at Port of Ness

The harbour in Port of Ness was built a long time ago. Its construction began in the early 1800s. It was made bigger in 1893, and a wall called a breakwater was added a year later. This breakwater helps protect the harbour from strong waves.

Each year, a group of men from the Ness area sail from this port. They travel to a remote island called Sula Sgeir in the Atlantic Ocean. Their mission is to collect young gannets for food. This tradition has been happening since at least the 1500s. Today, the Scottish government gives special permission for this unique event.

Ancient Sites and History

Just north of Port of Ness, you can find the Clach Stein standing stones. These are tall, ancient stones placed upright by people long ago.

To the south of the village is Dun Eòradail. This was once a settlement built on top of a sea stack, which is like a small island made of rock. Not much is known about Dun Eòradail. However, it contains the ruins of several old buildings. Experts believe it might be from the medieval period. This is because it looks similar to other settlements from that time. No archaeological digs have happened there yet to confirm its exact age.

Port of Ness in Books

The boathouse located at the Port of Ness harbour is famous in literature. It appears in two novels by the writer Peter May. These books are called The Blackhouse and The Lewis Man.

Images for kids

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  A view of Port of Ness

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  A cafe in Port of Ness

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  Boats in the harbour

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  The harbour wall

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  Looking out to sea from the harbour

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  Another view of the harbour