Gearrannan is the best-preserved township of traditional Hebridean blackhouses in the islands — a row of low-slung, thatch-roofed dwellings built into the hillside above the Atlantic coast of Lewis. The style is ancient: thick stone walls, earth-filled double courses to keep out the wind, no windows facing the sea. Several of the houses have been restored as a visitor attraction, with period furnishings showing what life looked like for Hebridean crofters into the mid-20th century.
Some of the Gearrannan blackhouses operate as self-catering holiday cottages, which is among the more unusual ways to spend a night on Lewis. The site sits on the west coast road, about 15 kilometres north of Carloway, making it easy to combine with the Callanish Stones and Dun Carloway in a single day's driving. The views from the village down to the sea are remarkable in good weather.