Loch Roag (Roag – 'Deer Bay' in Norse) is a large sea loch in Uig, on the west coast of Lewis. It is broadly divided into East Loch Roag and West Loch Roag  with other branches which include Little Loch Roag. Although there are several uninhabited islands, the loch is dominated by the only inhabited island, Great Bernera.

 

The underlying geology is composed of Lewisian gneiss, a metamorphic rock that, at 3 billlion years old, is estimated to be one of the oldest in the world. Several subsequent geological and climatic events have sculpted the landscape that exists today into abundant sea caves, natural arches, sea stacks, and high cliffs.

 

The Loch Roag area has a rich archaeological heritage. A burial of a Viking woman has been found in the area, which corresponds with a local myth of a Viking princess, and some of the earliest archaeological evidence of people living on the Outer Hebrides can be seen in this area. There are stone circles and brochs, including the Bronze Age Callanish Stones (at 5,000 years of age, older than the Pyramids and Stonehenge), the Dun Carloway Broch with its evidence of the Beaker people (4,500 years ago), and the Bostadh Iron Age House giving insights to life between the 6th and 9th centuries.

 

Loch Roag is steeped in ancient history, with evidence of human habitation dating back thousands of years. The area is abundant in archaeological sites, including ancient stone circles, burial mounds, and standing stones. Loch Roag holds not only incredible scenic views but also a wealth of stories and legends that have been passed down through generations.

 

With very little human development, history remains etched on the land. There are archaeological sites all around, ancient burial cairns, promontory enclosures, ancient field systems, and the walls of villages and black houses abandoned during the Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries.

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