Calanais at Sunset – The Stones and a Wood-Fired Pizza
A few hours.
The route
The light at the Calanais Stones is lovely at sunset, the tall grey stones dark against the sky over Loch Roag, and there are fewer people about.
Watch the sun go down from the ridge, then pick up a wood-fired pizza from Crust, a blue shipping container at Achmore, on the A858 to the east.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Harris Hideaway, 21 miles away. Sleeps 2.
Order online on crustlikethat.co.uk for a time to collect, or ring 07762 128108: Crust bakes Thursday to Saturday, noon to 7.30pm.
Book a ticket on calanais.org only if the sunset falls in the centre's hours (Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm from October to March, which takes in December and January); after 4pm and on Sundays the path to the stones is open.
The day
Calanais
The sun going down behind the stones above Loch Roag, and a hot pizza a short drive east.
About an hour and a half
Callanish Stones
An attraction
Park in the visitor centre's free car park at Calanais and take the steep path up to the stones. In the centre's hours, Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm between October and March, entry is by ticket, booked on calanais.org; after that, and on Sundays, the path to the stones stays open. From the second week of October until the clocks go forward at the end of March, the sun sets here between about 3.35pm and 6.55pm. Arrive half an hour before, bring a torch for the path down, and wrap up well, as there's no shelter on the ridge.
19 min by car
Crust, Achmore
Supper
Crust is 19 minutes' drive east along the A858, a blue shipping container at Achmore with a wood-fired oven inside. It makes Neapolitan-style pizza from Thursday to Saturday, noon to 7.30pm. Order online for a time to collect, or ring 07762 128108; in the winter months, ring before going. It's a takeaway hatch on a gravel car park, so eat in the car or take the boxes home. From Sunday to Wednesday, when Crust is shut, HS-1 at the Royal Hotel in Stornoway is the other choice: it serves dinner every day from 5pm to 9pm, walk-in only.
If it rains
On a wet or wild evening the ridge is bleak, with no shelter: look at the stones from the top of the path and go on early for the pizza.
Where to stay