The Wildlife Map of the Hebrides

18. Pairc

Pairc is really the deer park, a huge area of land connected to the rest of Lewis only by a narrow neck between Loch Seaforth and Loch Erisort, which had a wall- the Garadh an Tighearna or Lairds Duke- built across it by Lord Seaforth in the early 17th century, the outline of which you can now still see. Only the north of Pairc is now inhabited: settlements in the south were cleared by Sir James Matheson in the last century. A famous deer raid took place here in 1877 as a demonstration by starving people, commemorated by the broch like cairn at the Eishken junction. Much of this area is still used for deer stalking. Loch Cromore, which has a slight salt water content, is good for wildfowl, including wintering whooper swans and common seals frequent the inlets. The deserted village of Stiomrabhagh is a short walk from Orinsay. Fine views of the Shiant Islands may be obtained from Lemreway and Orinsay.