Dun Carloway Broch, Isle of Lewis

Dun Carloway

Dun Carloway Broch is one of the best-preserved Iron Age brochs in Scotland (perhaps sharing that honour with Mousa Broch in Shetland).  The round tower stands on a rocky hill overlooking Loch Roag, on the west coast of Lewis. The galleried walls and entrance guard chamber of the broch are still visible.

Dun Carloway has a base diameter of 47', and the walls still rise to 30' in places, and the inner core of the broch is about 25' across. The walls are 10-12' thick, made of two layers, with a hollow core. The walls have partially collapsed, allowing us access to the core and a good look at how the walls were constructed.

Within the wall thickness are several chambers and tiers of galleries on two levels, formed by flat slabs of stone that tie the two wall skins together and also allow visitors to climb up inside the walls for a good view.

The intra-wall passage

What is a broch?

In truth, we do not know. They may have been defensive towers, meant to serve as a lookout guarding a settlement against attack. If an attack threatened, the inhabitants could gather their livestock together and take refuge inside. If this scenario is close to the truth, Dun Carloway would not have been permanently inhabited, but used only at certain times.

Access to Dun Carloway is by way of a 100' climb up a moderate hill from a parking area off the A858 south of Carloway village.