Brenish

Brenish
Population	25
OS grid reference	NA9926
Shire county	Western Isles
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Stornoway
Dialling code	+44 (0)1851 672
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish

Brenish (Scottish Gaelic: Bréanais) is a small village situated on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, which is part of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is in the district of Uig, Lewis.

It is commonly regarded as one of the more scenic areas on the island, although its remote location at the end of the winding and decaying C39 makes it one of the less visited. The village itself runs parallel to the Atlantic coast and is overlooked by Mealisval, the tallest mountain on the island. It is located next to the village of Mealista which is an uninhabited village known best for its selection of virginal sandy beaches. Mealista is where the road ends, making Brenish the last populated village on the C39.

Directions

Brenish can be reached by taking the A859 from Stornoway or Tarbert, Western Isles, then turning on to the A858 towards Garynahine (Scottish Gaelic: Gearraidh na h-aibhne), then the B8011, which then becomes the C39. The journey takes between 60 and 90 minutes from Stornoway and 90 to 120 minutes from Tarbert (depending on driving experience on the Lewis roads).

Architecture

The architecture in the area is fairly typical for the island. Most houses would have originally been a Black House and will have been heavily modernised and extended throughout the years. Generally the houses are built beside the road, at the top of a Croft (land) which itself leads down to the sea. However there have been several new houses built since the late 1990s which are changing the face of the village.

Population

Brenish was once a highly populated village but has suffered a drastic decline in its numbers during the 1900s, brought about by a combination of the younger generation opting to move to the mainland and the demise of the ageing residents. There is very little employment in the local area and the traditional occupation of crofting has itself been in rapid decline since the 1980s. However, since the late 1990s the village has experienced a relative population boom. Over 50% of the population have migrated to Brenish from the UK mainland which has brought with it a feeling of revival.

Religion

Brenish, like all parts of the Hebridies, has a strong religious (Presbyterian) following. To this end there is normally very little activity in the village on Sunday and until relatively recent years even the act of watching television on Sunday was frowned upon.