Garenin

Coordinates: 58°17′46″N 6°47′31″W / 58.296°N 6.792°W / 58.296; -6.792

Garenin (Scottish Gaelic: Na Gearrannan) is a crofting township found on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Garenin is in the Carloway municipality and has a population of about 80 people. Garenin is also within the parish of Uig. Today the village is most famous for the Blackhouse Village, which consists of 9 restored traditional thatched cottages. The village is found at the end of the Garenin road beside the village bay. These houses were lived in till 1974 and were the last group of blackhouses to be inhabited in the Western Isles.

In 1989 Urras nan Geàrrannan (The Garenin Trust) was established to restore the houses. Over a decade later the project was complete and the restored Blackhouse village was opened by HRH Princess Anne.

The Blackhouse Village is managed by Gearrannan Village Ltd and offers a wide range of services to both tourists and the local community. There was a Youth Hostel (managed by The Gatliff Trust) but this closed in May 2011, however there are still four self-catering cottages. There is a Café, a museum (a blackhouse set in 1955), a resource centre and a small gift shop. The Village is open all year apart from the gift shop and café which are open during the summer months. The Blackhouse Village has a website which allows you to book one of the self-catering cottages online.