Portvoller

Portvoller Scottish Gaelic: Port Mholair
Loch an t-Siumpain is in the centre of the picture, with the houses of Portvoller beyond
Portvoller Location within the Outer Hebrides
Language	Scottish Gaelic English
OS grid reference	NB561366
Civil parish	Stornoway
Council area	Na h-Eileanan Siar
Lieutenancy area	Western Isles
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ISLE OF LEWIS
Postcode district	HS2
Dialling code	01851
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Scottish Parliament	Na h-Eileanan an Iar
List of places UK Scotland 58°15′04″N 6°09′25″W / 58.251°N 6.157°W / 58.251; -6.157

Portvoller (Scottish Gaelic: Port Mholair) is a small village on the north tip of the Eye Peninsula (which along with Melbost and Parkend makes up Point), on the Isle of Lewis in northwestern Scotland. It is 9 miles (14 kilometres) on the A866 from the Outer Hebrides' only town, Stornoway.^[1] Portvoller is within the parish of Stornoway.^[2]

Portvoller's most prominent feature is the Tiumpan Head Lighthouse, which is located at the northernmost tip of the village.^[3]

Portvoller is also near some of the Western Isles' best fishing waters, especially rock fishing or beach casting. The headlands that are most popular for these pursuits are known locally as Billy Mor (Bilidh Mhor)^[4] and Foitelair (Foitealar).^[4] These two fishing hotspots are found about five minutes' walk from the ruined Portvoller slipway—a walk that can be a treacherous clamber after a squall or downpour. The Portvoller slipway is also near to small and secluded Shinega (Sinigeadh)^[5] beach.

The village name probably originates from the Old Norse word voller (the plural of vollen, still used in some dialects of Norwegian, which denotes a hill that slants upwards gradually). Indeed, this is a quite appropriate description of the village of Portvoller.

In the period from the ninth to the twelfth century, Viking raids on the island would have been commonplace. When Norway occupied Lewis before the Treaty of Perth and the Battle of Largs, Portvoller would have been a principal landing place for arrivals from Norway.

The village has several others surrounding it, including Portnaguran, Aird, Broker and Flesherin, all of which are served by the one post office, off-licence and shop. All the aforenamed villages are served by the Western Isles Council in terms of public transport and other services.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Portvoller.

• Photo of Portvoller Bay archive.org
• Geograph images of the area around Portvoller