If you are a fan of the books of Peter May, you may be interested in visiting locations that inspired the books in the Lewis Thrillers, and the places which feature in the companion photobook Hebrides.
We have created a guide to the Outer Hebrides places featured in Peter May’s Lewis Thrillers, many of which include images from the author’s own Hebrides photographer David Wilson.
Want to see where The Blackhouse is set? To find out where the Black Loch is based on? Explore the real islands from the Lewis Thriller books? Then read on for the very best inside information on all of Peter May’s Hebrides literary locations!
David Wilson explains: “In the area around the township of Ness can be found many of the locations mentioned in the Lewis Thriller books as this is the place where Fin was raised and to which he returns.
“The Skigersta slipway where Fin finds his father’s old purple boat is overlooked by the three cairns and his auntie’s house where he was raised after his parent’s death.
“Also there is the township of Adabroc where Peter imagined Fin had grown up, although he re-named it “Crobost” , and the Free Church at Cross where Donald preaches (Peter “moved” this to Crobost!)
“The glorious bay at Uig, south west Lewis, has many of Fin’s locations around it- Whistler lives at Ardroil as does Minto and the ancient little graveyard at Baile na Cille must be one of the most scenic in Britain. Overlooking the bay are the mountains, including Mealaisbhal, where Fin and Whistler have several scrapes, and a great trip to take by boat (Seatrek at Miavaig) goes out to the islands and literally into the caves where the fatal scene occurs in “The Chessmen”
“For walkers, the beehive dwellings at Morsgail are a couple of miles off the road to Uig, and walking on beyond them takes you to the site of a genuine “disappearing loch”
“Also for walkers, a “must see” is the Bridge to Nowhere and the Road to nowhere- scene of the scooter race in the Chessmen. This can be found at the very end of the road up the east side of Lewis from Stornoway and is beside the fabulous beaches of Gearaidh and Traigh Mor, Tolsta.
“While in Stornoway, a visitor should also visit the Iolaire monument, featured in Chessmen, which has such an evocative story.
“The island of Eriskay is a great little location to stroll round, and offers views of Johnny's house (cover of the “Hebrides” book) Ceit’s red-roofed house, the little harbour at Haun and of course the church of St Michaels with all its history and the altar made from the bows of a boat. The lane down to the Barra ferry pier overlooks the silver sands of “Charlies beach”, and just over the causeway on South Uist, so famous for its machair flora, is the mountain “Ben Kenneth” towering over the township of Lochboisdale, where the homers first land.”
Locations from The Black Loch include the village of Tobson on Great Bernera, which is also where Peter May partly based the fictitious location of An Loch Dubh ‘The Black Loch’.
The Bernara Bridge ‘Bridge Over the Atlantic’ and the large sea loch, Loch Roag, also feature strongly in The Black Loch.
For full details on all the Lewis Thriller locations mentioned, check out the list below or click on to map view to see the locations in all four books.
You can also download our Peter May leaflet with a map and locations (note the latest book, The Black Loch, locations have not been added to this leaflet as yet). Click on the here to download.
