01/01/25 Crofters and the ancient Calanais Standing Stones

The Calanais Standing Stones on the west side of the Isle of Lewis date back 5000 years, and predate Stonehenge. The Neolithic monument, which was used for rituals and astronomical observation, stands on raised land above a crofting township and attracts an ever-growing number of visitors.

A new £10 million visitor centre is in construction, but it won't be complete in time for the additional crowds who are expected to arrive in 2025 to view a lunar standstill over the stones, a phenomenon that occurs only every 18.6 years.

Nearby crofters raise animals and work the land as they have done over the millennia. Some have lived here all their lives and take the stones for granted, while others have travelled hundreds of miles to make their home beside them. We hear from both viewpoints and from prehistoric archaeologist Alison Sheridan Produced and presented by Nancy Nicolson