Solway

serif · Designed by Mariya Lish, The Northern Block

Solway: A quick movement of the enemy will jeopardize five gunboats

Available weights

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Snippet updates automatically to match whichever weight you select above.

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What do I do with this?

Just want to use the font? Click "Get this font on Google Fonts" to download it or add it directly to a document, design tool (like Canva or Photoshop), or your computer's font list.

Building a website? Click "Copy Font Code" to copy a short snippet, then paste it into your website's HTML (usually inside the <head> section) to use this font on your site.

Solway is a serif typeface with a traditional, bookish quality rooted in old-style proportions. Its letterforms have moderate contrast between thick and thin strokes, slightly bracketed serifs, and a warm, humanist rhythm that feels approachable without being casual. The overall impression is trustworthy and legible, sitting somewhere between a classic text face and a display serif — sturdy enough to hold up at smaller sizes but with enough personality to work in headlines. It has a slightly vintage edge that reads as established and credible rather than stiff or formal.

Solway works well for editorial and publishing projects where readability and a sense of heritage matter, such as online magazines, literary blogs, or news-adjacent sites. It is also a practical choice for professional service branding — law firms, consultancies, or financial advisors — where the goal is to communicate reliability without feeling cold. A third strong use case is independent book or product packaging design, where a serif with old-style character adds perceived quality and craftsmanship to the overall look.

Best suited for: Editorial layouts, professional service websites, literary publications, and independent packaging projects that benefit from a serif with established credibility and readable warmth.

Design considerations: Solway's five weight options from 300 to 800 support flexible typographic hierarchies across body text and headlines without requiring additional typeface families. The moderate stroke contrast and slightly bracketed serifs maintain legibility at smaller sizes while retaining enough character for display use.

Pairing guidance: Pair Solway with Playfair Display for editorial layouts where a high-contrast serif headline complements its approachable body presence, Source Sans 3 for professional contexts requiring clean sans-serif contrast and extensive weight range, or DM Mono for projects incorporating code, data, or technical content that benefit from monospace clarity alongside serif warmth.

Pairs well with

Playfair Display Source Sans 3 DM Mono

Solway at a glance

Designer

Mariya Lish, The Northern Block

License

SIL Open Font License 1.1

Added to Google Fonts

August 2018

Last updated

September 2025

Styles

5 (5 weights)

Classification

Serif

Character sets

1

Distributed via

Google Fonts

All 5 Solway styles

Weight Name Upright
300 Light Aa Bb Gg 123
400 Regular Aa Bb Gg 123
500 Medium Aa Bb Gg 123
700 Bold Aa Bb Gg 123
800 ExtraBold Aa Bb Gg 123

Solway character map

Uppercase

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Lowercase

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Numbers and punctuation

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ! ? & @ # % $ € £ ( ) [ ] { } . , : ; " ' - / * + =

Which languages does Solway support?

Solway includes one character set:

  • Latin: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and other Western European languages

It does not include Cyrillic or Greek characters, so it can't set Russian, Ukrainian or Greek text.

Can I use Solway commercially?

Yes, it's free for personal and commercial use. Solway is released under the SIL Open Font License 1.1. You can use it in logos, websites, apps, videos, printed products and merchandise without paying or asking permission. The one thing you can't do is sell the font file on its own.

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Solway FAQ

Is Solway free for commercial use?

Yes. Solway is licensed under the SIL Open Font License 1.1, so you can use it in commercial projects, including logos, client work and products you sell.

Which weights does Solway include?

Solway includes 5 weights, from Light (300) to ExtraBold (800). There are no italic styles.

Does Solway support Cyrillic?

No. Solway supports Latin, but not Cyrillic.

Who designed Solway?

Solway was designed by Mariya Lish, The Northern Block. It was added to Google Fonts in August 2018.