Portal:Scottish islands

The Scottish Islands Portal
Welcome! — Fàilte! — Walcome!

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   The Cuillin, Isle of Skye
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   Seilebost on Harris
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   Portree Waterfront, Isle of Skye
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   View from Elgol on the Isle of Skye across to the Cuillin
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   Clisham in the distance, Harris
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   Tobermory waterfront on Mull
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   Tombolo connecting St Ninian's Isle to Mainland, Shetland
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   Looking from the Isle of Mull towards Ardnamurchan peninsula as the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry MV Clansman sails past the Rubha nan Gall lighthouse
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   Tiree

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Relief map of Scotland, showing some of the numerous offshore islands

Old Man of Hoy, Orkney

Scotland has around 900 offshore islands, most of which are to be found in four main groups: Shetland, Orkney, and the Hebrides, sub-divided into the Inner Hebrides and Outer Hebrides. There are also clusters of islands in the Firth of Clyde, Firth of Forth, and Solway Firth, and numerous small islands within the many bodies of fresh water in Scotland including Loch Lomond and Loch Maree. The largest island is Lewis and Harris which extends to 2,179 square kilometres, and there are a further 200 islands which are greater than 40 hectares in area. Of the remainder, several such as Staffa and the Flannan Isles are well-known despite their small size. Some 94 Scottish islands are permanently inhabited, of which 89 are offshore islands. Between 2001 and 2011, Scottish island populations as a whole grew by 4% to 103,702.

The geology and geomorphology of the islands is varied. Some, such as Skye and Mull, are mountainous, while others like Tiree and Sanday are relatively low-lying. Many have bedrock made from ancient Archaean Lewisian Gneiss which was formed 3 billion years ago; Shapinsay and other Orkney islands are formed from Old Red Sandstone, which is 400 million years old; and others such as Rùm from more recent Tertiary volcanoes. Many of the islands are swept by strong tides, and the Corryvreckan tide race between Scarba and Jura is one of the largest whirlpools in the world. Other strong tides are to be found in the Pentland Firth between mainland Scotland and Orkney, and another example is the "Grey Dog" between Scarba and Lunga. (More on Scottish islands...)

Selected picture

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  Wildflowers in machair, a coastal dune grassland found in the Outer Hebrides and elsewhere

  Credit: Jon Thomson

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  Sandy beach at Mealista, Lewis

  Credit: Peter Moore

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  A common or harbour seal breast-feeding a pup on Skye

  Credit: Nevit Dilmen

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  Satellite image of Skye, showing the surrounding islands including Rona, Raasay and Scalpay to the north east and Soay, Canna and Rùm to the south

  Credit: NASA

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  Portree, the main settlement on Skye

  Credit: Bert Kaufmann

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  Skye Bridge, opened in 1995; the toll was lifted in 2004

  Credit: Gene Selkov

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  The Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm, Orkney was built from two Nissen huts by Italian prisoners of war during World War 2; the interior frescoes are by Domenico Chiocchetti

  Credit: Renata

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  The Neolithic farmstead of Knap of Howar on Papa Westray, Orkney, dates from 3700 BC and might be the oldest surviving stone dwelling in northern Europe

  Credit: Me677

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  The tied island of St Ninian's Isle is joined to the Shetland Mainland by the largest tombolo in the UK

  Credit: ThoWi

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  Aerial view of Kisimul Castle, a small medieval castle on an islet off Barra

  Credit: DJI_0077

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  Sgùrr nan Gillean, in the Cuillin on Skye, from Sligachan

  Credit: Diliff

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  Kilarrow Parish Church, known as the Round Church, is a Georgian building in Bowmore on Islay

  Credit: Ronsteenvoorden

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  Eilean Donan Castle at the confluence of three sea lochs, Loch Duich, Loch Long and Loch Alsh

  Credit: Diliff

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  White-tailed eagle fishing off Mull, one of several islands to which the birds have been successfully re-introduced

  Credit: Jacob Spinks

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  A scattered settlement on Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides, beneath Beinn Sciathan

  Credit: Mipmapped

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  Common or harbour seal, seen off Lismore

  Credit: Charles J Sharp

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  Blackhouses were the traditional form of house across the Hebrides and the Highlands; this example is at Arnol, Lewis

  Credit: LornaMCampbell

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  A boat leaving a slipway stacked with creels in Elgol Bay, Skye, with the Cuillin in the background

  Credit: Paul Hermans

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  Fishing boats in Stromness Harbour, Orkney

  Credit: Renata

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  Aerial view of the low-lying island of Berneray in the Outer Hebrides, known for its sandy beaches backed by machair

  Credit: Doc Searls

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  The highest of the Fairy Pools, a series of waterfalls near Glen Brittle, Skye

  Credit: Drianmcdonald

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  Rubha nan Gall lighthouse, Tobermory, Mull, built in 1857 by David and Thomas Stevenson, with a Caledonian MacBrayne ferry in the background

  Credit: Colin

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  The 1st-century Dun Carloway on Lewis is a well-preserved example of an Iron Age broch, a type of complex Atlantic roundhouse only found in Scotland

  Credit: Morris R. Maciver

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  Shetland mouse-ear, a rare plant species unique to Shetland and found only on two serpentine hills in the Keen of Hamar reserve on the island of Unst

  Credit: Melvin Grey

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  The main ridge of the Cuillin, Skye

  Credit: Adrian Pingstone

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  Baile Mòr, the village on Iona

  Credit: Clydecoast

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  The ferry from Glenelg to Kylerhea on Skye has run for 400 years; the present boat, MV Glenachulish, is the only hand-operated turntable ferry still in operation

  Credit: Wojsyl

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  Sandy beach at Eoropie, Lewis

  Credit: AmosWolfe

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  Barra Airport is the only one in the world to use a beach as a regular runway

  Credit: Steve Houldsworth

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  The Corryvreckan Whirlpool in the narrow Gulf of Corryvreckan between Jura and Scarba

  Credit: Walter Baxter

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  Fingal's Cave on Staffa

  Credit: Unknown (c. 1900)

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  Alasdair Crotach MacLeod is the first McLeod not to be buried on Iona; his tomb on Harris dates from 1528, and is among the finest of this period in Scotland

  Credit: Gvdwiele

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  The Bruichladdich distillery, one of eight on Islay; single-malt whisky is a major product of the islands

  Credit: Bdcl1881

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  Aerial view of the ruins of a hermitage on Canna

  Credit: Peter Van den Bossche

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  Neist Point Lighthouse on Skye was designed by David Alan Stevenson and dates from 1909

  Credit: Lionel Ulmer

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  Duart Castle, a 13th-century castle on Mull, the historical seat of Clan Maclean

  Credit: Philippe Giabbanelli

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  The cliffs of Eshaness, North Mainland, Shetland

  Credit: ThoWi

Selected island group

Village Bay

St Kilda (Scottish Gaelic: Hiort) is a remote archipelago situated 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) west-northwest of North Uist in the North Atlantic Ocean. It contains the westernmost islands of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The largest island is Hirta, whose sea cliffs are the highest in the United Kingdom; three other islands (Dùn, Soay and Boreray) were also used for grazing and seabird hunting. The islands are administratively a part of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar local authority area.

The origin of the name St Kilda is a matter of conjecture. The islands' human heritage includes unique architectural features from the historic and prehistoric periods, although the earliest written records of island life date from the Late Middle Ages. The medieval village on Hirta was rebuilt in the 19th century, but illnesses brought by increased external contacts through tourism, and the upheaval of the First World War, contributed to the island's evacuation in 1930. Permanent habitation on the islands possibly extends back two millennia, the population probably never exceeding 180; its peak was in the late 17th century. The population waxed and waned, eventually dropping to 36 in 1930, when the remaining population was evacuated. Currently, the only year-round residents are military personnel; a variety of conservation workers, volunteers and scientists spend time there in the summer months. The entire archipelago is owned by the National Trust for Scotland.

A cleit is a stone storage hut or bothy unique to St Kilda; there are known to be 1,260 cleitean on Hirta and a further 170 on the other group islands. Two different early sheep types have survived on these remote islands: the Soay, a Neolithic type, and the Boreray, an Iron Age type. The islands are a breeding ground for many important seabird species including northern gannets, Atlantic puffins, and northern fulmars. The St Kilda wren and St Kilda field mouse are endemic subspecies.

It became one of Scotland's six World Heritage Sites in 1986, and is one of the few in the world to hold joint status for both its natural and cultural qualities. (Full article...)

News

Proposed spaceport site at Lamma Ness, Unst

• 12 February: The BiFab construction yard at Arnish near Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, is purchased by InfraStrata.
• 11 February: Wild fires occur in Benbecula; and at Achmore and Sildinish in the Isle of Lewis; Horsaclete in Harris; Brevig in Barra; and Eubhal in North Uist.
• 19 January: Barra and Vatersay are put under tier-4 restrictions after an outbreak of Covid-19.
• 18 January: The Shetland Space Centre submits plans for a spaceport on Unst (proposed site pictured), Shetland, including three rocket launch pads.
• 8 January: Distilleries in Orkney and South Uist receive government grants to research ways of reducing their CO₂ emissions.
• 4 January: After the UK leaves the European Union, the Northern Celt, an Irish fishing boat based out of Greencastle, County Donegal, is ordered to leave the 12-nautical-mile zone around Rockall by officers of Marine Scotland.
• 1 January: A total of 72 cases of Covid-19 are recorded in an ongoing outbreak in Shetland.
• 9 December: A review by a committee of MSPs into the commissioning and building of two new dual-fuel Caledonian MacBrayne ferries, MV Glen Sannox and "hull 802", criticises CMAL, Transport Scotland and the Scottish government, as well as the ship builders, Ferguson Marine.
• 3 December: North-east Lewis, Sea of the Hebrides and Shiant East Bank are designated Marine Protected Areas, while East Mainland Coast Shetland, Sound of Gigha, Coll and Tiree, Rùm, the west coast of the Outer Hebrides, and the waters off St Kilda and Foula are designated Special Protection Areas.
• 30 November: Michael Russell, MSP for Argyll and Bute, and David Stewart and John Finnie, MSPs for the Highlands and Islands region, will stand down at the 2021 election.
• 17 November: Phytophthora ramorum-infected larch trees in Arran are to be felled over a 543-acre area, to prevent the fungus-like pathogen from spreading.
• 4 November: The Scottish Wildlife Trust objects to a proposed salmon farm in the Marine Protected Area of Wester Ross, near Horse Island, Summer Isles, because of the potential impact on kelp forests and maerl beds.

Selected fauna

The St Kilda field mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus hirtensis) is a subspecies of the wood mouse that is endemic to the Scottish archipelago of St Kilda, the island 40 miles (64 km) west of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides, and 100 miles (160 km) from mainland Scotland. Unique to the islands, the mouse is believed to have arrived on the boats of Viking settlers more than a millennium ago. It is not to be confused with the St Kilda house mouse (Mus musculus muralis), a subspecies of the house mouse which is now extinct.

The last remaining human inhabitants of St Kilda abandoned the islands on 29 August 1930. Thereafter the mice that survived, even those occupying houses abandoned by the St Kildans, were field mice that had moved into the houses from the hills. The islands' house mice could not survive the harsh conditions for more than two years after the archipelago was abandoned by its human population. The islands currently have temporary human habitations. While field mice are widespread on Hirta, their concentration is more pronounced in the old village areas where holes provide access into buildings. Though rarely observed by casual visitors, the mouse is common and is present in every part of the habitat, from the harbour to the high point. (Full article...)

Selected history & culture article

Most witch trials in Orkney were held in St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall

Witchcraft in Orkney possibly has its roots in the settlement of Norsemen on the archipelago from the eighth century onwards. Until the early modern period magical powers were accepted as part of the general lifestyle, but witch-hunts began on the mainland of Scotland in about 1550, and the Scottish Witchcraft Act of 1563 made witchcraft or consultation with witches a crime punishable by death. One of the first Orcadians tried and executed for witchcraft was Allison Balfour, in 1594. Balfour, her elderly husband and two young children, were subjected to severe torture for two days to elicit a confession from her.

Trials were generally held in St Magnus Cathedral where the accused were also incarcerated while being interrogated. Once convicted, witches were taken to Gallow Ha to be executed by strangulation and then their bodies were burned. Early laws also allowed the seizure of any property or belongings of those guilty of any crimes associated with witchcraft; this was manipulated to suit whatever purpose the ruling Earls such as Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney had in mind, and left much of the island's population destitute. These laws were overturned in 1611 but were replaced by Scottish law, causing a shift from the exploitation by the Earls to the administration of justice by the Bishop's court of James Law, a fervent minister from West Lothian. The reforms instituted by the restoration of the Bishops had a significant impact but failed to introduce any neutrality into the proceedings against those accused of witchcraft during the most intensive period of witch-hunting on the island from 1615 until 1645.

The new court regime produced varying results regarding punishments passed down: the first trial held on 7 June 1615 was against two women from Westray, both were deemed guilty but one was sentenced to be banished after a severe public flogging while the other was tied to a stake, strangled and burned. Charges in cases varied but the slightest misdemeanour could lead to charges of witchcraft and devilry being brought and upheld. If confessions of associations with the Devil were not forthcoming, convictions were obtained on the basis of consorting with fairies. In 1616 Elspeth Reoch was found guilty and executed after she admitted having sexual intercourse with a fairy man.

Mirroring the time span of witch persecution on the mainland of Scotland, the trials in Orkney drew to an end in 1708; most took place prior to 1650. Sixty-eight people had been accused, the majority – around ninety percent – were women, a higher ratio than that recorded in the rest of the country. (Full article...)

Selected island

Yell is one of the North Isles of Shetland, Scotland. In the 2011 census it had a usually resident population of 966. It is the second largest island in Shetland after the Mainland with an area of 82 square miles (212 km²), and is the third most populous in the archipelago (fifteenth out of the islands in Scotland), after the Mainland and Whalsay.

The island's bedrock is largely composed of Moine schist with a north–south grain, which was uplifted during the Caledonian mountain building period. Peat covers two-thirds of the island to an average depth of 1.5 metres (4.9 feet).

Yell has been inhabited since the Neolithic times, and a dozen broch sites have been identified from the pre-Norse period. Norse rule lasted from the 9th to 14th centuries until Scottish control was asserted. The modern economy of the island is based on crofting, fishing, transport and tourism. The island claims to be the "Otter Capital of Britain" and has a diverse bird life including breeding populations of great and Arctic skuas. At times, whales and dolphins also appear off the coast.

Notable buildings on the island include the 17th-century Old Haa of Brough in Burravoe, a merchant's house now converted to a museum and visitor centre. There are various folk tales and modern literary references to island life. (Full article...)

Did you know?

• ... that in 2006, a descendant of the 17th century Hebridean chieftain who once fortified himself in Stac Dhòmhnaill Chaim (pictured), scaled the stack and found a piece of possibly Neolithic pottery?
• ... that the Inner Hebridean crannóg of Dùn Anlaimh may be the remains of a fortified island dating back to the late Middle Ages?
• ... that Lagmann mac Gofraid, a late 11th century King of Mann and the Isles, has been labelled as the only known Scot who took part in the First Crusade?
• ... that the boobrie in Scottish folklore is said to prey on animals being transported on ships, preferably calves, but will also eat lambs and sheep?

Selected portrait

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  The Standing Stones of Stenness, near Stromness, Orkney, started by 3100 BC and possibly Britain's oldest henge site

  Credit: Fantoman400

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  Columba was a 6th-century Irish-born saint who spread Christianity in Scotland and founded Iona Abbey, where he is commemorated in this stained-glass window

  Credit: Vegansoldier

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  Reconstruction of a timber crannog, an ancient man-made island, on Loch Tay; several hundred crannog sites have been recorded in Scotland

  Credit: Dave Morris

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  The 8th-century Kildalton Cross, Islay, one of the best-preserved Celtic crosses in Scotland

  Credit: Tom Richardson

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  Fossilised dinosaur print on Staffin beach, Skye

  Credit: maproom

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  A Hebridean spotted orchid in machair on Lewis

  Credit: Etherp

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  Seabird colonies on a crag on the Brough of Birsay, Orkney

  Credit: Tbc

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  Eilean Ruairidh Mòr, one of many forested islands in Loch Maree

  Credit: Jerry Sharp

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  The North Carr Beacon at low tide; the unlit beacon was built between 1813 and 1821 by Robert Stevenson to warn shipping of the North Carr Reef near Fife Ness

  Credit: Kathrinpassig

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  Puffins and guillemots on Lunga in the Treshnish Isles, with Bac Mòr (known as Dutchman's Cap for its distinctive shape) in the background

  Credit: Simaron

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  Jurassic sandstone rock arch on the Strathaird peninsula of Skye

  Credit: John Allan

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  Seals hauled out by Lyrie Geo on Hoy

  Credit: Claire Pegrum

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  Scottish Gaelic speakers in the 2011 census; the Outer Hebrides, Tiree, Raasay, Skye and Lismore have the highest proportion of speakers

  Credit: SkateTier

Selected geography article

The Norse mill and kiln at Shawbost

Shawbost (Scottish Gaelic: Siabost) is a large village in the West Side of the Isle of Lewis. The village of Shawbost has a population of around 500 and lies around 20 miles (30 kilometres) west of Lewis's capital Stornoway. Shawbost is within the parish of Barvas. A recent development in the village was the renovation of the old school into the new community centre. The scattered settlement is split into three sections: North Shawbost (Siabost bho Thuath), South Shawbost (Siabost bho Dheas) and New Shawbost (Pàirc Shiaboist). There is a small museum of folk life and nearby is a small stone circle. The village is overlooked by a small hill named Beinn Bhragair, 261 m high. Shawbost is a prominent village on the Isle of Lewis, due to the school, community centre, beach and Harris Tweed mill.

In the 2001 United Kingdom Census, 72% of people in Shawbost reported being able to speak Scottish Gaelic. (Full article...)

Selected biography

The melefour herb was considered to have many magical properties, including curing illnesses and conferring second sight; Reoch plucked petals from it while chanting to create magic spells.

Elspeth Reoch (died Kirkwall 1616) was an alleged Scottish witch. She was born in Caithness but as a child spent time with relatives on an island in Lochaber prior to travelling to the mainland of Orkney.

The implementation of the Scottish Witchcraft Act of 1563, made witchcraft a capital offence in Scotland, therefore punishable by death.

The early years of the 17th century were a time of political turmoil on the islands as the transition of power between Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney and the staunch episcopalian Bishop James Law took place. Once in control, Bishop Law instigated court reforms in 1614 that academics considered had a significant impact on witchcraft trials in Orkney. Any references to a fairy in statements given to interrogators by alleged witches were routinely changed to read devil or demon.

At her trial in Kirkwall on 12 March 1616 Reoch confessed to charges of witchcraft and deceiving islanders by pretending she was mute. Asserting she had received instructions on how to acquire magical powers when she was twelve years old while she was staying with an aunt in Lochaber, she claimed to have clairvoyance abilities. She also professed to being able to induce or cure illness by reciting chants while plucking petals from the melefour herb. Her lifestyle was that of a wanderer or vagabond who used her magic to support herself. (Full article...)

Related portals

Selected panorama

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  The colourful Main Street of Tobermory on Mull

  Credit: Colin

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  Eilean Donan

  Credit: Stefan Krause

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  The Storr ridge on Skye, with the Old Man of Storr (right)

  Credit: Klaus with K

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  The remains of the Old Pier at Salen, Mull

  Credit: Colin

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  Iona Abbey

  Credit: Oliver-Bonjoch

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  Quiraing, Trotternish, on Skye

  Credit: Stefan Krause

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  Arran's northern hills, including Goat Fell, the island's highest point

  Credit: Colin

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  Loch Fada, Trotternish, on Skye, looking towards The Storr

  Credit: Klaus with K

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  Small freshwater islets on Loch Assynt

  Credit: Vincent

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  View towards the Cuillin on Skye

  Credit: Stefan Krause

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  View from Canna, overlooking Sanday towards Rùm

  Credit: Emoscopes

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  Dunvegan Castle, a 14th-century castle on Skye, the seat of Clan MacLeod

  Credit: Mihael Grmek

Topics

Categories

The main category is Islands of Scotland, with subcategories

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Islands of Scotland

Islands of Scotland by council area

Uninhabited islands of Scotland

Lists of islands of Scotland

Archipelagoes of Scotland

Endemic biota of the Scottish islands

Former islands of Scotland

Islands of the Forth

Freshwater islands of Scotland

Islands of the Inner Hebrides

Lighthouses of Scottish islands

Lochs of Scottish islands

Military action involving Scottish islands

Mountains and hills of the Scottish islands

People associated with Scottish islands

Railways on Scottish Islands

Scottish Island set index articles

Skerries of Scotland

Islands of the Tay

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Towns on Scottish islands

Villages on Scottish islands

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Castle Stalker, Loch Laich

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