العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
EspañolLIST OF ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND
Map of the Inner and Outer Hebrides
Scotland has over 790 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. The Scottish Islands', Haswell-Smith, Hamish, , , Canongate, , 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 freshwater in Scotland including Loch Lomond and Loch Maree.
Many of these 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 the ''Grey Dog'' between Scarba and Lunga.
The geology and geomorphology of the islands is very varied. Some such as Skye and Mull are mountainous whilst others like Tiree and Sanday are relatively low lying. Many have bedrock made from ancient Archaen Lewisian Gneiss which was originally laid down 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[2]
The largest island is Lewis with 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 have achieved considerable notability despite their small size.
Some 97 Scottish islands are populated, of which 92 are offshore islands. Many previously inhabited islands such as Mingulay, Noss and the St Kilda archipelago have been abandoned during the course of the past century and today only 14 islands are populated by over 1,000 people and 45 by over 100. Between 1991 and 2001, the population of the islands fell by 3 per cent overall, although there were 35 islands whose population increased. The total population of all the islands in 2001 was 99,739.
The culture of the islands has been affected by the successive influences of Celtic, Norse and English speaking peoples and this is reflected in names given to the islands. Most of the Hebrides have Scots Gaelic derivations, whilst those of the Northern Isles tend to be derived from the Viking names. A few have Brythonic, Scots and even perhaps pre-Celtic roots.
Rockall, is a small rocky islet in the North Atlantic which was declared part of Scotland by the Island of Rockall Act 1972.[3][4] However, the legality of the claim is disputed by the Republic of Ireland, Denmark and Iceland and it is probably unenforceable in international law.[5][6]
Eilean Donan castle
Larger islands
This is a list of Scottish islands either with an area greater than 40 hectares (approximately 100 acres) and/or which are inhabited. The 'Groups' which in many cases provide a more useful guide to location than local authority areas are after Haswell-Smith (2004). The main Groups are: Firth of Clyde, Islay, Firth of Lorn, Mull, Small Isles, Skye, Lewis and Harris, Uists and Barra, St Kilda, Orkney, Shetland and Firth of Forth. In a few cases where the island is either part of recognisable smaller group or archipelago, or is located away from the main groups, an archipelago, local authority or other descriptive name is used instead. "F" designates a freshwater island.
Orkney aerial photomap
The Shetland archipelago
Bressay Lighthouse at Kirkabister Ness, Shetland
Tobermory harbour, Isle of Mull
The cliffs of Creag na Bruaich, Raasay
'Dhu Heartach Lighthouse, During Construction' by Sam Bough (1822-1878).
Ailsa Craig from the South Ayrshire coast
Two of the Paps of Jura. ''Photo by John Shaw''
The cliffs of Eshaness, North Mainland, Shetland
The Bass Rock from Tantallon Castle
MV ''Isle of Lewis'' in The Minch
Sula Sgeir from the South West.
Fair Isle cliffs
| Island | Group | Area (ha)[7] | Population | Height (m)[8] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ailsa Craig | Firth of Clyde | 99 | 0 | 338 |
| Arran | Firth of Clyde | 43201 | 5045 | 874 |
| Auskerry | Orkney | 85 | 5 | 18 |
| Baleshare | Uists and Barra | 910 | 49 | 12 |
| Balta | Shetland | 80 | 0 | 44 |
| Barra | Uists and Barra | 5875 | 1078 | 383 |
| Barra Head | Uists and Barra | 204 | 0 | 193 |
| Benbecula | Uists and Barra | 8203 | 1219 | 124 |
| Berneray, North Uist | Uists and Barra | 1010 | 136 | 93 |
|-
| Bigga
| Shetland
| 78
| 0
| 34
|-
| Boreray
| St Kilda
| 77
| 0
| 384
|-
| Boreray
| Uists and Barra
| 204
| 0
| 56
|-
| Bressay
| Shetland
| 2805
| 384
| 226
|-
| Brother Isle
| Shetland
| 40
| 0
| 25
|-
| Bruray
| Out Skerries
| 55
| 26
| 53
|-
| Burray
| Orkney
| 903
| 357
| 80
|-
| Bute
| Firth of Clyde
| 12217
| 7149
| 278
|-
| Calf of Eday
| Orkney
| 243
| 0
| 50
|-
| Calve Island
| Mull
| 72
| 0
| 20
|-
| Canna
| Small Isles
| 1130
| 6
| 210
|-
| Cara
| Islay
| 66
| 0
| 56
|-
| Carna
| Mull
| 213
| 0
| 169
|-
| Cava
| Orkney
| 107
| 0
| 38
|-
| Ceallasaigh Mòr
| Uists and Barra
| 44
★
| 0
| 10
|-
| Ceann Ear
| Monach Islands
| 203
| 0
| 17
|-
| Ceann Iar
| Monach Islands
| 154
| 0
| 19
|-
| Coll
| Mull
| 7685
| 164
| 104
|-
| Colonsay
| Islay
| 4074
| 108
| 143
|-
| Copinsay
| Orkney
| 73
| 0
| 64
|-
| Danna
| Islay
| 315
★
| 5
| 54
|-
| Davaar
| Firth of Clyde
| 52
★
| 2
| 115
|-
| Easdale
| Slate Islands
| <20
★
| 58
| 38
|-
| East Burra
| Shetland
| 515
| 66
| 81
|-
| Eday
| Orkney
| 2745
| 121
| 101
|-
| Egilsay
| Orkney
| 650
| 37
| 35
|-
| Eigg
| Small Isles
| 3049
| 67
| 393
|-
| Eileach an Naoimh
| Garvellachs
| 56
| 0
| 80
|-
| Eilean Bàn, Lochalsh
| Highland
| <10
★
| 2
| 5
|-
| Eilean Donan
| Highland
| <1
★
| 1
| 3
|-
| Eilean Dubh Mòr
| Slate Islands
| 65
| 0
| 53
|-
| Eilean Iubhard
| Lewis and Harris
| 125
| 0
| 76
|-
| Eilean Kearstay
| Lewis and Harris
| 77
| 0
| 37
|-
| Eilean Macaskin
| Islay
| 50
| 0
| 65
|-
| Eilean Mòr
| Crowlin Islands
| 270
| 0
| 114
|-
| Eilean nan Ròn
| Highland
| 138
| 0
| 76
|-
| Eilean Righ
| Islay
| 86
| 0
| 55
|-
| Eilean Shona
| Small Isles
| 525
| 9
| 265
|-
| Eileanan Iasgaich
| Uists and Barra
| 50
| 0
| 23
|-
| Ensay
| Uists and Barra
| 186
| 0
| 49
|-
| Eorsa
| Mull
| 122
| 0
| 98
|-
| Eriska
| Loch Linnhe
| 310
★
| 0
| 47
|-
| Eriskay
| Uists and Barra
| 703
| 133
| 185
|-
| Erraid
| Mull
| 187
| 8
| 75
|-
| Eynhallow
| Orkney
| 75
| 0
| 30
|-
| Fair Isle
| Shetland
| 768
| 69
| 217
|-
| Fara
| Orkney
| 295
| 0
| 43
|-
| Faray
| Orkney
| 180
| 0
| 32
|-
| Fetlar
| Shetland
| 4078
| 86
| 158
|-
| Fiaray
| Uists and Barra
| 41
| 0
| 30
|-
| Flodaigh
| Uists and Barra
| 145
★
| 11
| 20
|-
| Flodaigh Mòr
| Uists and Barra
| 58
| 0
| 28
|-
| Flodday
| Uists and Barra
| 40
| 0
| 42
|-
| Flotta
| Orkney
| 876
| 81
| 58
|-
| Foula
| Shetland
| 1265
| 31
| 418
|-
| Fuday
| Uists and Barra
| 232
| 0
| 89
|-
| Fuiay
| Uists and Barra
| 84
| 0
| 107
|-
| Gairsay
| Orkney
| 240
| 3
| 102
|-
| Garbh Eileach
| Garvellachs
| 142
| 0
| 110
|-
| Garbh Eilean
| Shiant Islands
| 143
| 0
| 160
|-
| Gigha
| Islay
| 1395
| 110
| 100
|-
| Gighay
| Uists and Barra
| 96
| 0
| 95
|-
| Glims Holm
| Orkney
| 55
| 0
| 32
|-
| Gometra
| Mull
| 425
| 5
| 155
|-
| Graemsay
| Orkney
| 409
| 21
| 62
|-
| Great Bernera
| Lewis and Harris
| 2122
| 233
| 87
|-
| Great Cumbrae
| Firth of Clyde
| 1168
| 1434
| 127
|-
| Grimsay
| Uists and Barra
| 833
| 201
| 22
|-
| Grimsay (South)
| Uists and Barra
| 117
★
| 19
| 20
|-
| Gruinard Island
| Highland
| 196
| 0
| 106
|-
| Gunna
| Mull
| 69
| 0
| 35
|-
| Handa
| Highland
| 309
| 0
| 123
|-
| Hascosay
| Shetland
| 275
| 0
| 30
|-
| Hellisay
| Uists and Barra
| 142
| 0
| 79
|-
| Hermetray
| Uists and Barra
| 72
| 0
| 35
|-
| Hildasay
| Shetland
| 108
| 0
| 32
|-
| Hirta
| St Kilda
| 670
| 0
| 430
|-
| Holy Isle
| Firth of Clyde
| 253
| 13
| 314
|-
| Horse Island
| Summer Isles
| 53
| 0
| 60
|-
| Housay
| Out Skerries
| 163
| 50
| 53
|-
| Hoy
| Orkney
| 13458
| 272The 2001 Census does not list South Walls as an island, but includes the total in Hoy. The record for Hoy in this table excludes the estimated total for South Walls. The combined population is listed as 392.
| 479
|-
| Hunda
| Orkney
| 100
| 0
| 41
|-
| Iona
| Mull
| 877
| 125
| 100
|-
| Inchcolm
| Firth of Forth
|
| 2
|
|-
| Inchfad (F)
| Loch Lomond
| c.40
★
| 2
| 24
|-
| Inch Kenneth
| Mull
| 55
| 0
| 49
|-
| Inchlonaig (F)
| Loch Lomond
| 77
★
| 0
| 62
|-
| Inchmarnock
| Firth of Clyde
| 266
| 0
| 60
|-
| Inchmurrin (F)
| Loch Lomond
| 133
★
| 13
| 89
|-
| Inchtavannach (F)
| Loch Lomond
| 52
★
| 3
| 84
|-
| Innis Chonain (F)
| Loch Awe
| 8
★
| 1
| 62
|-
| Isay
| Skye
| 60
| 0
| 28
|-
| Islay
| Islay
| 61956
| 3457
| 491
|-
| Isle Martin
| Summer Isles
| 157
| 0
| 120
|-
| Isle of Ewe
| Highland
| 309
| 12
| 72
|-
| Isle of May
| Firth of Forth
| 45
| 0
| 50
|-
| Isle Ristol
| Summer Isles
| 225
★
| 0
| 71
|-
| Jura
| Islay
| 36692
| 188
| 785
|-
| Kerrera
| Mull
| 1214
| 42
| 189
|-
| Killegray
| Lewis and Harris
| 176
| 0
| 45
|-
| Kirkibost
| Uists and Barra
| 205
| 0
| 7
|-
| Lamba
| Shetland
| 43
| 0
| 35
|-
| Lamb Holm
| Orkney
| 40
| 0
| 20
|-
| Lewis and Harris
| Lewis and Harris
| 217898
| 19918
| 799
|-
| Linga near Muckle Roe
| Shetland
| 70
| 0
| 69
|-
| Linga near Yell
| Shetland
| 45
| 0
| 26
|-
| Linga Holm
| Orkney
| 57
| 0
| 10
|-
| Lismore
| Mull
| 2351
| 146
| 127
|-
| Little Bernera
| Lewis and Harris
| 138
| 0
| 41
|-
| Little Colonsay
| Mull
| 88
| 0
| 61
|-
| Little Cumbrae
| Firth of Clyde
| 313
| 0
| 123
|-
| Longa Island
| Highland
| 126
| 0
| 70
|-
| Longay
| Skye
| 50
| 0
| 67
|-
| Luing
| Slate Islands
| 1430
| 212
| 94
|-
| Lunga
| Slate Islands
| 254
| 7
| 98
|-
| Lunga
| Treshnish Isles
| 81
| 0
| 103
|-
| Mainland, Orkney
| Orkney
| 52325
| 15315
| 271
|-
| Mainland, Shetland
| Shetland
| 96879
| 17550
| 450
|-
| Mealista
| Lewis and Harris
| 124
| 0
| 77
|-
| Mingulay
| Uists and Barra
| 640
| 0
| 273
|-
| Moncrieffe Island (F)
| River Tay
| 46
★
| 3
| 5
|-
| Mousa
| Shetland
| 180
| 0
| 55
|-
| Muck
| Small Isles
| 559
| 30
| 137
|-
| Muckle Roe
| Shetland
| 1773
| 104
| 267
|-
| Muldoanich
| Uists and Barra
| 78
| 0
| 153
|-
| Mull
| Mull
| 87535
| 2667
| 966
|-
| North Rona
| Atlantic Outlier
| 109
| 0
| 108
|-
| North Ronaldsay
| Orkney
| 690
| 70
| 20
|-
| North Uist
| Uists and Barra
| 30305
| 1271
| 347
|-
| Noss
| Shetland
| 343
| 0
| 181
|-
| Oronsay
| Islay
| 543
| 5
| 93
|-
| Oronsay
| Uists and Barra
| 85
| 0
| 25
|-
| Oronsay
| Mull
| 230
★
| 0
| 58
|-
| Oxna
| Shetland
| 68
| 0
| 38
|-
| Pabay
| Skye
| 122
| 0
| 28
|-
| Pabay Mòr
| Lewis and Harris
| 101
| 0
| 68
|-
| Pabbay
| Uists and Barra
| 250
| 0
| 171
|-
| Pabbay
| Lewis and Harris
| 820
| 0
| 196
|-
| Papa
| Shetland
| 59
| 0
| 32
|-
| Papa Little
| Shetland
| 226
| 0
| 82
|-
| Papa Stour
| Shetland
| 828
| 23
| 87
|-
| Papa Stronsay
| Orkney
| 74
| 10
| 13
|-
| Papa Westray
| Orkney
| 918
| 65
| 48
|-
| Priest Island
| Summer Isles
| 122
| 0
| 78
|-
| Raasay
| Skye
| 6405
| 192
| 443
|-
| Ronay
| Uists and Barra
| 563
| 0
| 115
|-
| Rousay
| Orkney
| 4860
| 212
| 250
|-
| Rùm
| Small Isles
| 10463
| 22
| 812
|-
| Samphrey
| Shetland
| 66
| 0
| 29
|-
| Sanda Island
| Firth of Clyde
| 151
| 1
| 123
|-
| Sanday
| Orkney
| 5043
| 478
| 65
|-
| Sanday
| Small Isles
| 184
| 6
| 59
|-
| Sandray
| Uists and Barra
| 385
| 0
| 207
|-
| Scalpay
| Skye
| 2483
| 10
| 392
|-
| Scalpay
| Lewis and Harris
| 653
| 322
| 104
|-
| Scarba
| Islay
| 1474
| 0
| 449
|-
| Scarp
| Lewis and Harris
| 1045
| 0
| 308
|-
| Scotasay
| Lewis and Harris
| 49
| 0
| 57
|-
| Seaforth Island
| Lewis and Harris
| 273
| 0
| 217
|-
| Seil
| Slate Islands
| 1329
| 560
| 146
|-
| Shapinsay
| Orkney
| 2948
| 300
| 64
|-
| Shillay
| Lewis and Harris
| 47
| 0
| 79
|-
| Shuna
| Slate Islands
| 451
| 1
| 90
|-
| Shuna
| Loch Linnhe
| 155
| 0
| 71
|-
| Skye
| Skye
| 165625
| 9232
| 993
|-
| Soay
| Skye
| 1036
| 7
| 141
|-
| Soay
| St Kilda
| 99
| 0
| 378
|-
| Soay Mòr
| Lewis and Harris
| 45
| 0
| 37
|-
| South Havra
| Shetland
| 59
| 0
| 42
|-
| South Rona
| Skye
| 930
| 2
| 125
|-
| South Ronaldsay
| Orkney
| 4980
| 854
| 118
|-
| South Uist
| Uists and Barra
| 32026
| 1818
| 620
|-
| South Walls
| Orkney
| 850
★
| 120 (est)
| 57
|-
| St Serf's Inch (F)
| Loch Leven
| 41
★
| 0
| 110
|-
| Stockinish Island
| Lewis and Harris
| 49
| 0
| 44
|-
| Stroma
| Highland
| 375
| 0
| 53
|-
| Stronsay
| Orkney
| 3275
| 343
| 44
|-
| Stuley
| Uists and Barra
| 45
| 0
| 40
|-
|-
| Switha
| Orkney
| 41
| 0
| 29
|-
| Swona
| Orkney
| 92
| 0
| 41
|-
| Tahay
| Uists and Barra
| 53
| 0
| 65
|-
| Tanera Beag
| Summer Isles
| 66
| 0
| 83
|-
| Tanera Mòr
| Summer Isles
| 310
| 5
| 124
|-
| Taransay
| Lewis and Harris
| 1475
| 0
| 267
|-
| Texa
| Islay
| 48
| 0
| 48
|-
| Tiree
| Mull
| 7834
| 770
| 141
|-
| Torsa
| Slate Islands
| 113
| 0
| 62
|-
| Trondra
| Shetland
| 275
| 133
| 35
|-
| Ulva
| Mull
| 1990
| 16
| 313
|-
| Unst
| Shetland
| 12068
| 720
| 284
|-
| Uyea, Northmavine
| Shetland
| 45
| 0
| 70
|-
| Uyea, Unst
| Shetland
| 205
| 0
| 50
|-
| Vaila
| Shetland
| 327
| 2
| 95
|-
| Vacsay
| Lewis and Harris
| 41
| 0
| 34
|-
| Vallay
| Uists and Barra
| 260
| 0
| 38
|-
| Vatersay
| Uists and Barra
| 960
| 94
| 185
|-
| Vementry
| Shetland
| 370
| 0
| 90
|-
| Vuia Mòr
| Lewis and Harris
| 84
| 0
| 67
|-
| West Burra
| Shetland
| 743
| 753
| 217
|-
| West Linga
| Shetland
| 125
| 0
| 52
|-
| Westray
| Orkney
| 4713
| 563
| 169
|-
| Whalsay
| Shetland
| 1970
| 1034
| 119
|-
| Wiay
| Skye
| 148
| 0
| 60
|-
| Wiay
| Uists and Barra
| 375
| 0
| 102
|-
| Wyre
| Orkney
| 311
| 18
| 32
|-
| Yell
| Shetland
| 21211
| 957
| 205
|}
Jan2000.jpg)
Loch Lomond from Beinn Dubh and Creag an t-Seilich
Freshwater islands
Main articles: List of fresh water islands in Scotland
The are numerous other freshwater islands, of which the more notable include Lochindorb Castle Island, Loch Leven Castle Island, St Serf's Inch, and Inchmahome.
Inchmurrin in Loch Lomond is the largest freshwater island in the British Isles.[9]
Smaller offshore islands
This is a continuing list of uninhabited Scottish islands smaller than 40 hectares in size.
| Name | Island Group / Location |
|---|---|
| Inchgarvie | Firth of Forth |
| Inchkeith | Firth of Forth |
| Inchmickery | Firth of Forth |
| Innis Mhòr | Easter Ross |
| Kili Holm | Orkney Islands |
| Lady's Holm | Shetland Islands |
| Lady Isle | Firth of Clyde |
| The Lamb | Firth of Forth |
| Lingay near Harris | Outer Hebrides |
| Lingay near North Uist | Outer Hebrides |
| Little Linga | Shetland Islands |
| Little Roe | Shetland Islands |
| Little Skerry | Pentland Skerries |
| Louther Skerry | Pentland Skerries |
| Lunna Holm | Shetland Islands |
| Mingay | Inner Hebrides |
| Moul of Eswick | Shetland Islands |
| Muckle Flugga | Shetland Islands |
| Muckle Green Holm | Orkney Islands |
| Muckle Ossa | Shetland Islands |
| Muckle Skerry | Pentland Skerries |
| Mugdrum Island | Firth of Tay |
| North Havra | Shetland Islands |
| Oigh-Sgeir | Inner Hebrides |
| Oldany Island | Highland |
| Opsay | Outer Hebrides |
| Orasaigh (many) | Outer Hebrides |
| Orfasay | Shetland Islands |
| Ornsay | Inner Hebrides |
| Orsay | Inner Hebrides |
| Out Stack | Shetland Islands |
| Pladda | Firth of Clyde |
| Rockall | North Atlantic |
| Rough | Solway Firth |
| Rusk Holm | Orkney Islands |
| Rysa Little | Orkney Islands |
| Scaravay | Outer Hebrides |
| Sgat Mòr and Sgat Beag | Firth of Clyde |
| Sheep Island | Firth of Clyde |
| Shillay | Monach Islands |
| Soay Beag | Outer Hebrides |
| South Gruney | Shetland Islands |
| South Isle of Gletness | Shetland Islands |
| St Ninian's Isle | Shetland Islands |
| Stac an Armin | St Kilda |
| Stac Lee | St Kilda |
| Staffa | Inner Hebrides |
| Stockay | Monach Islands |
| Stromay | Outer Hebrides |
| Sula Sgeir | Atlantic Ocean |
| Sule Skerry | Atlantic Ocean |
| Sule Stack | Atlantic Ocean |
| Sursay | Outer Hebrides |
| Sweyn Holm | Orkney Islands |
| Tarner Island | Inner Hebrides |
| Trialabreck | Outer Hebrides |
| Urie Lingey | Shetland Islands |
| Uynarey | Shetland Islands |
| Vuia Beg | Outer Hebrides |
Small archipelagos
There are various small archipelagos which may be better known than the larger islands they contain. These include:
Highest islands
★ ''See also and List of Marilyns on Scottish islands''
Scotland's islands include thirteen Munros (mountains with a height over 3000 feet or 914.4 metres), twelve of them found on Skye, and a total of 227 Marilyns (hills with a relative height of at least 150 metres, regardless of absolute height).[10] The following list is of all islands with a highest elevation greater than 300 metres (984 feet).
| Rank | Island | Mountain | Height (ft) | Height (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Skye | Sgurr Alasdair | 3,258 | 993 |
| 2 | Mull | Ben More | 3,169 | 966 |
| 3 | Arran | Goat Fell | 2,867 | 874 |
| 4 | Rùm | Askival | 2,664 | 812 |
| 5 | Lewis with Harris | Clisham | 2,621 | 799 |
| 6 | Jura | Beinn an Òir | 2,575 | 785 |
| 7 | South Uist | Beinn Mhòr | 2,034 | 620 |
| 8 | Islay | Beinn Bheigier | 1,610 | 491 |
| 9 | Hoy | Ward Hill | 1,571 | 479 |
| 10 | Shetland Mainland | Ronas Hill | 1,476 | 450 |
| 11 | Scarba | Cruach Scarba | 1,473 | 449 |
| 12 | Raasay | Dùn Caan | 1,453 | 443 |
| 13 | Hirta | Conachair | 1,410 | 430 |
| 14 | Foula | The Sneug | 1,371 | 418 |
| 15 | Eigg | An Sgurr | 1,289 | 393 |
| 16 | Scalpay, Inner Hebrides | Mullach na Càrn | 1,286 | 392 |
| 17 | Boreray, St Kilda | Mullach an Eilein | 1,259 | 384 |
| 18 | Barra | Heaval | 1,256 | 383 |
| 19 | Soay, St Kilda | Cnoc Glas | 1,240 | 378 |
| 20 | North Uist | Eavel | 1,138 | 347 |
| 21 | Ailsa Craig | The Cairn | 1,108 | 338 |
| 22 | Holy Isle | Mullach Mòr | 1,030 | 314 |
| 23 | Ulva | Beinn Creagach | 1,026 | 313 |
| 24 | Scarp | Sròn Romul | 1,010 | 308 |
Former islands
Inchgarvie can be seen just below the Forth Bridge
The following is a list of places which were formerly islands, but by some definitions are no longer so, due to silting up, natural processes and harbour building.
★ Inchbroach, also known as Rossie Island, now part of Montrose harbour
★ Keith Inch (not to be confused with Inchkeith), is now part of Peterhead Harbour, and hence is the easternmost point of 'mainland' Scotland.
★ North Inch, one of the "Inches" in Perth, formerly an island in the River Tay.
Bridged islands
Many of Scotland's islands are connected to the mainland/other islands by bridge or causeway. Although some people consider these to be no longer islands, they are generally treated as such.
'Outer Hebrides'
Many of the islands of the southern Outer Hebrides have been joined to other islands by causeways and bridges. These include:
★ Baleshare
★ Benbecula
★ Berneray
★ Eriskay
★ Grimsay
★ North Uist
★ South Uist
★ Vatersay (joined to Barra, but not to the above islands)
To the north, Scalpay and Great Bernera are connected to Lewis and Harris.
'Inner Hebrides'
★ Eilean Shona is connected to mainland Moidart by a bridge.
'Orkney Islands'
Looking south across Wind Wick, South Ronaldsay.
Similarly, four Orkney islands are joined to the Orkney Mainland by a series of causeways known as the Churchill Barriers. They are:
★ South Ronaldsay
★ Burray
★ Lamb Holm
★ Glims Holm
Hunda is in turn connected to Burray via a causeway.
South Walls and Hoy are connected by a causeway called the Ayre. The islands are treated as one entity (Hoy) by the UK census.
There are ideas being discussed to build an undersea tunnel between the archipelago and Caithness, at a length of about 9-10 miles (15-16 km) or (more likely) one connecting Orkney Mainland to Shapinsay,[11][12] although little has come of it.
'Shetland Islands'
Several Shetland islands are joined to the Shetland Mainland:
★ West Burra and East Burra (via Trondra)
★ Muckle Roe
★ Trondra
There is also a bridge from Housay to Bruray.
'Skye'
The Isle of Skye is connected to the mainland by the Skye Bridge which now incorporates Eilean Bàn.
'Others'
Various other islands are also connected by bridges or causeways, to the mainland or other islands, including:
★ Eilean Donan (to mainland)
★ Eriska (to mainland)
★ Inchgarvie (part of Forth Bridge), thus joined to both Fife and Lothian on the Mainland.
★ Seil (to mainland)
Tidal islands
St Ninian's Isle and tombolo
There are a large number of small tidal islets in Scotland. The more notable ones include:
★ Baleshare
★ Calve Island
★ Corn Holm
★ Cramond Island
★ Danna
★ Davaar Island
★ Eilean Shona
★ Eriska
★ Erraid
★ Helliar Holm
★ Kili Holm
★ Isle Ristol
★ Sanday
★ Torsa
''Oronsay'' means 'ebb island' and there are several tidal islands of this name.[13]
The three main islands of the Monach Islands (Heisgeir), Ceann Iar, Ceann Ear and Shivinish are connected at main tide. It is said that it was at one time possible to walk all the way to Baleshare, and on to North Uist, five miles away at low tide. In the 16th century, a large tidal wave was said to have washed this away.Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh. Canongate..
St Ninian's Isle is connected to Mainland Shetland by a tombolo. Although greater than 40 hectares in size it fails to meet the definition of an island used in this list as it is only surrounded by water during occasional spring tides and storms.[14]
Dùn in St Kilda is separated from Hirta by a shallow strait about 50 metres wide. This is normally impassable but is reputed to dry out on rare occasions.
Places called "island" or "isle" which are not islands
Burntisland - not actually an island
Some places in Scotland are called islands or isles, but are not. They include:
| Name | Island group / location |
|---|---|
| Black Isle (An t-Eilean Dubh) | Ross and Cromarty |
| Burntisland | Fife |
| Gluss Isle | Shetland |
| Isle of Harris (Na Hearadh) | Outer Hebrides |
| Isle of Lewis (Eilean Leòdhais) | Outer Hebrides |
| Isleornsay (Eilean Iarmain) | Skye |
| Isle of Whithorn | Dumfries and Galloway |
Lewis and Harris are separated by a range of hills but form one island, and are sometimes referred to as "Lewis and Harris". Isle of Whithorn and the Black Isle are peninsulas, and Isleornsay is a village which looks out onto the island of Ornsay. There is no commonly accepted derivation for "Burntisland" which had numerous other forms in the past, such as "Brintilun" and "Ye Brint Eland".[15]
Gluss Isle at the western entrance to Sullom Voe is one of the many promontories in Orkney and Shetland connected to a larger body of land by an ayre.
The name "Inch" (''Innis'') can mean island (e.g. Inchkenneth, Inchcolm), but is also used for dry land in a marsh e.g. Markinch, Insch.
''Eilean'' is Gaelic for "island". However, Inistrynich, Eilean na Maodail, Eilean Dubh and Liever Island are all promontories on Loch Awe as opposed to islands, despite their names. Likewise Eilean Aoidhe on Loch Fyne. The Black Isle is also "An t-Eilean Dubh" in Gaelic, while Eilean Glas is part of Scalpay.
See also
Inchcolm Abbey, Firth of Forth
★ Geography of Scotland
★ List of Orkney islands
★ List of Shetland islands
★ List of Marilyns on Scottish islands
★ List of islands of England
★ List of islands of Wales
★ List of islands of Ireland
★ British Isles
★ List of the British Isles by area
★
★
★
★
References and footnotes
;General references
★ Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) ''The Scottish Islands''. Edinburgh. Canongate. ISBN 1-84195-454-3
★ General Register Office for Scotland (28 Nov 2003) ''Occasional Paper No 10: Statistics for Inhabited Islands''
;Specific references and notes
1. Various other definitions are used. For example the General Register Office for Scotland define an island as 'a mass of land surrounded by water, separate from the Scottish mainland' but although they include islands linked by bridges etc. this is not clear from this definition. Haswell-Smith (2004) ''op cit'' uses 'an Island is a piece of land or group of pieces of land which is entirely surrounded by water at Lowest Astronomical Tide and to which there is no permanent means of dry access'. This is widely agreed to be unhelpful as it consciously excludes bridged islands. However, the large numbers of small tidal islets essentially defy categorisation.
2. McKirdy, Alan Gordon, John & Crofts, Roger (2007) ''Land of Mountain and Flood: The Geology and Landforms of Scotland''. Edinburgh. Birlinn.
3. On This Day: 21 September
4. House of Lords Hansard
5. Oral Questions to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, , , , ,
6. The last outpost of Empire: Rockall and the Cold War, MacDonald, Fraser, , , Journal of Historical Geography, 2006
7. Haswell-Smith (2004) ''op cit'', save those indicated with an asterisk, which are estimates based on Ordnance Survey maps and General Register Office for Scotland statistics.
8. Ordnance Survey maps. Note that the maps mark the height above sea level of a high point on most islands, but in a small number of cases, this may not be the highest peak.
9. Loch Lomond Islands - Inchmurrin
10. Munro's Tables, D.A. Bearhop, , , Scottish Mountaineering Club & Trust, 1997, ISBN 0-907521-53-3
11. Islanders see a brighter future with tunnel vision
12. £100m tunnel to Orkney 'feasible'
13. Pàrlamaid na h-Alba placenames Retrieved 16 July 2007.
14. Fettes College Shetland Landscapes Retrieved 3 August 2007.
15. Burntisland Online Retrieved 22 June 2007.
External links
★ Scottish Island Network - Population Statistics
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
Featured Companies
| Vacation By V | |
| Golf Holidays International |
Newest Companies
List of islands of Scotland Travel Deals
