List of islands of Scotland

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Map of the Inner and Outer Hebrides
Map of the Inner and Outer Hebrides

This is a list of the islands of Scotland, the mainland of which is part of the island of Great Britain. Also included are various other related tables and lists. The definition of an offshore island used in this list is that it is 'land that is surrounded by seawater on a daily basis, but not necessarily at all stages of the tide, excluding human devices such as bridges and causeways'.[1]

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.[2] 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.[2] The geology and geomorphology of the islands is quite 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[3]

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 have achieved considerable notability despite their small size.[2]

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.[4]

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.[2] A feature of modern island life is the low crime rate and they are considered to be amongst the safest places to live in the UK.[5]

Rockall, is a small rocky islet in the North Atlantic which was declared part of Scotland by the Island of Rockall Act 1972.[6][7] However, the legality of the claim is disputed by the Republic of Ireland, Denmark and Iceland and it is probably unenforceable in international law.[8][9]

Eilean Donan castle
Eilean Donan castle

Contents

[edit] 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
Orkney aerial photomap
The Shetland archipelago
The Shetland archipelago
Bressay Lighthouse at Kirkabister Ness, Shetland
Bressay Lighthouse at Kirkabister Ness, Shetland
The Old Man of Hoy, Orkney, a 137 metre (450 ft) sea stack of red sandstone
The Old Man of Hoy, Orkney, a 137 metre (450 ft) sea stack of red sandstone
The cliffs of Creag na Bruaich, Raasay
The cliffs of Creag na Bruaich, Raasay
'Dhu Heartach Lighthouse, During Construction' by Sam Bough (1822-1878).
'Dhu Heartach Lighthouse, During Construction' by Sam Bough (1822-1878).
Ailsa Craig from the South Ayrshire coast
Ailsa Craig from the South Ayrshire coast
Two of the Paps of Jura. Photo by John Shaw
Two of the Paps of Jura. Photo by John Shaw
The cliffs of Eshaness, North Mainland, Shetland
The cliffs of Eshaness, North Mainland, Shetland
MV Isle of Lewis in The Minch
MV Isle of Lewis in The Minch
Sula Sgeir from the South West.
Sula Sgeir from the South West.
Stornoway harbour, Lewis
Stornoway harbour, Lewis
Fair Isle cliffs
Fair Isle cliffs
Callanish Standing Stones, Lewis
Callanish Standing Stones, Lewis
Machair at Balephuil Bay, Tiree
Machair at Balephuil Bay, Tiree
The east coast of Mousa towards the Peerie Bard.
The east coast of Mousa towards the Peerie Bard.
Island Group Area (ha)[10] Population[4] Height (m)[11]
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 54
Calve Island Mull 72 0 20
Canna Small Isles 1130 6 210
Cara Islay 66 0 56
Càrna 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 Chaluim Chille Lewis and Harris 85 0 43
Eilean Donan Highland <1 * 1 3
Eilean Dubh Mòr Slate Islands 65 0 53
Eilean Liubhaird Lewis and Harris 125 0 76
Eilean Kearstay Lewis and Harris 77 0 37
Eilean Macaskin Islay 50 0 65
Eilean Mòr Crowlin Islands 170 0 114
Eilean nan Ròn Highland 138 0 76
Eilean Righ Islay 86 0 55
Eilean Ruairidh Mòr (F) Loch Maree 41 * 0 51
Eilean Shona Small Isles 525 9 265
Eilean Sùbhainn (F) Loch Maree 118 * 0 36
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
Fuaigh Mòr (Vuia Mòr) Lewis and Harris 84 0 67
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
Garbh Eilean, Loch Maree (F) Loch Maree 65 * 0 25
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 272[12] 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
Oldany Island Highland 200 * 0 104
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)[12] 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 60
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
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
Loch Lomond from Beinn Dubh and Creag an t-Seilich
Loch Lomond from Beinn Dubh and Creag an t-Seilich

[edit] Freshwater islands

There are numerous other freshwater islands, of which the more notable include Lochindorb Castle Island, Loch Leven Castle Island, St Serf's Inch, and Inchmahome, each of which have played a highly important part in Scottish history.

Inchmurrin in Loch Lomond is the largest freshwater island in the British Isles,[13][14]. It is in Loch Lomond, which contains over sixty other islands.[14]

[edit] Smaller offshore islands

This is a continuing list of uninhabited Scottish islands smaller than 40 hectares in size.

Name Island Group / Location
Bac Mòr Treshnish Isles
Bass Rock Firth of Forth
Belnahua Slate Islands
Bottle Island Summer Isles
Brough of Birsay Orkney
Cairn na Burgh Beag Treshnish Isles
Cairn na Burgh Mòr Treshnish Isles
Calf of Flotta Orkney Islands
Calvay Outer Hebrides
Campay Outer Hebrides
Castle Island Firth of Clyde
Cearstaidh Outer Hebrides
Clett Inner Hebrides
Clettack Skerry Pentland Skerries
Corn Holm Orkney Islands
Craigleith Firth of Forth
Craiglethy Fowlsheugh
Cramond Island Firth of Forth
Craro Inner Hebrides
Damsay Orkney Islands
Deasker North Uist
Dubh Artach Inner Hebrides
Dùn St Kilda
Dùn Channuill Garvellachs
East Linga Shetland Islands
Eilean Chathastail Inner Hebrides
Eilean Dubh Firth of Clyde
Eilean Dubh Summer Isles
Eilean Fladday Inner Hebrides
Eilean Mullagrach Summer Isles
Eilean Tigh Inner Hebrides
Eyebroughy Firth of Forth
Fidra Firth of Forth
Fish Holm Shetland Islands
Fladda Slate Islands
Fladda Treshnish Isles
Flodday near Barra Outer Hebrides
Flodday near Vatersay Outer Hebrides
Floddaybeg Outer Hebrides
Fodragay Outer Hebrides
Fuaigh Beag (Vuia Beg) Outer Hebrides
Garbh Sgeir Inner Hebrides
Gigalum Island Inner Hebrides
Gilsay Outer Hebrides
Glas-leac Beag Summer Isles
Glas-leac Mòr Summer Isles
Gloup Holm Shetland Islands
Glunimore Island Firth of Clyde
Groay Outer Hebrides
Grunay Out Skerries
Gruney Shetland Islands
Gualan Outer Hebrides
Haaf Gruney Shetland Islands
Harlosh Island Inner Hebrides
Haskeir Outer Hebrides
Haskeir Eagach Outer Hebrides
Hearnish Monach Islands
Helliar Holm Orkney Islands
Hestan Island Solway Firth
Holm of Faray Orkney Islands
Holm of Huip Orkney Islands
Holm of Papa Orkney Islands
Holm of Scockness Orkney Islands
Name Island Group / Location
Horse Island Small Isles
Horse Isle Firth of Clyde
Huney Shetland Islands
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
Nave Island Islay
North Havra Shetland Islands
Oigh-Sgeir Inner Hebrides
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


[edit] Small archipelagos

Boreray, Stac Lee, and Stac an Armin (left) from the heights of Conachair, St Kilda
Boreray, Stac Lee, and Stac an Armin (left) from the heights of Conachair, St Kilda

There are various small archipelagos which may be better known than the larger islands they contain. These include:

Name Island Group / Location
Ascrib Islands Skye
Burnt Islands Firth of Clyde
Crowlin Islands Skye
Flannan Isles Lewis and Harris
Islands of Fleet Solway Firth (Wigtown Bay)
Garvellachs Firth of Lorn
MacCormaig Islands Islay
Monach Islands Uists
Out Skerries Shetland
Pentland Skerries Orkney
Rabbit Islands (Eileanan nan Gall) Highland (N Sutherland)
Scalloway Isles Shetland
Shiant Isles Lewis and Harris
Slate Islands Firth of Lorn
St Kilda Lewis and Harris
Summer Isles Inner Hebrides
Treshnish Isles Mull


[edit] Highest 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).[15] The following list is of all islands with a highest elevation greater than 300 metres (984 feet).

The rock pinnacles of the Quiraing, Skye
The rock pinnacles of the Quiraing, Skye
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 and 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

[edit] Former islands

Inchgarvie can be seen just below the Forth Bridge
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.

[edit] Bridged islands

Churchill Barrier 1, blocking Kirk Sound
Churchill Barrier 1, blocking Kirk Sound

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:

To the north, Scalpay and Great Bernera are connected to Lewis and Harris.

Inner Hebrides

Orkney Islands

Looking south across Wind Wick, South Ronaldsay.
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:

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,[16][17] although little has come of it.

Shetland Islands Several Shetland islands are joined to the Shetland Mainland:

There is also a bridge from Housay to Bruray.

Others Various other islands are also connected by bridges or causeways, to the mainland or other islands, including:

  • Inchgarvie (part of Forth Bridge), thus joined to both Fife and Lothian on the Mainland.
  • Garbh Eilean at the entrance to Loch Glencoul is now joined to the mainland by both the Kylesku Bridge to the south and its associated roadworks to the north.

[edit] Tidal islands and tombolos

A beach on Oronsay by Colonsay, looking towards the Paps of Jura in the distance.
A beach on Oronsay by Colonsay, looking towards the Paps of Jura in the distance.
St Ninian's Isle and tombolo
St Ninian's Isle and tombolo

There are a large number of small tidal islets in Scotland. The more notable ones include:

Oronsay means 'ebb island' and there are several tidal islands of this name.[18]

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.[2]

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.[19]

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.[2]

[edit] Castle Islands

Castle Stalker, as seen in Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Castle Stalker, as seen in Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Ther are several small Scottish islands that are dominated by a castle or other fortification. The castle is often better known than the island, and the islands themselves are often tidal or bridged. Due to their picturesque nature some of them are well-known from postcards and films. Examples include:

Many of the Islands of the Forth and southern Orkneys have fortifications from the two world wars. Rosyth Castle stands on a former island.

[edit] Holy islands

The Tibetan Buddhist Centre for world peace and health on Holy Isle
The Tibetan Buddhist Centre for world peace and health on Holy Isle
Oronsay Priory
Oronsay Priory

A huge number of the islands of Scotland have some kind of culdee/church connection, and/or are dominated by a church. The more notable include:

Brother Isle's name is not ecclesiastical in origin as sometimes stated.

[edit] List of Scottish islands named after people

This is a short list of islands, which are known to be named after someone. In the case of the likes of North Ronaldsay, this may be open to contention (it isn't named after a "Ronald", unlike South Ronaldsay). This list omits names such as Hildasay, where the person in question is mythological, or Ailsa Craig, where the individual in question is not known.

[edit] Places called "island" or "isle" etc which are not islands

Burntisland - not actually an island
Burntisland - not actually an island

Some places in Scotland with names including "isle" or "island" are not islands. 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
Islesteps (south of Dumfries) Dumfries and Galloway
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".[20]

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.

[edit] Other elements

Vementry Farm, on Mainland Shetland, with Isle of Vementry in hinterground
Vementry Farm, on Mainland Shetland, with Isle of Vementry in hinterground

The name "Inch" (Innis) can mean island (e.g. Inchkenneth, Inchcolm), but is also used for terra firma surrounded by 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.

-holm is also very common as a suffix in various landlocked placenames, especially in the far south of mainland Scotland e.g. Langholm, Kirk Yetholm, Holmhead (by Cumnock), Holmhill (next to Thornhill, Nithsdale) et al. Some of these were river islands in their time, or dry land surrounded by marsh. Holm can be found in an element in Holmsgarth, now more or less a suburb of Lerwick and the Parish of Holm on Mainland Shetland and Mainland Orkney respectively. Neither of these is an island in its own right.

[edit] Islands named after mainland areas

Likewise, occasionally an island may be named after a location on the nearby mainland, or a major neighbouring island - or vice versa. Examples of this include Vementry, which was originally the name of an island, but whose name has been transferred to a nearby farm on Mainland Shetland, Oldany Island, whose name has been transferred to Oldany; Cramond Island which is named after neighbouring Cramond (a district of Edinburgh) and Eilean Mhealasta in the Outer Hebrides, which is named after Mealista on Lewis.

[edit] See also

[edit] References and footnotes

General references
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. ^ a b c d e f Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands'. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 1-84195-454-3. 
  3. ^ McKirdy, Alan Gordon, John & Crofts, Roger (2007) Land of Mountain and Flood: The Geology and Landforms of Scotland. Edinburgh. Birlinn.
  4. ^ a b General Register Office for Scotland (28 Nov 2003). "Occasional Paper No 10: Statistics for Inhabited Islands". Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  5. ^ Ross, John (05 October 2007) "Isolated Communities Where Violent Crime Comes as a Shock". Edinburgh. The Scotsman.
  6. ^ On This Day: 21 September. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-08-01.
  7. ^ House of Lords Hansard (24 June, 1997). Retrieved on 2007-08-01.
  8. ^ "Oral Questions to the Minister of Foreign Affairs" (1 November, 1973). Dáil Éireann. 
  9. ^ MacDonald, Fraser (2006). "The last outpost of Empire: Rockall and the Cold War". Journal of Historical Geography 32: 627-647. doi:10.1016/j.jhg.2005.10.009. 
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ a b The 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.
  13. ^ Loch Lomond Islands - Inchmurrin. Loch Lomond.net. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  14. ^ a b Dow, Jim (2005) Islands Galore. A Scottish Islands Handbook. Edinburgh. Black & White Publishing.
  15. ^ D.A. Bearhop (1997). Munro's Tables. Scottish Mountaineering Club & Trust. ISBN 0-907521-53-3. 
  16. ^ David Lister. "Islanders see a brighter future with tunnel vision", The Times, September 5, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-04-28. 
  17. ^ John Ross. "£100m tunnel to Orkney 'feasible'", The Scotsman newspaper, 10 Match 2005. Retrieved on 2007-04-28. 
  18. ^ Pàrlamaid na h-Alba placenames Retrieved 16 July 2007.
  19. ^ Fettes College Shetland Landscapes Retrieved 3 August 2007.
  20. ^ Burntisland Online Retrieved 22 June 2007.

[edit] External links