This is a list of 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 of "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".[Note 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.[1] 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.
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.[2] 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.[1] The geology and geomorphology of the islands is 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 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.[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 are well known despite their small size.[1]
Some 99 Scottish islands are populated, of which 94 are offshore islands.[Note 2] The local government council areas with the most inhabited islands are Argyll and Bute with 26, Orkney with 20, Shetland with 16 and Highland and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar with 15 each.[Note 3] 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% 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 names with 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.[1] A feature of modern island life is the low crime rate and they are considered to be amongst the safest places to live in Britain.[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]
This is a list of Scottish islands that either have an area greater than 40 hectares (approximately 100 acres) and/or are inhabited. The main groups, from Haswell-Smith (2004), in many cases provide a more useful guide to location than local authority areas. These 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 part of either a recognisable smaller group or an 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.
| Island | Group | Area (ha)[10] | Population[4] | Height (m)[11] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ailsa Craig (Creag Ealasaid) | Firth of Clyde | 99 | 0 | 338 |
| Arran (Eilean Arainn) | Firth of Clyde | 43,201 | 5045 | 874 |
| Auskerry | Orkney | 85 | 5 | 18 |
| Baleshare (Baile Sear) | Uists and Barra | 910 | 49 | 12 |
| Balta | Shetland | 80 | 0 | 44 |
| Barra (Barraigh) | Uists and Barra | 5,875 | 1078 | 383 |
| Barra Head (Beàrnaraigh) | Uists and Barra | 204 | 0 | 193 |
| Benbecula (Beinn nam Fadhla) | Uists and Barra | 8,203 | 1219 | 124 |
| Berneray, North Uist (Beàrnaraidh) | Uists and Barra | 1,010 | 136 | 93 |
| Bigga | Shetland | 78 | 0 | 34 |
| Boreray (Boraraigh) | St Kilda | 86[12] | 0 | 384 |
| Boreray (Boraraigh) | Uists and Barra | 204 | 0 | 56 |
| Bressay | Shetland | 2,805 | 384 | 226 |
| Brother Isle | Shetland | 40 | 0 | 25 |
| Bruray | Out Skerries | 55 | 26 | 53 |
| Burray | Orkney | 903 | 357 | 80 |
| Bute (Eilean Bhòid) | Firth of Clyde | 12,217 | 7149 | 278 |
| Calf of Eday | Orkney | 243 | 0 | 54 |
| Calbha Mor | Edrachillis Bay | 70[13] | 0 | 67 |
| Calve Island | Mull | 72 | 0 | 20 |
| Canna (Eilean Chanaigh) | Small Isles | 1,130 | 6 | 210 |
| Cara | Islay | 66 | 0 | 56 |
| Càrna | Mull | 213 | 0 | 169 |
| Cava | Orkney | 107 | 0 | 38 |
| Ceallasaigh Mòr | Uists and Barra | 55[13] | 0 | 10 |
| Ceallasaigh Beag | Uists and Barra | 46[13] | 0 | 10 |
| Ceann Ear | Monach Islands | 203 | 0 | 17 |
| Ceann Iar | Monach Islands | 154 | 0 | 19 |
| Coll (Colla) | Mull | 7,685 | 164 | 104 |
| Colonsay (Colbhasa) | Islay | 4,074 | 108 | 143 |
| Copinsay | Orkney | 73 | 0 | 64 |
| Danna | Islay | 315 * | 5 | 54 |
| Davaar (Eilean Dà Bhàrr) | Firth of Clyde | 52 * | 2 | 115 |
| Dunglass Island (F) | River Conon | 40 * | 0 | 8 |
| Easdale (Eilean Eisdeal) | Slate Islands | <20 * | 58 | 38 |
| East Burra | Shetland | 515 | 66 | 81 |
| Eday | Orkney | 2,745 | 121 | 101 |
| Egilsay | Orkney | 650 | 37 | 35 |
| Eigg (Eige) | Small Isles | 3,049 | 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 Chearstaidh | Lewis and Harris | 77 | 0 | 37 |
| Eilean Donan | Highland | <1 * | 1 | 3 |
| Eilean Dubh Mòr | Slate Islands | 65 | 0 | 53 |
| Eilean Fladday | Inner Hebrides | 120[13] | 0 | 39 |
| Eilean Liubhaird | Lewis and Harris | 125 | 0 | 76 |
| Eilean Macaskin | Islay | 50 | 0 | 65 |
| Eilean Meadhonach | Crowlin Islands | 77 | 0 | 54 |
| Eilean Mhic Chrion | Islay | 54 * | 0 | 63 |
| Eilean Mòr | Crowlin Islands | 170 | 0 | 114 |
| Eilean Mòr (F) | Lewis | 59 * | 0 | 64 |
| Eilean nan Ròn | Highland | 138 | 0 | 76 |
| Eilean Righ | Islay | 86 | 0 | 55 |
| Eilean Shona | Small Isles | 525 | 9 | 265 |
| Eilean Sùbhainn (F) | Loch Maree | 118 * | 0 | 36 |
| Eilean Tigh | Skye | 54[13] | 0 | 111 |
| Eilean Trodday | Skye | 42 | 0 | 45 |
| Eileanan Iasgaich | Uists and Barra | 50 | 0 | 23 |
| Ensay (Easaigh) | Uists and Barra | 186 | 0 | 49 |
| Eorsa | Mull | 122 | 0 | 98 |
| Eriska | Loch Linnhe | 310 * | 0 | 47 |
| Eriskay (Eirisgeidh) | Uists and Barra | 703 | 133 | 185 |
| Erraid (Eilean Earraid) | 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 | 4,078 | 86 | 158 |
| Fiaraidh | Uists and Barra | 41 | 0 | 30 |
| Flodaigh | Uists and Barra | 145 * | 11 | 20 |
| Flodaigh Mòr | Uists and Barra | 58 | 0 | 28 |
| Flodday, Sound of Barra | Uists and Barra | 40 | 0 | 41 |
| Flotta | Orkney | 876 | 81 | 58 |
| Foula | Shetland | 1,265 | 31 | 418 |
| Fraoch-eilean | Uists and Barra | 55[13] | ?[14] | 11 |
| Fuaigh Mòr (Vuia Mòr) | Lewis and Harris | 84 | 0 | 67 |
| Fuday (Fuideigh) | Uists and Barra | 232 | 0 | 89 |
| Fuiay (Fuidheigh) | 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 (Giogha) | Islay | 1,395 | 110 | 100 |
| Gighay (Gioghaigh) | Uists and Barra | 96 | 0 | 95 |
| Glims Holm | Orkney | 55 | 0 | 32 |
| Gometra (Gòmastra) | Mull | 425 | 5 | 155 |
| Graemsay | Orkney | 409 | 21 | 62 |
| Great Bernera (Bearnaraigh Mòr) | Lewis and Harris | 2,122 | 233 | 87 |
| Great Cumbrae (Cumaradh Mòr) | Firth of Clyde | 1,168 | 1434 | 127 |
| Grimsay (Griomasaigh) | Uists and Barra | 833 | 201 | 22 |
| Grimsay (South) (Griomasaigh) | Uists and Barra | 117 * | 19 | 20 |
| Gruinard Island (Eilean Ghruinneard) | Highland | 196 | 0 | 106 |
| Gunna (Gunnaigh) | Mull | 69 | 0 | 35 |
| Handa (Eilean Shannda) | Highland | 309 | 0 | 123 |
| Hascosay | Shetland | 275 | 0 | 30 |
| Hellisay (Theiliseigh) | Uists and Barra | 142 | 0 | 79 |
| Hermetray (Thearnatraigh) | Uists and Barra | 72 | 0 | 35 |
| Hildasay | Shetland | 108 | 0 | 32 |
| Hirta (Hiort) | St Kilda | 670 | 0 | 430 |
| Holy Isle (Eilean MoLaise) | Firth of Clyde | 253 | 13 | 314 |
| Horse Island | Summer Isles | 53 | 0 | 60 |
| Housay | Out Skerries | 163 | 50 | 53 |
| Hoy | Orkney | 13,458 | 272[15] | 479 |
| Hunda | Orkney | 100 | 0 | 41 |
| Inchcailloch (F) (Innis na Cailleach) | Loch Lomond | 50[13] | 0 | 85 |
| Inchcolm (Innis Choluim) | Firth of Forth | 9 * | 2 | 34 |
| Inchfad (F) (Innis Fada) | Loch Lomond | c.40 * | 2 | 24 |
| Inch Kenneth (Innis Choinnich) | Mull | 55 | 0 | 49 |
| Inchlonaig (F) | Loch Lomond | 80[13] | 0 | 62 |
| Inchmarnock (Innis Mheàrnaig) | Firth of Clyde | 266 | 0 | 60 |
| Inchmurrin (F) (Innis Mheadhran) | Loch Lomond | 120[13] | 13 | 89 |
| Inchtavannach (F) (Innis Taigh a' Mhanaich) | Loch Lomond | 70[13] | 3 | 84 |
| Innis Chonan (F) | Loch Awe | 8 * | 1 | 62 |
| Iona (Ì Chaluim Chille) | Mull | 877 | 125 | 100 |
| Isay (Ìosaigh) | Skye | 60 | 0 | 28 |
| Islay (Ìle) | Islay | 61,956 | 3457 | 491 |
| Isle Martin (Eilean Mhàrtainn) | Summer Isles | 157 | 0 | 120 |
| Isle of Ewe (Eilean Iùbh) | Highland | 309 | 12 | 72 |
| Isle of May (Eilean Mhàigh) | Firth of Forth | 45 | 0 | 50 |
| Isle Ristol (Eilean Ruisteil) | Summer Isles | 225 * | 0 | 71 |
| Jura (Diùra) | Islay | 36,692 | 188 | 785 |
| Kerrera (Cearrara) | Mull | 1,214 | 42 | 189 |
| Killegray (Ceileagraigh) | Lewis and Harris | 176 | 0 | 45 |
| Kirkibost (Eilean Chirceboist) | Uists and Barra | 205 | 0 | 7 |
| Lamba | Shetland | 43 | 0 | 35 |
| Lamb Holm | Orkney | 40 | 0 | 20 |
| Lewis and Harris (Leòdhas agus na Hearadh) | Lewis and Harris | 217,898 | 19918 | 799 |
| Linga, Muckle Roe | Shetland | 70 | 0 | 69 |
| Linga, Yell | Shetland | 45 | 0 | 26 |
| Linga Holm | Orkney | 57 | 0 | 10 |
| Lismore (Lios Mòr) | Mull | 2,351 | 146 | 127 |
| Little Bernera (Bearnaraigh Beag) | Lewis and Harris | 138 | 0 | 41 |
| Little Colonsay (Colbhasa Beag) | Mull | 88 | 0 | 61 |
| Little Cumbrae (Cumaradh Beag) | Firth of Clyde | 313 | 0 | 123 |
| Longa Island (Longa) | Highland | 126 | 0 | 70 |
| Longay (Longaigh) | Skye | 50 | 0 | 67 |
| Luing (An t-Eilean Luinn) | Slate Islands | 1,430 | 212 | 94 |
| Lunga | Slate Islands | 254 | 7 | 98 |
| Lunga | Treshnish Isles | 81 | 0 | 103 |
| Mainland, Orkney | Orkney | 52,325 | 15315 | 271 |
| Mainland, Shetland | Shetland | 96,879 | 17550 | 450 |
| Eilean Mhealasta | Lewis and Harris | 124 | 0 | 77 |
| Mingulay (Miughalaigh) | Uists and Barra | 640 | 0 | 273 |
| Moncrieffe Island (F) (Eilean Monadh Craoibhe) | River Tay | 46 * | 3 | 5 |
| Mousa | Shetland | 180 | 0 | 55 |
| Muck (Eilean nam Muc) | Small Isles | 559 | 30 | 137 |
| Muckle Roe | Shetland | 1,773 | 104 | 267 |
| Muldoanich (Maol Dòmhnaich) | Uists and Barra | 78 | 0 | 153 |
| Mull (Muile) | Mull | 87,535 | 2667 | 966 |
| North Rona (Rònaigh) | Atlantic Outlier | 109 | 0 | 108 |
| North Ronaldsay | Orkney | 690 | 70 | 20 |
| North Uist (Uibhist a Tuath) | Uists and Barra | 30,305 | 1271 | 347 |
| Noss | Shetland | 343 | 0 | 181 |
| Oldany Island | Highland | 200 * | 0 | 104 |
| Oronsay (Orasaigh) | Islay | 543 | 5 | 93 |
| Oronsay (Orasaigh) | Uists and Barra | 85 | 0 | 25 |
| Oronsay (Orasaigh) | Mull | 230 * | 0 | 58 |
| Oxna | Shetland | 68 | 0 | 38 |
| Pabay (Pabaigh) | Skye | 122 | 0 | 28 |
| Pabay Mòr | Lewis and Harris | 101 | 0 | 68 |
| Pabbay (Pabaigh) | Uists and Barra | 250 | 0 | 171 |
| Pabbay (Pabaigh) | 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 (Eilean a' Chlèirich) | Summer Isles | 122 | 0 | 78 |
| Raasay (Ratharsair) | Skye | 6,405 | 192 | 443 |
| Ronay (Rònaigh) | Uists and Barra | 563 | 0 | 115 |
| Rousay | Orkney | 4,860 | 212 | 250 |
| Rùm | Small Isles | 10,463 | 22 | 812 |
| Samphrey | Shetland | 66 | 0 | 29 |
| Sanda Island (Sandaigh) | Firth of Clyde | 151 | 1 | 123 |
| Sanday (Sandaigh) | Orkney | 5,043 | 478 | 65 |
| Sanday (Sandaigh) | Small Isles | 184 | 6 | 59 |
| Sandray (Sanndraigh) | Uists and Barra | 385 | 0 | 207 |
| Scalpay (Sgalpaigh) | Skye | 2,483 | 10 | 392 |
| Scalpay (Sgalpaigh) | Lewis and Harris | 653 | 322 | 104 |
| Scarba (Sgarba) | Islay | 1,474 | 0 | 449 |
| Scarp (An Sgarp) | Lewis and Harris | 1,045 | 0 | 308 |
| Seaforth Island (Eilean Shìphiort) | Lewis and Harris | 273 | 0 | 217 |
| Seil (Saoil) | Slate Islands | 1,329 | 560 | 146 |
| Sgeotasaigh | Lewis and Harris | 49 | 0 | 57 |
| Shapinsay | Orkney | 2,948 | 300 | 64 |
| Shillay (Siolaigh) | Lewis and Harris | 47 | 0 | 79 |
| Shuna (Siuna) | Slate Islands | 451 | 1 | 90 |
| Shuna (Siuna) | Loch Linnhe | 155 | 0 | 71 |
| Skye (An t-Eilean Sgitheanach) | Skye | 165,625 | 9232 | 993 |
| Soay (Sòdhaigh) | Skye | 1,036 | 7 | 141 |
| Soay (Soaigh) | St Kilda | 99 | 0 | 378 |
| Soay Mòr (Sòdhaigh Mòr) | Lewis and Harris | 45 | 0 | 37 |
| South Havra | Shetland | 59 | 0 | 42 |
| South Rona (Rònaigh) | Skye | 930 | 2 | 125 |
| South Ronaldsay | Orkney | 4,980 | 854 | 118 |
| South Uist (Uibhist a Deas) | Uists and Barra | 32,026 | 1818 | 620 |
| South Walls | Orkney | 1,100[13] | 120 (est)[15] | 57 |
| Stockinish Island (Eilean Stocainis) | Lewis and Harris | 49 | 0 | 44 |
| Stroma (Sròmaigh) | Highland | 375 | 0 | 53 |
| Stromay (Sròmaigh) | Uists and Barra | 66 | 0 | 16 |
| Stronsay | Orkney | 3,275 | 343 | 44 |
| Stuley | Uists and Barra | 45 | 0 | 40 |
| Switha | Orkney | 41 | 0 | 29 |
| Swona | Orkney | 92 | 0 | 41 |
| Tahay (Taghaigh) | Uists and Barra | 53 | 0 | 65 |
| Tanera Beag | Summer Isles | 66 | 0 | 83 |
| Tanera Mòr (Tannara Mòr) | Summer Isles | 310 | 5 | 124 |
| Taransay (Tarasaigh) | Lewis and Harris | 1,475 | 0 | 267 |
| Texa | Islay | 48 | 0 | 48 |
| Tiree (Tiriodh) | Mull | 7,834 | 770 | 141 |
| Torsa | Slate Islands | 113 | 0 | 62 |
| Trondra | Shetland | 275 | 133 | 60 |
| Ulva (Ulbha) | Mull | 1,990 | 16 | 313 |
| Unst | Shetland | 12,068 | 720 | 284 |
| Uyea, Unst | Shetland | 205 | 0 | 50 |
| Vaila | Shetland | 327 | 2 | 95 |
| Vacsay (Bhacsaidh) | Lewis and Harris | 41 | 0 | 34 |
| Vallay (Bhàlaigh) | Uists and Barra | 260 | 0 | 38 |
| Vatersay (Bhatarsaigh) | 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 | 4,713 | 563 | 169 |
| Whalsay | Shetland | 1,970 | 1034 | 119 |
| Wiay (Fuidheigh) | Skye | 148 | 0 | 60 |
| Wiay (Fuidheigh) | Uists and Barra | 375 | 0 | 102 |
| Wyre | Orkney | 311 | 18 | 32 |
| Yell | Shetland | 21,211 | 957 | 205 |
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 an important part in Scottish history.
Inchmurrin is the largest freshwater island in the British Isles.[16][17] It is in Loch Lomond, which contains over sixty other islands.[17] Loch Maree also contains several islands, the largest of which are Eilean Sùbhainn, Garbh Eilean and Eilean Ruairidh Mòr.
This is a continuing list of uninhabited Scottish islands smaller than 40 hectares in size.
| Name | Island Group / Location |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Linga, Samphrey | Shetland Islands |
| Lunna Holm | Shetland Islands |
| Maiden Island | Inner Hebrides |
| Mingay | Inner Hebrides |
| Muckle Flugga | Shetland Islands |
| Muckle Green Holm | Orkney Islands |
| Muckle Skerry | Pentland Skerries |
| Mugdrum Island | Firth of Tay |
| Nave Island | Islay |
| North Havra | Shetland Islands |
| Oigh-Sgeir | Inner 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 |
| Sibhinis | Monach Isles |
| Shillay | Monach Islands |
| Soay Beag | Outer Hebrides |
| South Isle of Gletness | Shetland Islands |
| St Ninian's Isle | Shetland Islands |
| Stac an Armin | St Kilda |
| Stac Biorach | St Kilda |
| Stac Lee | St Kilda |
| Stac Levenish | St Kilda |
| Staffa | Inner Hebrides |
| Stockay | Monach Islands |
| Stuley | Outer Hebrides |
| Sula Sgeir | Atlantic Ocean |
| Sule Skerry | Atlantic Ocean |
| Sule Stack | Atlantic Ocean |
| Sweyn Holm | Orkney Islands |
| Tarner Island | Inner Hebrides |
| Trialabreac | Outer Hebrides |
| Urie Lingey | Shetland Islands |
| Uyea, Northmavine | Shetland Islands |
| Uynarey | Shetland Islands |
| Vacsay | Loch Ròg |
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) |
| Ramna Stacks | Shetland |
| 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 |
Scotland's islands include thirteen Munros (mountains with a height over 3,000 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).[18] The following list is of all islands with a highest elevation greater than 300 metres (980 ft).
| 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 |
The following is a list of places which were formerly islands, but which are no longer so due to silting up, harbour building etc.
Many of Scotland's islands are connected to the mainland and/or 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
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.
An undersea tunnel between the archipelago and Caithness, at a length of about 9–10 miles (14–16 km) and a tunnel connecting Orkney Mainland to Shapinsay have been discussed,[24][25] 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:
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.[27]
The three main islands of the Monach Islands (Heisgeir), Ceann Iar, Ceann Ear and Shivinish are connected at low tides. It is said that at one time it was also 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 the route away.[1]
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.[28]
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.[1]
There are a number of offshore islands that defy easy classification.
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.
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 is sometimes stated.
This is a list of islands, which are known to be named after someone. In some cases such as North Ronaldsay this status may not be obvious (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, and also Colonsay & Egilsay where the derivation is disputed.
Iqbal Singh, the owner of Vacsay, has also expressed wishes to rename it after Robert Burns.
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".[29]
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 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 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). 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 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.
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.
Crannógs are prehistoric artificial islands created in lochs. There are several hundred sites in Scotland. Today, crannógs typically appear as small, circular islands, between 10–30 metres (30–90 feet) in diameter.[30] Scottish examples include:
|
|||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||