Eilean Meadhonach

Eilean Meadhonach
Gaelic name Eilean Meadhonach
Meaning of name middle island
Location
Eilean Meadhonach
Eilean Meadhonach shown relative to Skye
OS grid reference NG687348
Coordinates 57°20′42″N 5°50′42″W / 57.345°N 05.845°W / 57.345; -05.845
Physical geography
Island group Skye
Area 77 ha[1]
Area rank 166= [2]
Highest elevation 54 m[3]
Administration
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Country Scotland
Council area Highland
Demographics
Population 0

Eilean Meadhonach is the second largest of the Crowlin Islands, located in the Inner Sound off the island of Skye, Scotland.

Crowlin Harbour

It is situated immediately to the west of Eilean Mòr, and to the north is Eilean Beag, both of which it is connected to at low tide.[4] The total area is 77 hectares (190 acres)[1][5] although Haswell-Smith also provides a figure of 50 hectares (120 acres) for the area.[4] The larger figure may include Eilean Beag and the lower one Eilean Meadhonach alone at high tide.

Crowlin Harbour is at the northern end of the narrow (50 metres (160 ft)) gap between Eilean Meadhonach and Eilean Mòr and provides a natural shelter from westerly and southerly winds. It is also possible to anchor in a small pool at the centre of this strait.[4]

Excavations on Eilean Mòr have shown evidence of Mesolithic human settlement[4] and there are the remains of a midden and rock shelter on the north west coast of Eilean Meadhonach.[6] Eilean Mòr has ruined cottages from historic times although there is no evidence of permanent recent habitation on Eilean Meadhonach.[4] Eilean Beag has a light beacon and the remains of an old shieling.[3]

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 Haswell-Smith (2004) p. 148
  2. ↑ Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
  3. 1 2 Ordnance Survey maps
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Haswell-Smith (2004) p. 160
  5. ↑ Rick Livingstone’s Tables of the Islands of Scotland (pdf) Argyll Yacht Charters. Retrieved 12 Dec 2011.
  6. ↑ "Eilean Meadhonach". Canmore. Retrieved 31 Dec 2011.

References

Coordinates: 57°20′42″N 5°50′42″W / 57.345°N 5.8451°W / 57.345; -5.8451


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