Portal:Scottish islands

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

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   View from Elgol on the Isle of Skye across to the Cuillin
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   Portree Waterfront, Isle of Skye
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   Tombolo connecting St Ninian's Isle to Mainland, Shetland
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   Clisham in the distance, Harris
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   The Cuillin, Isle of Skye
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   Seilebost on Harris
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   Tiree
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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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   Tobermory waterfront on Mull

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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 km² (841 sq mi), and there are a further 200 islands which are greater than 40 hectares (100 acres) in area. Of the remainder, several, such as Staffa and the Flannan Isles, are well known, despite their small size. Some 101 Scottish islands are currently permanently inhabited, of which 89 are offshore according to 2011 census data. Between 2001 and 2011, Scottish island populations as a whole grew by 4% to 103,702 although by 2022 the total had fallen back to just under 103,000.

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

  Credit: Mipmapped

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  Fishing boats in Stromness Harbour, Orkney

  Credit: Renata

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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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  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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  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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  Sandy beach at Mealista, Lewis

  Credit: Peter Moore

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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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  The cliffs of Eshaness, North Mainland, Shetland

  Credit: ThoWi

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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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  Common or harbour seal, seen off Lismore

  Credit: Charles J Sharp

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

  Credit: Drianmcdonald

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

  Credit: Ronsteenvoorden

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  Baile Mòr, the village on Iona

  Credit: Clydecoast

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

  Credit: Nevit Dilmen

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  The main ridge of the Cuillin, Skye

  Credit: Adrian Pingstone

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  Portree, the main settlement on Skye

  Credit: Bert Kaufmann

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

  Credit: Steve Houldsworth

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  Aerial view of the ruins of a hermitage on Canna

  Credit: Peter Van den Bossche

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

  Credit: Diliff

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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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  Fingal's Cave on Staffa

  Credit: Unknown (c. 1900)

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

  Credit: Jon Thomson

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

  Credit: Walter Baxter

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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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  Sandy beach at Eoropie, Lewis

  Credit: AmosWolfe

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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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  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

Selected island group

Flag

Orkney (/ˈɔːrkni/), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland, Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north of Caithness and has about 70 islands, of which 20 are inhabited. The largest island, the Mainland, has an area of 523 square kilometres (202 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest Scottish island and the tenth-largest island in the British Isles. Orkney's largest settlement, and also its administrative centre, is Kirkwall.

Orkney is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a constituency of the Scottish Parliament, a lieutenancy area, and an historic county. The local council is Orkney Islands Council.

The islands have been inhabited likely for at least 10,000 years, occupied by terminal Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, and subsequently by Neolithic and Bronze Age farmers and later by Picts during the Iron Age. Orkney was colonised and later annexed by the Kingdom of Norway in 875 and settled by the Norsemen. In 1472, the Parliament of Scotland absorbed the Earldom of Orkney into the Kingdom of Scotland, following failure to pay a dowry promised to James III of Scotland by the family of his bride, Margaret of Denmark.

In addition to the Mainland, most of the remaining islands are divided into two groups: the North Isles and the South Isles. The local climate is relatively mild and the soils are extremely fertile; most of the land is farmed, and agriculture is the most important sector of the economy. The significant wind and marine energy resources are of growing importance; the amount of electricity that Orkney generates annually from renewable energy sources exceeds its demand. Temperatures average 4 °C (39 °F) in winter and 12 °C (54 °F) in summer. (Full article...)

News

Selected fauna

A Shetland lamb with the common "moorit" (reddish brown) colour

The Shetland is a small, wool-producing breed of sheep originating in the Shetland Isles, Scotland, but is now also kept in many other parts of the world. It is part of the Northern European short-tailed sheep group, and it is closely related to the extinct Scottish Dunface. This breed is kept for its very fine wool, for meat, and for conservation grazing.

Although Shetlands are small and slow-growing compared to commercial breeds, they are hardy, thrifty, easy lambers, adaptable and long-lived. The Shetland breed has survived for centuries in difficult conditions and on a poor diet, but they thrive in better conditions. Shetlands retain many of their primitive survival instincts, so they are easier to care for than many modern breeds. (Full article...)

Selected history & culture article

Prehistoric Orkney refers only to the prehistory of the Orkney archipelago of Scotland that begins with human occupation. (The islands' history before human occupation is part of the geology of Scotland.) Although some records referring to Orkney survive that were written during the Roman invasions of Scotland, "prehistory" in northern Scotland is defined as lasting until the start of Scotland's Early Historic Period (around AD 600).

There are numerous important prehistoric remains in Orkney, especially from the Neolithic period. Four of these remains today constitute a World Heritage Site. There are diverse reasons for the abundance of the archaeological record. The sandstone bedrock provides easily workable stone materials and the wind-blown sands have helped preserve several sites. The relative lack of industrialisation and the low incidence of ploughing have also helped to preserve these ancient monuments. In addition, local tradition hints at both fear and veneration of these ancient structures (perhaps inherited from the Norse period of occupation), and these attitudes may have helped prevent human interference with their structural integrity.

Prehistory is conventionally divided into a number of shorter periods, but differentiating these various eras of human history is a complex task – their boundaries are uncertain, and the changes between them are gradual. A number of the sites span long periods of time, and, in particular, the distinctions between the Neolithic and the later periods are not clear cut. However, in general, the Paleolithic lasted until the retreat of the ice, the Mesolithic until the adoption of farming and the Neolithic until metalworking commenced The Neolithic period's extraordinary wealth of structures is not matched by the remains from earlier periods, in which the evidence of human occupation is sparse or non-existent – nor is it matched by remains from the later Bronze Age, which provides a relative dearth of evidence. However, the subsequent Iron Age supported a return to monumental building projects, especially brochs.

Formal excavations were first recorded in the late 18th century. Over time, investigators' understanding of the structures they uncovered progressed—from little more than folklore in the beginning, to modern archaeological science today. (Full article...)

Selected island

The Boathouse café

Ulva (/ˈʌlvə/; Scottish Gaelic: Ulbha) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, off the west coast of Mull. It is separated from Mull by a narrow strait, and connected to the neighbouring island of Gometra by a bridge. Much of the island is formed from Cenozoic basalt rocks, which are formed into columns in places.

Ulva has been populated since the Mesolithic period, and there are various Neolithic remains on the island. The Norse occupation of the island in the Early Middle Ages has left few tangible artefacts but did bequeath the island its name, which is probably from Ulvoy, meaning "wolf island". Celtic culture was a major influence during both Pictish and Dalriadan times as well as the post-Norse period when the islands became part of modern Scotland. This long period, when Gaelic became the dominant language, was ended by the 19th-century Clearances. At its height, Ulva had a population of over 800, but by May 2019, this had declined to 5. Some increase in the number of residents was expected in future, with the re-population plan that was to commence in 2020 although by 2022 the resident population was just six.

Numerous well-known individuals have connections with the island including David Livingstone, Samuel Johnson and Walter Scott, who drew inspiration from Ulva for his 1815 poem, The Lord of the Isles. Wildlife is abundant: cetaceans are regularly seen in the surrounding waters and over 500 species of plant have been recorded. Today there is a regular ferry service and tourism is the mainstay of the economy. In March 2018 the Scottish Land Fund pledged £4.4 million towards a community buyout of the island, and the North West Mull Community Woodland Company took ownership of the island on 21 June 2018. (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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  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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  Scottish Gaelic speakers in the 2011 census; the Outer Hebrides, Tiree, Raasay, Skye and Lismore have the highest proportion of speakers

  Credit: SkateTier

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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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  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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  Jurassic sandstone rock arch on the Strathaird peninsula of Skye

  Credit: John Allan

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

  Credit: Fantoman400

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  Seals hauled out by Lyrie Geo on Hoy

  Credit: Claire Pegrum

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

  Credit: Tom Richardson

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

Sorley MacLean (Scottish Gaelic: Somhairle MacGill-Eain; 26 October 1911 – 24 November 1996) was a Scottish Gaelic poet, described by the Scottish Poetry Library as "one of the major Scottish poets of the modern era" because of his "mastery of his chosen medium and his engagement with the European poetic tradition and European politics". Nobel Prize Laureate Seamus Heaney credited MacLean with saving Scottish Gaelic poetry.

He was raised in a strict Presbyterian family on the island of Raasay, immersed in Gaelic culture and literature from birth, but abandoned religion for socialism. In the late 1930s, he befriended many Scottish Renaissance figures, such as Hugh MacDiarmid and Douglas Young. He was wounded three times while serving in the Royal Corps of Signals during the North African Campaign. MacLean published little after the war, due to his perfectionism. In 1956, he became head teacher at Plockton High School, where he advocated for the use of the Gaelic language in formal education.

In his poetry, MacLean juxtaposed traditional Gaelic elements with mainstream European elements, frequently comparing the Highland Clearances with contemporary events, especially the Spanish Civil War. His work was a unique fusion of traditional and modern elements that has been credited with restoring Gaelic tradition to its proper place and reinvigorating and modernizing the Gaelic language. Although his most influential works, Dàin do Eimhir and An Cuilthionn, were published in 1943, MacLean did not become well known until the 1970s, when his works were published in English translation. His later poem Hallaig, published 1954, achieved "cult status" outside Gaelic-speaking circles for its supernatural representation of a village depopulated in the Highland Clearances and came to represent all Scottish Gaelic poetry in the English-speaking imagination. (Full article...)

Related portals

Selected panorama

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  Eilean Donan

  Credit: Stefan Krause

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

  Credit: Mihael Grmek

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  View from Canna, overlooking Sanday towards Rùm

  Credit: Emoscopes

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  Iona Abbey

  Credit: Oliver-Bonjoch

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

  Credit: Klaus with K

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  View towards the Cuillin on Skye

  Credit: Stefan Krause

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  Small freshwater islets on Loch Assynt

  Credit: Vincent

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  Quiraing, Trotternish, on Skye

  Credit: Stefan Krause

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  The remains of the Old Pier at Salen, Mull

  Credit: Colin

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

  Credit: Klaus with K

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

  Credit: Colin

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  The colourful Main Street of Tobermory on Mull

  Credit: Colin

Topics

Categories

The main category is Islands of Scotland, with subcategories

Category puzzle

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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

Skerries of Scotland

Islands of the Tay

Tidal islands of Scotland

Towns on Scottish islands

Villages on Scottish islands

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Castle Stalker, Loch Laich

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