List of Inner Hebrides


This List of Inner Hebrides summarises a chain of islands and skerries located off the west coast of mainland Scotland. There are 36 inhabited islands in this archipelago, of which Islay, Mull and Skye are the largest and most populous.
The islands of Scotland's west coast are known collectively as the Hebrides; the Inner Hebrides are separated from the Outer Hebrides by The Minch to the north and the Sea of the Hebrides to the south. The Inner Hebrides that lie respectively north and south of Ardnamurchan are administered by two separate local authorities as part of larger territories. The northern Inner Hebrides, including Skye, the Small Isles and the Summer Isles, are part of the Highland unitary council region. The southern group, including Islay, Jura, the Slate Islands and Gigha are part of the Argyll and Bute council region.
In the past, the Hebrides as a whole were a strong Scottish Gaelic-speaking area, and in 1921 more than 50% of the populations of most of these islands, including Skye, Mull and Islay, were proficient in the language. However, although the Outer Hebrides have retained many Gaelic speakers, in the 2001 census only Skye and Tiree had more than 25% of the resident population able to speak Gaelic; Mull, Jura, Gigha and Coll each recorded figures of less than 15%.
The modern economy centres on tourism, crofting, farming, fishing, and whisky distilling. The archipelago is exposed to wind and tide. There are numerous lighthouses as an aid to navigation.
There are various descriptions of the scope of the Hebrides. The Collins Encyclopedia of Scotland describes the Inner Hebrides as lying "east of The Minch", which would include any and all offshore islands. There are various islands that lie in the sea lochs, such as Eilean Bàn and Eilean Donan, that might not ordinarily be described as "Hebridean", but no formal definition exists and for simplicity they are included in this list rather than elsewhere.

Etymology

Various Gaelic names are used repeatedly. The suffix ay or aigh or aidh is generally from the Norse øy meaning "island". Eilean also means "island". Beag and mòr mean "little" and "big" and are often found together. Sgeir is "skerry" and often refers to a rock or rocks that lie submerged at high tide. Dubh is "black", dearg is "red" and glas means "grey" or "green". Orasaigh is from the Norse Örfirirsey meaning "tidal" or "ebb island".

Inhabited islands

The inhabited islands of the Inner Hebrides had a population of 18,257 in 2001, and 18,948 at the time of the 2011 census. The highest peaks of the islands have names deriving from both Gaelic and Old Norse, indicating the historical importance of these two cultures. The archaeological record for the period of Viking domination during the Early Historic period is, however, limited.
In the Outer Hebrides all of the inhabited islands are now connected to at least one other island by a land transport route, but only four Inner Hebridean islands are connected by road, all to the mainland. The Clachan Bridge from Argyll to Seil was designed by Thomas Telford and dates from 1792. Skye has been connected to Kyle of Lochalsh by the Skye Bridge since 1995. Danna is also connected to the Tayvallich peninsula in Argyll by a stone causeway; and tiny Eilean Donan, dominated by its castle, has had a connection to the mainland perhaps from as early as the 13th century. The arched bridge in use today was constructed in the early 20th century.
IslandGaelic nameGroupArea PopulationHighest pointHeight
CannaCanaighSmall Isles113012Càrn a' Ghaill210
CollColaMull7685195Ben Hogh104
ColonsayColbhasaIslay4074124Carnan Eoin104
DannaDannaIslay3151Cruiadh Bharr54
EasdaleEilean ÈisdealSlate Islands2059–38
EiggEigeSmall Isles304983An Sgurr393
Eilean BànAn t-Eilean BànSkye0–c. 6
Eilean dà MhèinnEilean dà MhèinnKnapdale31–16
Eilean DonanEilean DonnainLoch Duich10–3
Eilean ShonaEilean SeonaLoch Moidart5252Beinn a' Bhàillidh265
Eilean TioramEilean TioramLoch Moidart26–10
EriskaLoch Linnhe310?Ceann Garbh47
ErraidEilean Earraid Mull1876Cnoc Mòr75
GighaGioghaIslay1395163Creag Bhàn100
GometraGòmastraMull4252–155
Isle of EweEilean IùbhNorth Highland3097Creag Streap72
IonaMull877177Dùn Ì101
IslayIslay619563228Beinn Bheigeir491
JuraDiùraIslay36692196Beinn an Òir785
KerreraCearraraFirth of Lorn121434Carn Breugach189
LismoreLios MòrFirth of Lorn2351192Barr Mòr127
LuingLuinnSlate Islands1430195Binneinn Furachail87
LungaLungaSlate Islands2540Bidean na h-Iolaire98
MuckEilean nam MucSmall Isles55927Beinn Airein137
MullMuileMull875352800Ben More966
OronsayOrasaighIslay5438Beinn Orasaigh93
RaasayRatharsairSkye6231161Dùn Caan444
RonaRònaighSkye9303Meall Acairseidh125
RùmRùmSmall Isles1046322Askival812
SandaySandaighSmall Isles1849Tallabric59
ScalpaySgalpaighSkye24834Mullach na Càrn396
SeilSaoilSlate Islands1329551Meall Chaise146
ShunaSiunaSlate Islands4513Druim na Dubh Ghlaic90
SkyeAn t-Eilean SgitheanachSkye16562510008Sgurr Alasdair993
SoaySòdhaighSkye10361Beinn Bhreac141
Tanera MòrTannara MòrSummer Isles3104Meall Mòr124
TireeTiriodhMull7834653Ben Hynish141
UlvaUlbhaMull199011Beinn Chreagach313

Lunga in the Firth of Lorn had a population of 7, Eilean Bàn a population of 2 and Eilean Donan a single resident in 2001 but none recorded a usually resident population in 2011.
Castle Stalker, Eilean Horrisdale, Eilean Loain and Inch Kenneth are "included in the NRS statistical geography for inhabited islands but had no usual residents at the time of either the 2001 or 2011 censuses".

Uninhabited islands

There are 43 uninhabited Inner Hebrides with an area greater than 30 hectares. Records for the last date of settlement for the smaller uninhabited islands are incomplete, but most of the islands listed here would have been inhabited at some point during the Neolithic, Iron Age, Early Historic or Norse periods.
In common with the other main island chains of Scotland many of the more remote islands were abandoned during the 19th and 20th centuries, in some cases after continuous habitation since prehistoric times. These places had been perceived as relatively self-sufficient agricultural economies, but both island residents and outsiders later came to consider that the more remote islands lacked the essential services of a modern industrial economy.
Some of the islands continue to contribute to modern culture. Staffa came to prominence in the late 18th century after a visit by Sir Joseph Banks. He and his fellow travellers extolled the natural beauty of the basalt columns in general, and in particular of the island's main sea cavern, which Banks renamed "Fingal's Cave". Many other prominent personalities visited Staffa over the next two centuries, including Felix Mendelssohn, whose Hebrides Overture brought further fame to the island. During the Second World War, Gruinard was the site of a biological warfare test by British military scientists. At that time there was an investigation by the British government to test both the vulnerability of Britain to attack and the possibility of attacking Germany using anthrax.
The difficulties of definition are considerable in some cases. For example, Haswell-Smith treats Lunga as a single island, although during high tides it becomes one inhabited island and numerous uninhabited tidal islets. Another example is the smaller island of Eilean Mòr in Loch Dunvegan, which joins with nearby Eilean Dubh and Garay Island at low tides.
IslandGaelic nameGroupArea Last inhabitedHighest pointHeight
Calbha BeagCalbha BeagEddrachillis Bay31–41
Calbha MorCalbha MòrEddrachillis Bay70–67
Calve IslandEilean ChailbheMull72–20
CaraCaraGigha66–56
CàrnaCàrnaLoch Sunart213Cruachan Chàrna169
Eileach an NaoimhEileach an NaoimhGarvellachs5610th century–80
Eilean an Ròin MòrEilean an Ròin MòrNorth Highland33–63
Eilean Dubh MòrAn t-Eilean Dubh MòrSlate Islands65–53
Eilean FladdayEilean FhladaighSkye1371970s–39
Eilean HorrisdaleEilean ThòireasdalNorth Highland32Carn Garbh38
Eilean IgheEilean IgheSound of Arisaig35–20
Eilean MacaskinEilean MhicAsgainLoch Craignish50–65
Eilean MeadhonachAn t-Eilean MeadhanachCrowlin Islands77–54
Eilean Mhic ChrionEilean MhicChrìonLoch Craignish54–63
Eilean MòrAn t-Eilean MòrCrowlin Islands170Meall a' Chòis114
Eilean RìghEilean RìghLoch Craignish86Dùn Righ55
Eilean TighEilean an TaigheSkye58Meall Mòr111
Eilean TroddayEilean ThrodaighSkye42–45
EorsaEòrsaMull122–98
Garbh EileachGarbh EileachGarvellachs142–110
GruinardEilean GhruinneartNorth Highland196An Eilid106
GunnaGunnaighMull69–35
HandaEilean ShanndaNorth Highland3091848Sithean Mòr123
Harlosh IslandEilean HeàrrloisSkye34–51
Horse IslandEilean nan EachSummer Isles53Sgurr nan Uan60
Inch KennethInnis ChoinnichMull551970s–49
InshAn InnisSlate Islands36–69
IsaySkye601860–28
Isle MartinEilean MhàrtainnSummer Isles1571948–120
Isle RistolEilean RuisteilSummer Isles225–71
Little ColonsayColbhasa BeagMull881940s–61
Longa IslandLongaNorth Highland126Druim am Eilean70
LongayLongaighSkye50–67
LungaLungaighMull811857Cruachan103
Oldany IslandEilean AlltanaidhEddrachillis Bay200Sidhean nan Ealachan104
OrnsayEilean IarmainSkyec. 35–46
OronsayOrasaighLoch Sunart230Druim Mòr58
PabayPabaighSkye122–28
Priest IslandEilean a' ChlèirichSummer Isles122–78
ScarbaSgarbaIslay14741960sCruach Scarba449
ShunaSiunaMull1551960sTom an t-Seallaidh71
StaffaStafaMull33–42
Tanera BeagTannara BeagSummer Isles66–83
TexaTeacsa Islay48Ceann Garbh48
TorsaTorsaSlate Islands113–62
WiayFuidheighSkye148–60

Smaller islets and skerries

Smaller islands, tidal islets only separated at higher stages of the tide, and skerries which are only exposed at lower stages of the tide pepper the seas surrounding the main islands. Many of them are obscure and only a few have ever been inhabited. Nonetheless, some have a significant degree of notability. Lady's Rock, a skerry in Loch Linnhe, was the site of the attempted murder of Lady Catherine Campbell by her husband Lachlan Maclean of Duart in 1527. He rowed out to the rock one night at low tide and left his wife stranded on the rock to die. Nearby Castle Stalker was in the possession of Clan Stewart of Appin at this time, but its more recent claim to fame is as a location in the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Remote Dubh Artach and Skerryvore are the sites of two unmanned lighthouses; the latter reaches in height and is the tallest in the United Kingdom. Belnahua supported a population of slate workers in its substantial and now flooded central quarry during the 19th century.
Nearby Eilean-a-beithich once stood in the Easdale Sound between Easdale and Seil. However, it was quarried to a depth of below sea level leaving only the outer rim of the island. This was eventually swept away by the sea and little visible sign of the island now remains.
In addition to being a hazard to navigation, the Torran Rocks south of Erraid are one of the locations featured in the novel Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson. It was here that Alan Breck Stewart and David Balfour were ship-wrecked.
The smaller Inner Hebridean islands, grouped by location, in the vicinity of:

South Argyll Coast

From Ininmore Bay in Morvern to the River Sheil.
bridge crossing the Loch a' Chàirn Bhàin narrows with Garbh Eilean in the foreground.
There are various small island groups within the Inner Hebrides that are included above. The largest of these mini-archipelagos are:
There is another group of islets off Craighouse on the east coast of Jura called the Small Isles.