Small Isles

The Small Isles are at the centre of this Hebrides map

Blaeu's 1654 Atlas of Scotland - The Small Isles. Rum is at centre, surrounded by "Kannay', 'Egg' and 'Muck'.

A distant view of Eigg, with the hills of Rùm behind

The Small Isles (Scottish Gaelic: Na h-Eileanan Tarsainn)^[1] are a small archipelago of islands in the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland. They lie south of Skye and north of Mull and Ardnamurchan – the most westerly point of mainland Scotland. The Small Isles is one of 40 National Scenic Areas in Scotland.^[2]

Main islands

The four main islands are Canna, Rùm, Eigg and Muck. The largest is Rùm with an area of 41 square miles (110 km²).

The islands now form part of Lochaber, in the Highland council area. Until 1891 Canna, Rùm and Muck were historically part of the counties of Argyll; Eigg was historically part of Inverness-shire, and all of the Small Isles were in Inverness-shire, from 1891 to 1975. The Gaelic name is literally "cross isles" referring to their position between the Morar and the Uists.^[1]

Smaller islands

Smaller islands surrounding the main four include:

• Sanday, separated from Canna by a narrow tidal channel;^[3]
• Eilean Chathastail, near Eigg and
• Eilean nan Each (Horse Island), near the north coast of Muck (NM3981)

Skerries

There are also a number of skerries:

• Hyskeir, (not to be confused with Heisker or the Monach Islands in the Outer Hebrides)
• Garbh Sgeir,
• Eagamol, near Eilean nan Each
• Humla, and
• two places called Dubh Sgeir

Footnotes

1. Iain Mac an Tàilleir. "Placenames" (PDF). Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Retrieved 2007-07-23.
2. "National Scenic Areas". SNH. Retrieved 30 Mar 2011.
3. "History of Canna". Retrieved 2007-06-11.

External links

Coordinates: 56°58′N 6°16′W / 56.967°N 6.267°W