Bernera Island
{{short description|Tidal island off Lismore, in Argyll, Scotland}}
{{About|the tidal island off Lismore|other places with the same name|Berneray (disambiguation){{!}}Berneray}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Scottish island
|Image=Small beach on Bernera Island - geograph.org.uk - 952012.jpg
|ImageCaption=The eastern shore opposite Achadun Castle
|location_map=Scotland Argyll and Bute
|caption=Bernera Island shown within Argyll and Bute
|coordinates = {{coord|56.49|-5.58|display=inline}}
|GridReference=NM794393
|official_name=Bernera Island
|celtic name=Beàrnaraigh
|norse name=
|meaning of name=Bjørn's island, from Norse
|area= {{cvt|34|ha|sqmi|frac=16}}[http://www.argyll-yachtcharters.co.uk/Scottish%20Islands.pdf Rick Livingstone’s Tables of the Islands of Scotland] (pdf) Argyll Yacht Charters. Retrieved 12 Dec 2011.
|highest elevation= {{cvt|58|m}}
|Population=0
|population rank=
|main settlement=
|island group= Mull
|local authority=Argyll and Bute
|references={{NRS1C}}{{Haswell-Smith|111}}{{Ordnance Survey}}
}}
Bernera Island{{cite web|url=http://data.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/doc/4000000074606538|title=Bernera Island|publisher=Ordnance Survey|accessdate=15 February 2020}} ({{langx|gd|Beàrnaraigh}}) or simply Bernera is a tidal island off Lismore, in Argyll, Scotland.
History
In the 6th century, Bernera was settled by monks of the Irish Culdee church under the leadership of St. Moluag.{{cite web| url=https://www.ancient-yew.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Bernera-A-miracle-of-regeneration-with-references-included.pdf| title=St. Columba's Yew, Bernera – a Miracle of Yew Regeneration| publisher=Ancient Yew Group| accessdate=2009-07-26}} St. Columba used the island as a private place for retreat, meditation and prayer, and may have preached under (and possibly planted) a vast yew tree. It is reported that the wood was turned into a staircase for Lochnell Castle at Ardmenhuis and survived at least two fires, which burned down the rest of the building.
The island has the remains of an ancient chapel and burial ground.{{cite web| url=http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst1548.html | title=Bernera Island| publisher=Gazetteer for Scotland| accessdate=2009-07-26}}
Natural history
The island is limestone and this reflected in the diversity of species found on the island.
Bernera Island is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest on the basis of its feature of limestone maritime cliffs along with the presence of the nationally scarce rock whitebeam.{{cite web|url=http://gateway.snh.gov.uk/pls/portal/Sitelink.Show_Site_Document?p_pa_code=199&p_Doc_Type_ID=1 |title=Bernera Island Citation |publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage |accessdate=2010-09-05 }}{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
The common seal is a regular visitor to the coastal strip between the high and low water marks. This littoral zone forms part of the Eileanan agus Sgeirean Lios mòr Special Area of Conservation along with the nearby islets of Eilean na Cloich and Eilean Dubh in the Lynn of Lorn to the east and Dubh Sgeir and Eilean Gainimh in the Lynn of Morvern to the west.Eileanan agus Sgeiran Lios mór Special Area of Conservation: Advice under Regulation 33(2) (2006) Scottish Natural Heritage.
References
{{reflist}}
{{coord|56|29|40|N|5|35|0|W|region:GB_type:isle|display=title}}
{{Argyll Islands}}
{{Hebrides}}
Category:Uninhabited islands of Argyll and Bute
Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Lorne
Category:Tidal islands of Scotland
{{Argyll-geo-stub}}