Small Isles

"Small Isles" is the name of the coterminous civil parish and former Church of Scotland parish,Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. {{ISBN|1-84195-454-3}}. p. 134 originally created in 1726 from part of Sleat parish, the balance of which lies on the much larger island of Skye. The original name of the new parish was Eigg or Short Isles. "In process of time the name was by an easy transition changed from 'Short' to 'Small' Isles."Donald McLean "Small Isles, County of Inverness", Old Statistical Account of Scotland, Vol. XVII, 1796 The islands are not especially small, with Rùm being the 15th largest in Scotland. The Gaelic name of {{lang|gd|Na h-Eileanan Tarsainn}} translates as "cross isles", referring to the islands' position between Morar and Uist.

The four main islands are: Canna, Rùm, Eigg and Muck. The largest is Rùm, with an area of {{convert|104.6|km2|mi2}}.Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. {{ISBN|1-84195-454-3}}. p. 138

Smaller islands surrounding the main four include:

• Sanday, separated from Canna by a narrow tidal channel;{{cite web| url=http://www.canna.highland.sch.uk/history_of_canna.htm| title=History of Canna| access-date=2007-06-11}}
• Eilean Chathastail, near Eigg and
• Eilean nan Each (Horse Island), near the north coast of Muck ({{gbmappingsmall|NM3981}})

There are also a number of skerries:

• Hyskeir or Òigh-sgeir, (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

According to the 2011 census, the total population of the Small Isles was 153. Five of the islands are inhabited: Eigg (83), Muck (27), Rùm (22), Canna (12) and Sanday (9).{{cite web|url=http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/documents/censusresults/release1c/rel1c2sb.pdf|title=2011 Census: First Results on Population and Household Estimates for Scotland - Release 1C, Part Two, Appendix 2|publisher=National Records of Scotland|date=2013-07-23|access-date=2018-06-05}}

The inhabited islands are in contrasting forms of ownership: Canna (along with the tidally linked Sanday) is owned by a national conservation charity, the National Trust for Scotland;{{cite web|url=https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/canna|title=Canna|publisher=National Trust for Scotland|access-date=2018-06-05}}{{cite web|url=http://www.whoownsscotland.org.uk/property.php?p=2055|title=Property Page - Canna|publisher=Who Owns Scotland|date=2010-09-21|access-date=2018-06-05}} Eigg has been owned by a local community trust since 1997;{{cite web|url=http://www.isleofeigg.org/ieht/|title=About the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust|publisher=Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust|access-date=2018-06-04}} Muck remains in private ownership;{{cite web|url=http://www.whoownsscotland.org.uk/property.php?p=2056|title=Property Page - Muck|publisher=Who Owns Scotland|date=2002-12-31|access-date=2018-06-05}} and Rùm is largely in the hands of the state (via NatureScot), although some land in and around the only village (Kinloch) is owned by a community trust.{{cite web|url=https://www.nature.scot/enjoying-outdoors/scotlands-national-nature-reserves/rum-nnr/rum-nnr-about-reserve|title=Rum NNR|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=5 October 2020}}{{cite web|url=http://www.isleofrum.com/|title=Welcome to the Isle of Rum|publisher=Isle of Rum Community Trust|access-date=2018-06-05}}

A Caledonian MacBrayne ferry, {{MV|Lochnevis}}, links the Small Isles to each other and to the mainland port of Mallaig. The ferry runs a daily service, calling at different islands depending on the day of the week; there are two calls at certain islands on each day to allow for day visits to and from each island.{{cite web|url=https://www.calmac.co.uk/mallaig-eigg-muck-rum-canna-smallisles-summer-timetable|title=Small Isles Ferry Timetable Summer 2018|publisher=Caledonian MacBrayne|access-date=2018-06-05}} The Lochnevis has a landing craft-style stern ramp allowing vehicles to be driven onto and off the vessel at a new slipway constructed in 2001,Caledonian MacBrayne: Ferries of the Clyde, Highlands and Islands. Ships Illustrated. Special Issue No. 11. {{ISBN|978-1-910554-17-3}}. p. 74. however visitors are not normally permitted to bring vehicles to the Small Isles.{{cite web|url=https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/20005/roads_and_pavements/204/road_permit_for_eigg_muck_and_knoydart|title=Small Isles Vehicle Permit Scheme|publisher=Highland Council|access-date=2018-06-05}} During the summer months the islands are also served by Arisaig Marine's passenger ferry MV Sheerwater from Arisaig, {{convert|10|mi|km|abbr=off}} south of Mallaig. Timetables are also arranged to allow time onshore on different islands depending on the day of the week.{{cite web|url=https://www.arisaig.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sheerwater-Timetable-2018.pdf|title=MV Sheerwater Timetable 2018|publisher=Arisaig Marine|access-date=2018-06-05}}

The Small Isles are all important for their wildlife,{{cite web|url=https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/2017-07/Publication%202010%20-%20SNH%20Commissioned%20Report%20374%20-%20The%20Special%20Qualities%20of%20the%20National%20Scenic%20Areas.pdf|title=The special qualities of the National Scenic Areas|publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage|date=2010|access-date=2018-05-15|page=225}} with Rùm being designated as both a national nature reserve and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8371|title=Rum SAC|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=5 October 2020}} Rùm is home to one of the world's largest colonies of Manx shearwater,{{cite web|url=https://www.nature.scot/enjoying-outdoors/scotlands-national-nature-reserves/rum-national-nature-reserve|title=Rum National Nature Reserve|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=5 October 2020}} and was the location for the first stage of the reintroduction of white-tailed sea-eagles into Scotland, with 82 birds being released between 1975 and 1985.{{cite web|url=http://www.snh.org.uk/publications/on-line/NaturallyScottish/seaeagles/page3.asp|title=Return of a Native: reintroduction|publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage|access-date=2018-06-07}} Rùm, and Canna and Sanday (jointly), are designated as Special Protection Areas (SPA) due their birdlife, with all three islands hosting important breeding populations of guillemots and kittiwakes.{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8480|title=Canna and Sanday SPA|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=5 October 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8574|title=Rum SPA|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=5 October 2020}} The Canna and Sanday SPA is also designated due to its importance to breeding Atlantic puffins and shags, whilst the Rùm SPA designation notes the presence of golden eagles, Manx shearwaters, and red-throated divers.

Around {{convert|800|km2|sqmi|sigfig=1}} of the waters around Rùm, Canna and the low-lying rocky islet of Oigh-sgeir have been designated as the Small Isles Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area (NCMPA). Of particular note is that this area holds the UK's only known colony of fan mussels.{{cite web|url=https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/protected-areas-and-species/protected-areas/marine-protected-areas/nature-conservation-mpas/small-isles-ncmpa-designation|title=Small Isles NCMPA|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=5 October 2020}} The seas surrounding all of the Small Isles have also been designated as a SAC due to their importance for harbour porpoises.{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/10508|title=Inner Hebrides and the Minches SAC|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=5 October 2020}}

The islands and surrounding sea area together form the Small Isles national scenic area, one of the forty such areas in Scotland, which are defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure its protection from inappropriate development.{{cite web|url=https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/protected-areas-and-species/protected-areas/national-designations/national-scenic-areas/|title=National Scenic Areas|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=5 October 2020}} The designated area covers {{convert|47,235|ha|acre}} in total, of which {{convert|16,271|ha|acre|abbr=on}} is on land and the remaining {{convert|30,964|ha|acre|abbr=on}} is marine (i.e. below low tide level).{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Environment/Countryside/Heritage/Areas/maps|title=National Scenic Areas - Maps|publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage|date=2010-12-20|access-date=2018-06-05}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.visitsmallisles.com/ Visit Small Isles]
• [http://www.scottish-places.info/parishes/pardetails381.html Gazetteer for Scotland: Parish of Small Isles]
• [http://www.scottish-places.info/parishes/parhistory381.html Gazetteer for Scotland: Parish of Small Isles (History)]

{{Wikivoyage}}

{{Commons category|Small Isles, Lochaber|Small Isles}}

{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Small Isles|volume=25|pages=246–247}}

{{NSAs in Scotland}}

{{Small Isles}}

{{Hebrides}}

{{Islands of Scotland}}

{{Marine Protected Areas in Scotland}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:National scenic areas of Scotland

Category:Volcanoes of Scotland

Category:Paleogene volcanism

Category:Extinct volcanoes of Europe

Category:Archipelagoes of Scotland

Category:Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas of Scotland

Category:Parishes in Inverness-shire