One of the Slate Islands, Insh Island lies a mile (1.5km) northeast of Ellenabeich in Seil. It is separated from it by the Sound of Insh. The island rises to 69 metres (226 feet) and is 36 hectares (89 acres) in area. A previous owner, David Brearley lived in a cave at the north end of the island between 1973 and 2003.[2] It was "Eilean nan Caorach" on the 1875 OS maps, which was thought to have been an error, with its correct name being "Inis-Capul".[4] It is now on OS maps as "Insh Island".[5] Insh was previously known as Sheep Island.[6][2]
The name is tautologous. The Gaelic An Innis means simply "The Island" and the derived English language name thus means "The Island Island."[7][8]
The 49.3m (162ft) long wooden sailing ship Norval ran aground in fog near the southern tip of Insh on 20 September 1870. The wreckage was still visible in 1995.[6]
The Northern sea fan (Swiftia pallida) is found in the waters off Insh Island.[9]
Ownership
In 2004 Haswell-Smith stated that the island is "reputed to be owned by a Londoner who occasionally occupies the cave"[2] found in the northwest overlooking Seil.[3] The owner at that time was David Brearley, who died in 2016 and left the island to the National Trust for Scotland. In 2020 the Trust came in for criticism for selling the island for £353,000 to West Coast Heritage Limited. Mike Russell MSP joined those who believed that the former owner wanted Insh to “stay untouched as nature intended” and Scottish Green Party MSP John Finnie called it “disappointing that yet another part of the Highlands and Islands... will find itself in private ownership and in questionable use”.[10]
A spokesperson for the new owners stated that the plan for the island was to "harvest seaweed, and make the island generally accessible in terms of rough pathways and [provide a] safe facility for boats to dock” but noted that "these plans have been shelved for the time being.” They added: “the island is extremely difficult to land on and therefore, we wouldn’t encourage members of the public to attempt such.”[10]
The Slate Islands are an island group in the Inner Hebrides, lying immediately off the west coast of Scotland, north of Jura and southwest of Oban. The main islands are Seil, Easdale, Luing, Shuna, Torsa and Belnahua. Scarba and Kerrera, which lie nearby, are not usually included.
Scalpay is an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
Seil is one of the Slate Islands, located on the east side of the Firth of Lorn, 7 miles southwest of Oban, in Scotland. Seil has been linked to the mainland by bridge since the late 18th century.
Easdale is one of the Slate Islands, in the Firth of Lorn, Scotland. Once the centre of the Scottish slate industry, there has been some recent island regeneration by the owners. This is the smallest of the Inner Hebrides' inhabited islands and is "home to traditional white-washed cottages, a small pub and disused slate quarries". One of the latter, filled with water, is used for swimming.
Luing is one of the Slate Islands, Firth of Lorn, in the west of Argyll in Scotland, about 16 miles (26 km) south of Oban. The island has an area of 1,430 hectares and is bounded by several small skerries and islets. It has a population of around 200 people, mostly living in Cullipool, Toberonochy, and Blackmillbay.
Belnahua is one of the Slate Islands, in the Firth of Lorn in Scotland, known for its deserted slate quarries. The bedrock that underpins its human history is part of the Scarba Conglomerate Formation and its value has been on record since the 16th century. Likely uninhabited before commercial quarrying commenced, under the control of the Stevenson family during the 19th century the population expanded to over 150 before the island was abandoned again in 1914.
The Treshnish Isles are an archipelago of small islands and skerries, lying west of the Isle of Mull, in Scotland. They are part of the Inner Hebrides. Trips to the Treshnish Isles operate from Ulva Ferry, Tobermory Ardnamurchan and Tiree
Torsa is one of the Slate Islands in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Lying east of Luing and south of Seil, this tidal island was inhabited until the 1960s. There is now only one house there, which is used for holiday lets. The underlying bedrock is slate but unlike Torsa's immediate island neighbours this has never been worked commercially. The island's name is of Norse origin but the most prominent historical structure on the island is the ruined Caisteal nan Con on the northeast shore, once held by Clan Campbell. The abundant sea life in the waters surrounding the island are protected by the Loch Sunart to the Sound of Jura Marine Protected Area.
Garbh Eileach is an uninhabited island in the Inner Hebrides of the west coast of Scotland. It is the largest of the Garvellachs and lies in the Firth of Lorne between Mull and Argyll.
Eilean Dubh Mòr is an uninhabited island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. It lies at the mouth of the Firth of Lorn, between the islands of Lunga and Garbh Eileach. The area of the island has been measured variously—at 50 hectares by Livingstone and 65 hectares by Haswell-Smith, the latter including the nearby islet of Eilean Dubh Beag, which is joined to Eilean Dubh Mòr at low tide.
Ensay is a currently unpopulated and privately owned island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The island lies in the Sound of Harris between the islands of Harris and Berneray. The name originates from the Old Norse for Ewe Island. It is nothing to do with the Gaelic for Jesus – "Iosa" – as sometimes stated.
Eilean Kearstay is an uninhabited island in Loch Roag in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
Longa Island is a small uninhabited island at the mouth of Loch Gairloch, on the west coast of Scotland. Longa is nearly one mile in length with an area of 126 hectares and a maximum elevation of 70 metres (230 ft) above sea level.
Shuna Island or simply Shuna is an island in Loch Linnhe, offshore from Appin. The island is approximately two kilometres long and one kilometre wide and extends to some 155 ha in total. The island is characterised by a table topped hill at its southern end. The name Shuna is probably derived from the Norse, for "sea island". The island is separated from Appin by the Sound of Shuna.
Arnamul is a stack off the west coast of Mingulay in the Western Isles, Scotland. Although precipitous, sheep were grazed on its relatively flat summit during the human occupation of Mingulay.
Gunna is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.
Staffin Island is an uninhabited islet off the east coast of the Trotternish peninsula of Skye in Scotland.
Flodday is an uninhabited island in Loch Maddy, North Uist in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
Gasker is a small uninhabited islet in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, 8 kilometres southwest of Scarp, off the west coast of Harris.
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