Treshnish Isles

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. Geography The archipelago extends over a distance of roughly 7 kilometres (4 mi), from the island of Bac Beag in the south (towards Cairn na Burgh Beag) to the north-east. The largest island in the group, Lunga, is 7 kilometres (4 mi) west of Gometra, 6 kilometres (4 mi) south-west of Rubha' a' Chaoil (on the Isle of Mull), 12 kilometres (7 mi) south-east of Coll, and 5 kilometres (3 mi) north-west of Staffa. Other relatively large islands in the group are Cairn na Burgh Mòr, Fladda and Bac Mòr. There are numerous small skerries, particularly north of Lunga. All the islands are of volcanic origin. History There are several possible duns on the islands of Iron Age origin. Little is known of the early history, although these prominent landmarks would have been significant waypoints for the Norse settlers during their conquest in the early years of the Kingdom of the Isles, which lasted from the 9th to the 13th centuries. There are remains on Lunga of a village of blackhouses abandoned in 1857. Cairn na Burgh Mòr has the remains of a fort, on the site of an earlier Norse building, thought to have belonged to the chief of Clan MacDougall. Until 1354, it marked the division between the "Nordreys", the northern isles, and the "Sudreys", or southern isles. The smaller island of Cairn na Burgh Beag has the ruins of a fort occupied by the MacLeans of Duart during the Jacobite rising of 1715. The Isles were purchased in 1938 by explorer and naturalist Col. Niall Rankin and they were sold to the Hebridean Trust in 2000. The Trust are guardians of the islands to protect them and the wildlife and to monitor and study the ecology and archaeology. In June 2023, the islands were placed under the protection of the National Trust for Scotland, allowing the Hebridean Trust to concentrate on community projects on Tiree. Due to the beauty and remoteness of the Isles and the abundance of wildlife, particularly the puffins, they are very popular with tourists who visit by boat, generally to Lunga, for day-trips during the summer. Etymology Treisinis is a Gaelic name of unknown meaning that includes the Old Norse root ness, meaning 'headland'. Bac Mòr is also known as "The Dutchman's Cap" in English due to its shape. Bac Beag is from the Gaelic Am Baca Beag, with Bac meaning 'bank' or 'dune' and Beag simply being a diminutive in contrast to Mòr. Bac Mòr is also known as Baca Rois in Gaelic, which means 'dune of the Ross' and is a reference to the shape of the island when framed against the Ross of Mull. Lunga is probably from the Old Norse lungr-øy, meaning 'longship island'. Sgeir an Eirionnaich and Sgeir a' Chaisteil are Gaelic names meaning 'Irishman's skerry' and 'castle skerry' respectively. Cairn na Burgh Mòr means 'cairn of the large fort' and Cairn na Burgh Beg is thus 'cairn of the small fort'. The name Fladda originates from the Old Norse for 'flat island'. Natural history and conservation The Treshnish Isles are part of the Loch na Keal National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland. They are also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area due to their importance for breeding seabirds and a marine Special Area of Conservation. They are also known for their Atlantic grey seals and ruined castles. See also List of islands of Scotland Notes References Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7. Mac an Tailleir, Iain (2003) "Ainmean-àite le buidheachas/Placenames". Scottish Parliament/Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. (pdf) Retrieved 12 May 2012. Treshnish Isles Management Plan 2001-11 (2001) The Hebridean Trust. External links Treshnish Isles - National Trust for Scotland