Burnt Islands Explained

Official Name:Burnt Islands
Coordinates:55.928°N -5.175°W
Island Group:Burnt Islands
Local Authority:Argyll and Bute
Population:0

The Burnt Islands (Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Na h-Eileanan Loisgte)[1] are three small islands that lie in the Kyles of Bute, on the Cowal Peninsula, Argyll and Bute, on the West coast of the Scottish mainland.[2] [3] The islands are located at .

Individually the Islands are known by their Gaelic names. From the largest to the smallest they are Eilean Mòr (Large Island), Eilean Fraoich (Heather Island) and Eilean Buidhe (Yellow Island). Oddly only the smallest of these tiny islets, Eilean Buidhe, shows any sign of ever having been permanently inhabited having the remains of a vitrified fort on it. Eilean Mòr, huge in comparison, supports only a stunted woodland at its northern end.

All water going traffic that travels through the kyles has to negotiate either the narrow sound that separates Eilean Buidhe from Eilean Mòr and Eilean Fraoich or pass south of the islands, via the Wood Farm buoy. The narrows, which are the principal route for commercial traffic, are marked by four light buoys, two on each side.

A little to the west Eilean Dubh (Black Island) lies at the entrance to Loch Riddon and to the north Eilean Dearg lies within the loch.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Na h-Eileanan Loisgte . Am Faclair Beag . 3 March 2020.
  2. Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 63 Firth of Clyde (Greenock & Rothesay). 9780319229699 . Ordnance Survey. 2014.
  3. Web site: Ordnance Survey: 1:50,000 Scale Gazetteer. csv (download). 1 January 2016. Ordnance Survey. www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk. 30 January 2016.