Shiant Isles
Shiant Isles: Home to a massive colony of wild sea birds (1000's of Puffins visit annually) The Shiant Isles (Gaelic: charmed, enchanted), lie about 4 miles off the coast of the Isle of Harris and the Isle of Scalpay and 12 miles off the northern coast of the Isle of Skye ( about a third of the way between Lewis and Skye). The photograph to the left (click to enlarge) shows the shiants from Scalpay. The Shiant Isles, twelve in number, are locally known as the Eileanan Mora, the Large Isles. Six of them have some vegetation. The largest are Garbh Eilean, Rough Island; Eilean an Tighe, House Island; and Eilean Mhuire, Mary's Island. The first two are connected by a long, narrow, shingly beach, which is sometimes covered at high tides.
The Shiants were often cursed by sea-sick travellers crossing from Kyle of Lochalsh to Stornoway. It was believed at one time that the turbulence of the sea in their vicinity was caused by the playful antics of the Blue Men of the Minch, who had their abode in these waters. The terrain of the Shiant Isles is wild and picturesque. Some cliffs rise to a height of 500 feet above sea level, and are a home to thousands of sea birds.
Eilean Mhuire is the only one of the three large islands which is wholly arable, the other two being partly arable and partly heathy pasture. At one time there was a chapel on this island dedicated to the Virgin Mary, hence its name, and a priest is said to have lived here during the Reformation upheaval. Although there are ruined bothies (probably belonging to fishermen) on the three main islands, Eilean Tighe, as its name suggests, seems to have been the only one permanently inhabited.
