Càrna

For other places with the same name, see Carna (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Canna, Scotland or Cara Island.

Càrna
Location
Càrna
Càrna shown within Scotland
OS grid reference	NM620590
Names
Gaelic name	Càrna (help·info)
Meaning of name	possibly cairn island
Area and summit
Area	213 hectares (0.82 sq mi)
Area rank	105
Highest elevation	Cruachan Chàrna 169 metres (554 ft)
Population
Population	0
Groupings
Island group	Inner Hebrides
Local Authority	Highland
References	[1][2][3]
If shown, area and population ranks are for all Scottish islands and all inhabited Scottish islands respectively. Population data is from 2001 census.

Càrna (Scottish Gaelic pronunciation: [kʰaːrˠnə]) is an island in Loch Sunart, an arm of the sea, close to the Ardnamurchan peninsula, on the west coast of Scotland.

Geography

An old boat on Càrna

Càrna lies across the mouth of Loch Teacuis, forming two narrow kyles which provide some of the trickiest rock-dodging for yachtsmen anywhere on the west coast.^[4] Moine schist bedrock of quartz-feldspar constitution, with mixed schists and mica schists in a west coastal strip.^[2] A north-south ridge divides the island in two. From the heather covered rocky peak of Cruachan Chàrna, there are spectacular views over Oronsay, Loch Sunart, Morvern, Coll and Isle of Mull.^[5]

Wildlife

A variety of habitats support willow warblers, redstarts, wheatears, whinchats, twites, herons, ostercatchers, cormorants, ravens and kestrels.^[2][5] There are also eagles here, including occasional sea eagles.^[5] Eilean nan Gabhar (G. goat island) to the south is often covered in seals,^[2][5] and there are also porpoises in the area.^[5]

Economy and history

Càrna is thought to be more fertile than its neighbour, Oronsay. The northern part of the island is named Bac a' Mhathachaidh (Scottish Gaelic: "cultivated bank").

The island has been privately owned by the same family since the 1870s^[5] and has several holiday houses.^[2][5]

The crofter's cottage on Carna was made into a family home in the 1920s.^[5]

At one point in the 19th Century up to 18 families lived on the island.

A graveyard still remains above and behind the Caretakers house, which is still active. The last burial occurred there in 2009 when Margaret Hewer's ashes were scattered there. Her father Dr Earnshaw Hewer was also buried on Carna in 1931.

Margaret was the granddaughter of Canon Horace Newton, of the nearby 26,000-acre (110 km²) Glencripesdale Estate, of which Carna once formed part. Her father Dr Earnshaw Hewer bought the Island in 1922 out of the Estate when the rest of it was being sold, and it still remains within the family.

Glencripesdale Estate

The Island is the last remaining part of the once huge 26,000-acre (110 km²) Glencripesdale Estate, which was bought in the 1870s by the three Newton brothers (Canon Horace Newton, Goodwin Newton & William Newton III), ancestors of the current family, who are of direct Milward's Needles descent.

The Glencripesdale Estate, as it was collectively known, stretched for 20 miles (32 km) along the entire south side of Loch Sunart, and the entire east side of Loch Teacuis. The estate comprised the smaller estates of Glencripesdale, Laudale and Rahoy, and measured 41 square miles (110 km²), and its centre point was the 27 bedroom Glencripesdale Castle.

Footnotes

1. ^ 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh. Canongate.
3. ^ Ordnance Survey
4. ^ Lawrence, Martin (2004). Yachtsman's Pilot: Isle of Mull and adjacent coasts. Imray. ISBN 0852886926. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} "Island website". http://www.isleofcarna.co.uk/. Retrieved 2008-08-01. 

Coordinates: 56°40′0″N 5°53′0″W / 56.666667°N 5.883333°W / 56.666667; -5.883333