- Rabbit Islands, Scotland
The Rabbit Islands (coord|58.53|N|04.40|W|region:GB gbmappingsmall|NC602631)are a group of three uninhabited small islands off the north coast of
Sutherland , Scotland in Tongue Bay. InScottish Gaelic , and occasionally in English, they are known as Eileanan nan Gall, which is sometimes anglicised as "Eilean-na-Gaeil" [http://www.electricscotland.com/history/gazetteer/vol5page233.htm] or "Eilean nan Gaill".Geography and geology
The islands' modern name derives from their sandy soil, which favours
rabbit burrows and makes their presence particularly obvious [http://www.electricscotland.com/history/gazetteer/vol5page233.htm] . They are fairly low lying, slender in shape, and along with the surroundingfjord of Tongue Bay, they show the effects of formerglaciation . They are made up ofsandstone .The northernmost of the group is called Sgeir an Òir, and there is a
natural arch at its north end called "Claigeann na Sgeir" (Bell of the Skerry)They are near
Coldbackie ,Melness andTalmine on the mainland, andEilean nan Ròn is to the north east. They are in the parish ofTongue . [http://www.electricscotland.com/history/gazetteer/vol5page233.htm]History
The islands' older name "Eileanan nan Gall", means "islands of the strangers", or "
Norsemen ".Supposedly, a ship carrying gold to
Charles Edward Stuart was wrecked on the island. [(1984) "AA Illustrated Guide to Britain's Coast". Drive Publications/Automobile Association] The northernmost of the group is called Sgeir an Òir (skerry of the gold), which is perhaps a reference to this.Currently, the islands are popular with scuba divers, and have in the past been used for grazing.
References
External links
* [http://www.scotlandindex.net/Tongue/in_melness_talmine.htm What to "See and Do" in Melness and Talmine]
* [http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/tongue/talmine/index.html Talmine]
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