Treshnish Isles

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox Scottish island 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.

GeographyEdit

The archipelago extends over a distance of roughly Template:Convert, from the island of {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} in the south (towards {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}) to the north-east. The largest island in the group, Lunga, is Template:Convert west of Gometra, Template:Convert south-west of {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (on the Isle of Mull), Template:Convert south-east of Coll, and Template:Convert north-west of Staffa.<ref name=OS>Ordnance Survey Landranger Map (1:50 000) "Iona & West Mull". Sheet 48</ref>

Other relatively large islands in the group are {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, Fladda and {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. There are numerous small skerries, particularly north of Lunga. All the islands are of volcanic origin.<ref>Haswell-Smith (2004) p. 106</ref>

Island	Gaelic name<ref name=TIM5/>	Area (ha)<ref name=TIM5/>	Highest point (m)<ref name=OS25>Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (1:25 000) "Isle of Mull North & Tobermory". Sheet 374.</ref>
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Lunga	lang}}	Template:Nts	Template:Nts
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Fladda	lang}}	Template:Nts	Template:Nts
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HistoryEdit

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,<ref name=TIM5>Treshnish Isles Management Plan p. 5</ref> which lasted from the 9th to the 13th centuries. There are remains on Lunga of a village of blackhouses abandoned in 1857.<ref>The Scottish Islands - Haswell-Smith (2008) p.108</ref>

The Isles were purchased in 1938 by explorer and naturalist Col. Niall Rankin and they were sold to the Hebridean Trust in 2000.<ref>The Scottish Islands - Haswell-Smith (2008) p.106</ref> The Trust are guardians of the islands to protect them and the wildlife and to monitor and study the ecology and archaeology.<ref>Hebridean Trust website</ref> In June 2023, the islands were placed under the protection of the National Trust for Scotland,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.

EtymologyEdit

{{#invoke:Lang|lang}} is a Gaelic name of unknown meaning that includes the Old Norse root {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, meaning 'headland'.<ref>Mac an Tailleir (2003) p. 114</ref> Another possibility is that it directly derives from ancient Greek word "Τρεις-νήσσος" (Three Islands), particularly fitting the geography of the place. As Aegean neolithic people are know to have reached England by around 3500 BCE <ref>(Hofmanová, Z., Kreutzer, S., Hellenthal, G., Sell, C., Diekmann, Y., Díez-del-Molino, D., ... & Burger, J. (2016). Early farmers from across Europe directly descended from Neolithic Aegeans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(25), 6886-6891)</ref>this etymology could be related to their northern migrations.

{{#invoke:Lang|lang}} is also known as "The Dutchman's Cap" in English due to its shape. {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} is from the Gaelic {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, with {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} meaning 'bank' or 'dune' and {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} simply being a diminutive in contrast to {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} is also known as {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} 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 {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, meaning 'longship island'.<ref name=TIM5/><ref>Haswell-Smith (2004) p. 105</ref> {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} and {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} are Gaelic names meaning 'Irishman's skerry' and 'castle skerry' respectively. {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} means 'cairn of the large fort' and {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} is thus 'cairn of the small fort'.<ref name=TIM5/>

The name Fladda originates from the Old Norse for 'flat island'.<ref>Mac an Tailleir (2003) p. 50</ref>

Natural history and conservationEdit

The Treshnish Isles are part of the Loch na Keal National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They are also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> due to their importance for breeding seabirds and a marine Special Area of Conservation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They are also known for their Atlantic grey seals and ruined castles.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

File:Treshnish Isles from above Port Haunn.jpg	File:Treshnisheast.JPG
The Treshnish Isles from above Port Haunn on Mull. Nearest are {{#invoke:Lang\|lang}} and {{#invoke:Lang\|lang}}. Behind are the low flat island of Fladda and the tallest island, Lunga, which obscures {{#invoke:Lang\|lang}} and {{#invoke:Lang\|lang}} beyond.	lang}}. From left to right: ({{#invoke:Lang\|lang}}), {{#invoke:Lang\|lang}}, Lunga, Fladda, {{#invoke:Lang\|lang}}, {{#invoke:Lang\|lang}}.