Barra Isles facts for kids

View of the Barra Isles from Heaval. Castlebay is in the foreground, with Vatersay, Sandray, Pabbay, Mingulay and Berneray beyond.

The Barra Isles, also called the Bishop's Isles, are a group of small islands in Scotland. You can find them south of the island of Barra. This group includes nine main islands and many smaller rocks and sea stacks.

History of the Barra Isles

Long ago, in 1427, a powerful group called the Lords of the Isles gave control of Barra and its nearby islands to the Clan MacNeil of Barra. Later, because of some actions by the MacNeils, King James VI decided to give these southern islands to the Bishop of the Isles. That's why they are also known as the Bishop's Isles.

The Barra Isles are even mentioned in old Viking stories called sagas.

Exploring the Islands

Most of the Barra Isles are quite small. Only the largest island, Vatersay, still has people living on it today. Vatersay is connected to Barra by a special road called the Vatersay Causeway.

Islands Once Inhabited

Several other islands in the group used to have people living on them. These include Berneray (also known as Barra Head), Pabbay, Sandray, and Mingulay.

The Smallest Isles

The four smallest islands in the Barra Isles are Flodday, Lingay, Muldoanich, and Uineasan.

Interesting Rock Formations

Besides the main islands, there are also many smaller rocks and sea stacks. One example is Biruaslum, a tall rock stack west of Vatersay. It stands about 72 meters (236 feet) high. There are even old ruins of a fort on its southern side. People have described Biruaslum as "high and almost impossible to reach."

List of the Barra Isles

Here is a list of the main Barra Isles, generally from north to south: