Burnt Islands facts for kids
 Eilean Fraoich photographed from the PS Waverley. |
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| Physical geography | |
|---|---|
| Island group | Burnt Islands |
| Administration | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Council area | Argyll and Bute |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
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The Burnt Islands (called Na h-Eileanan Loisgte in Gaelic) are a group of three small islands. They are located in the beautiful Kyles of Bute, which is a narrow stretch of water near the Cowal Peninsula. This area is on the west coast of Scotland.
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What are the Burnt Islands?
These islands are part of Argyll and Bute, a region in Scotland. Even though they are called the "Burnt Islands," their Gaelic name, Na h-Eileanan Loisgte, also means "the burnt islands." They are very small and no one lives on them today.
Exploring Each Island
Each of the three islands has its own unique Gaelic name. These names help describe what each island is like. Let's take a closer look at them, from the biggest to the smallest.
Eilean Mòr
Eilean Mòr means "Large Island." It is the biggest of the three Burnt Islands. Even though it's the largest, it doesn't have many signs of people living there in the past. At its northern end, you can find a small, stunted woodland.
Eilean Fraoich
Eilean Fraoich translates to "Heather Island." This island is named after the heather plants that likely grow there. Heather is a common plant in Scotland, known for its purple flowers.
Eilean Buidhe
Eilean Buidhe means "Yellow Island." This is the smallest of the three islands. Interestingly, it's the only one that shows signs of once having people live on it. On Eilean Buidhe, you can find the remains of an old vitrified fort. A vitrified fort is a special type of ancient fort where the stone walls were heated so much that they melted and fused together. This made them very strong!
The Kyles of Bute is a busy waterway. All boats and ships traveling through this area must carefully navigate around the Burnt Islands. They have two main routes to choose from.
One route is a narrow sound that goes between Eilean Buidhe and the other two islands, Eilean Mòr and Eilean Fraoich. This narrow passage is the main path for larger commercial ships. To help guide these ships, there are four light buoys. Two buoys are on each side of the channel.
The other option for boats is to pass south of the islands. This route is marked by a special buoy called the Wood Farm buoy. These navigation aids help ensure that boats can travel safely through the kyles.
Nearby Islands
The Burnt Islands are not the only islands in this area. A little to the west, you'll find Eilean Dubh, which means "Black Island." It sits at the entrance to Loch Riddon. Further north, inside Loch Riddon itself, is Eilean Dearg, or "Red Island."
