Easdale facts for kids
| Gaelic name | Eilean Èisdeal |
|---|---|
| Meaning of name | Uncertain |
| OS grid reference | NM735172 |
| Coordinates | 56°17′32″N 5°39′29″W / 56.29222°N 5.65806°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Slate Islands |
| Area | 62 acres (25 ha) |
| Highest elevation | 125 ft (38 m) |
| Administration | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Council area | Argyll and Bute |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 59 |
| Population density | 295/km2 (760/sq mi) |
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Easdale (called Eilean Èisdeal in Gaelic) is a small island in Scotland. It's part of the Slate Islands group. Easdale was once very important for making slate. Today, it's known for its pretty white houses and a small pub. Some old slate quarries are now filled with water, and one is even used for swimming!
Easdale is the smallest island in the Inner Hebrides that people live on all the time. A small ferry connects Easdale to Ellenabeich. Ellenabeich is on the nearby island of Seil. Only a narrow channel of water separates Easdale from Seil. Sometimes, Ellenabeich is also called Easdale because of its close history with the island.
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What's in a Name?
The name "Easdale" has a bit of a mystery around it. In 1549, a man named Donald Monro wrote about an island called "Ellan Eisdcalfe." But we don't know exactly how "Eisdcalfe" became "Easdale."
Some people think the name comes from old words. Eas is a Gaelic word for "waterfall." Dal is an Old Norse word for "valley." But Easdale is a flat island and doesn't have waterfalls. So, this idea might not be right.
A local story says the Gaelic name Èisdeal comes from èist thall, which means "listen to that yonder." The name of the nearby place, Ellenabeich, usually means "island of the animals." But it might also mean "island of the birch trees."
Island History
Easdale was once a very busy place for the slate industry. Over 500 people lived and worked here. They dug slate from as many as seven quarries. Some of these quarries went down 300 ft (90 m) below sea level!
Slate from Easdale was used to build big cities all over the British Empire. You can still see Easdale slate on roofs in places like Melbourne, Nova Scotia, and Dublin.
In 1850, a huge storm hit the island. It flooded most of the quarries. The workers couldn't pump the water out, so the slate industry on Easdale almost stopped completely. The last slate was cut in the 1950s. Now, the old quarries are quiet pools. They are home to many plants and birds.
There was once another island nearby called Eilean-a-beithich. It was between Easdale and Seil. But it was quarried so much that it disappeared into the sea!
By the early 1960s, only four people lived on Easdale. It seemed like the island might become empty. But now, about sixty people live there. This makes it the smallest island in the Inner Hebrides with people living on it all the time. In 1962, a plant collector named Clara Winsome Muirhead wrote a book about the plants on Easdale.
The famous British band Florence and the Machine filmed two of their music videos on Easdale. The people who live on the island even acted in the videos!
Who Owns the Island?
The island is owned by Jonathan Feigenbaum. He runs the Easdale Island Company. His father, Clive Feigenbaum, used to own it. Clive was known for creating special stamps for the island, and Jonathan continues this tradition.
Things to Do on Easdale
Easdale has a folk museum. It's run by a local group called Eilean Eisdeal. The island also has a bar and restaurant called "The Puffer." Eilean Eisdeal helped fix up the Easdale Island Community Hall. This hall is a great place for many events. Mike Scott from the band the Waterboys said the hall is "magical."
In 2005, there was talk about building a bridge from Easdale to Seil. This would connect the island to the mainland by road. But Easdale doesn't have any roads on it!
A company that offers fast boat trips to see wildlife and other local sights has its base on Easdale.
Every September since 1997, Easdale hosts the World Stone Skimming Championship. People come from all over to see who can skip a stone the farthest across the water. In 2012, the event almost didn't happen because the island owner asked for money to use the quarry. But a newspaper helped pay the fee, and the competition went on! The people who live on Easdale are now thinking about buying the island together.
Easdale gets some tourists. It has places to stay and two restaurants for visitors.
Images for kids
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The old pier of Easdale quarry, used for loading slate.
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The ferry terminal on Easdale.
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A former quarry filled with sea water, facing Ellenabeich.
See also
In Spanish: Easdale para niños
