Eilean Mhealasta facts for kids
| Gaelic name | Eilean Mhealasta |
|---|---|
| Norse name | muli-stoair |
| Meaning of name | promontory farm |
| OS grid reference | NB382099 |
| Coordinates | 58°05′N 7°08′W / 58.08°N 7.13°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Lewis and Harris |
| Area | 124 ha |
| Area rank | 135 |
| Highest elevation | Cnoc Àrd 77 m |
| Administration | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Council area | Na h-Eileanan Siar |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
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Eilean Mhealasta (which means Mealista Island) is a small island off the west coast of Lewis. Lewis is one of the Outer Hebrides, a group of islands in Scotland. The island gets its name from Mealista, a small village nearby on Lewis. Eilean Mhealasta is not currently home to any people.
Island History
The area near Eilean Mhealasta, called Mealista, once had a special place for St Catan. This was like a small church or holy spot. We don't know for sure if Eilean Mhealasta itself had a settlement of early Christian monks called Culdees.
You can still see the old ruins of buildings on the island. These were once part of a community that lived there a long time ago. In 1823, the island became part of a large sheep farm. After that time, no one lived on the island permanently anymore. Today, the island is still used for sheep to graze, which means they eat the grass there.
Island Geography and Geology
Eilean Mhealasta is located about 800 meters (half a mile) from the west coast of Lewis. It is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) south of a place called Brenish (Breanais). It is also several miles north of another island called Scarp.
The island is just over one kilometer (about 0.6 miles) long. It has a bay on its west side called Camas Leirageo. Inside this bay, there is a rock formation known as Sgeir na Geòdha Ruaidh. The east coast of the island has a nice sandy beach. However, the west coast is very rocky.
The main rock that makes up the island is called gneiss. Some of this gneiss rock has a reddish mineral called quartz in it. On the east coast, you can also see natural arches. These are amazing rock formations shaped by the sea and wind over many years.
See also
