This tiny
island was purchased from its private German
owner in 1997 by the Isle of Eigg Heritage
Trust - a conservation group which included
local crofters, the Highland Council and the
Scottish Wildlife Trust - following a public
appeal. Mains electricity finally arrived in
2008.
Covering a mere 12 square miles, Eigg
was cleared of people in the 19th century to
make way for sheep farming.
Its most remarkable feature is a 1,300ft sheer
rock, the Sgurr of Eigg. |
The nose an Squrr -
Photo:
Mick Garratt
CCL |
The main settlement, Cleadale, has a ‘singing’ beach which makes a
noise when the dry sand is trampled underfoot. The monastery at Kildonan was
the scene of a famous massacre in the 7th century
when the Irish missionary, St Donan, and his monks
were slaughtered by Pictish women built like
Amazons. In the 16th century the island’s
MacDonald clan was killed by suffocation when
their arch-enemies, the MacLeods, lit a fire at
the entrance of a cave in which had taken refuge.
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