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Eilean nam Muc

Island in Argyllshire

Scotland

Eilean nam Muc

Coll - Arinagour - View from rear of Coll Hotel Looking across Loch Eatharna from the helipad at the back of the Coll Hotel to the many islets in the bay and, on the far left, part of the main island of Coll. The main islet seen at centre is Eilean Eatharna. The hotel is situated in the village of Arinagour, the chief settlement on the Isle of Coll.
Coll - Arinagour - View from rear of Coll Hotel Credit: Rob Farrow

Eilean nam Muc, also known as the Isle of Pigs, is a small uninhabited island located off the coast of Argyllshire in western Scotland. This small island measures roughly 1.5 hectares in size and is situated in the Sound of Jura, a narrow stretch of water that separates the mainland from the island of Jura.

Despite its name, Eilean nam Muc is not currently home to any pigs. However, the island's name can be traced back to a time when it was used as a grazing ground for these animals. Today, the island is primarily known for its rich biodiversity and stunning natural beauty.

The landscape of Eilean nam Muc is characterized by rocky outcrops and a diverse range of plant species. The island is covered in a thick carpet of grasses, wildflowers, and heather, providing a sanctuary for various bird species and small mammals. The surrounding waters are also teeming with marine life, making it a popular spot for divers and snorkelers.

Visitors to Eilean nam Muc can enjoy tranquil walks along the island's rugged coastline, taking in breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes and the nearby Isle of Jura. The island is accessible by boat, and there are several local tour operators that offer trips to explore the area.

Overall, Eilean nam Muc is a picturesque and ecologically diverse island, offering a peaceful retreat for nature enthusiasts and those seeking to appreciate the beauty of the Scottish coast.

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Eilean nam Muc Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 56.626368/-6.4952121 or Grid Reference NM2457. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Coll - Arinagour - View from rear of Coll Hotel Looking across Loch Eatharna from the helipad at the back of the Coll Hotel to the many islets in the bay and, on the far left, part of the main island of Coll. The main islet seen at centre is Eilean Eatharna. The hotel is situated in the village of Arinagour, the chief settlement on the Isle of Coll.
Coll - Arinagour - View from rear of Coll Hotel
Looking across Loch Eatharna from the helipad at the back of the Coll Hotel to the many islets in the bay and, on the far left, part of the main island of Coll. The main islet seen at centre is Eilean Eatharna. The hotel is situated in the village of Arinagour, the chief settlement on the Isle of Coll.
Coll - Arinagour - Houses on Main Street from Coll Hotel Looking southwards from the side of Coll Hotel looking along Shore Street and Main Street of Arinagour, the chief settlement on the Isle of Coll.
Coll - Arinagour - Houses on Main Street from Coll Hotel
Looking southwards from the side of Coll Hotel looking along Shore Street and Main Street of Arinagour, the chief settlement on the Isle of Coll.
Coll - Arinagour - View out to sea from the Coll Hotel Taken from the garden of <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7238950">NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - The Coll Hotel</a> looking out to sea. The little islet in the centre of the image is Eilean Eatharna, with the sea loch here being Loch Eatharna.
Coll - Arinagour - View out to sea from the Coll Hotel
Taken from the garden of NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - The Coll Hotel looking out to sea. The little islet in the centre of the image is Eilean Eatharna, with the sea loch here being Loch Eatharna.
Coll - Arinagour - The Coll Hotel A view of the Coll Hotel from its grounds in the evening. The white building on the right contains the accommodation while the stone and glass building on the left is the bar and restaurant. To quote from their own website: "The Coll Hotel was recently awarded ‘Independent Hotel of the Year’ at the 2020 CIS Excellence Awards. The Coll Hotel retained the ‘Scottish Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year’ at the 2021 SLTN Awards. It was also awarded ‘Scottish Island Hotel of the Year’ two years running by Hotel Review Scotland and received the prestigious ‘Flavour of Scotland Thistle Award’". Their own website here: <span class="nowrap"><a title="https://collhotel.com" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://collhotel.com">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>
Coll - Arinagour - The Coll Hotel
A view of the Coll Hotel from its grounds in the evening. The white building on the right contains the accommodation while the stone and glass building on the left is the bar and restaurant. To quote from their own website: "The Coll Hotel was recently awarded ‘Independent Hotel of the Year’ at the 2020 CIS Excellence Awards. The Coll Hotel retained the ‘Scottish Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year’ at the 2021 SLTN Awards. It was also awarded ‘Scottish Island Hotel of the Year’ two years running by Hotel Review Scotland and received the prestigious ‘Flavour of Scotland Thistle Award’". Their own website here: LinkExternal link
Coll - Arinagour - Coll Hotel three-quarter view Looking from the grounds of <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7238950">NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - The Coll Hotel</a> at the older part of the hotel which contains the accommodation.
Coll - Arinagour - Coll Hotel three-quarter view
Looking from the grounds of NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - The Coll Hotel at the older part of the hotel which contains the accommodation.
Coll - Arinagour - Coll Hotel - Rear entrance This is the rear of <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7238950">NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - The Coll Hotel</a> but is the main entrance to it from the village and from its car park.
Coll - Arinagour - Coll Hotel - Rear entrance
This is the rear of NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - The Coll Hotel but is the main entrance to it from the village and from its car park.
Coll - Arinagour - Coll Hotel gardens A view across the gardens on the southeastern side of <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7238950">NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - The Coll Hotel</a> with the village of Arinagour in the background.
Coll - Arinagour - Coll Hotel gardens
A view across the gardens on the southeastern side of NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - The Coll Hotel with the village of Arinagour in the background.
Coll - Arinagour - View across The Smiddy to the village As 'The Smiddy' means a smithy, i.e. a blacksmith's workplace, I'm not sure that this little inlet is actually called that, but that is what the map suggests. The houses along Shore Street and Main Street can be seen on the left, heading southwards out from the centre of the village of Arinagour. Taken from <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7238968">NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Coll Hotel gardens</a>
Coll - Arinagour - View across The Smiddy to the village
As 'The Smiddy' means a smithy, i.e. a blacksmith's workplace, I'm not sure that this little inlet is actually called that, but that is what the map suggests. The houses along Shore Street and Main Street can be seen on the left, heading southwards out from the centre of the village of Arinagour. Taken from NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Coll Hotel gardens
Coll - Eilean Eatharna The small domed island seen out to sea here is Eilean Eatharna, a small island in Loch Eatharna a sea loch to the south of Arinagour, the chief settlement on the Isle of Coll. This view taken from <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7238968">NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Coll Hotel gardens</a> It is about 9.4acres (3.8ha) in area at the high water mark, considerably larger at low tide. It rises to a little over 10m (33') and has never been populated. In front of it is the small pillar on Sgeir Dhubh (Black Skerry) - see <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7239604">NM2256 : Coll - Sgeir Dhubh and Cairn na Burgh Beg & More</a>
Coll - Eilean Eatharna
The small domed island seen out to sea here is Eilean Eatharna, a small island in Loch Eatharna a sea loch to the south of Arinagour, the chief settlement on the Isle of Coll. This view taken from NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Coll Hotel gardens It is about 9.4acres (3.8ha) in area at the high water mark, considerably larger at low tide. It rises to a little over 10m (33') and has never been populated. In front of it is the small pillar on Sgeir Dhubh (Black Skerry) - see NM2256 : Coll - Sgeir Dhubh and Cairn na Burgh Beg & More
Coll - Sgeir Dhubh and Cairn na Burgh Beg & More The dark little pillar is on the islet of Sgeir Dhubh (Black Skerry) in Loch Eatharna to the south of Arinagour on Coll. The sloping land immediately behind it is the tip of <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7239597">NM2356 : Coll - Eilean Eatharna</a> while in the background can be seen the two northernmost of the Treshnish Isles, Cairn na Burgh Beg (on left) and its larger companion Cairn na Burgh More. These islands are unusual in 'sharing' a castle, some of the ruins of which can just be discerned in this image on the larger island. The photo was taken from <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7238968">NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Coll Hotel gardens</a>.
Coll - Sgeir Dhubh and Cairn na Burgh Beg & More
The dark little pillar is on the islet of Sgeir Dhubh (Black Skerry) in Loch Eatharna to the south of Arinagour on Coll. The sloping land immediately behind it is the tip of NM2356 : Coll - Eilean Eatharna while in the background can be seen the two northernmost of the Treshnish Isles, Cairn na Burgh Beg (on left) and its larger companion Cairn na Burgh More. These islands are unusual in 'sharing' a castle, some of the ruins of which can just be discerned in this image on the larger island. The photo was taken from NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Coll Hotel gardens.
Coll - Arinagour - Shore Street Looking down Shore Street from near to <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7242902">NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - The Island Café</a>. A little further on this street changes its name to Main Street as it heads out of the village southwards. See the attached Arinagour description for links to 1930s photos of these houses.
Coll - Arinagour - Shore Street
Looking down Shore Street from near to NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - The Island Café. A little further on this street changes its name to Main Street as it heads out of the village southwards. See the attached Arinagour description for links to 1930s photos of these houses.
Coll - Arinagour - Cottages on Main Street These are the last five cottages on Main Street in Arinagour as you go through the village heading southwards. They are numbered 1 to 5 (with No.1 being the furthest away in this photo). Main Street is a seamless continuation of Shore Street. This is the opposite view to <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7242919">NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Numbers 1 to 5, Main Street</a> See the attached Arinagour description for links to 1930s photos of these houses.
Coll - Arinagour - Cottages on Main Street
These are the last five cottages on Main Street in Arinagour as you go through the village heading southwards. They are numbered 1 to 5 (with No.1 being the furthest away in this photo). Main Street is a seamless continuation of Shore Street. This is the opposite view to NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Numbers 1 to 5, Main Street See the attached Arinagour description for links to 1930s photos of these houses.
Coll - Arinagour - The Island Café This splendid little café is opposite Arinagour's harbour on Shore Street. The road just beyond it on the left leads up to the Post Office. The café is the only place to eat on Coll apart from the Coll Hotel - but note that they are only open Wed - Fri for dinner, or Wed - Sat for breakfast & lunch [Info as at 2022]. See their website here: <span class="nowrap"><a title="https://islandcafecoll.co.uk" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://islandcafecoll.co.uk">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>
Coll - Arinagour - The Island Café
This splendid little café is opposite Arinagour's harbour on Shore Street. The road just beyond it on the left leads up to the Post Office. The café is the only place to eat on Coll apart from the Coll Hotel - but note that they are only open Wed - Fri for dinner, or Wed - Sat for breakfast & lunch [Info as at 2022]. See their website here: LinkExternal link
Coll - Arinagour - Numbers 1 to 5, Main Street These are the first five houses on Main Street as one enters from the south (e.g. from the ferry). A little further on the street changes its name to Shore Street. They were built early in the C19th (c.1812 I believe) to house workers on the Laird's estate. They originally had flat roofs but these were replaced with the current pitched ones in the 1930s. This is the opposite view to <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7242892">NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Cottages on Main Street</a> See the attached Arinagour description for links to 1930s photos of these houses.
Coll - Arinagour - Numbers 1 to 5, Main Street
These are the first five houses on Main Street as one enters from the south (e.g. from the ferry). A little further on the street changes its name to Shore Street. They were built early in the C19th (c.1812 I believe) to house workers on the Laird's estate. They originally had flat roofs but these were replaced with the current pitched ones in the 1930s. This is the opposite view to NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Cottages on Main Street See the attached Arinagour description for links to 1930s photos of these houses.
Coll - Arinagour - Northern end of Shore Street This is the opposite view to <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7242882">NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Shore Street</a> looking in a northerly-ish direction. The little building in the distance with the red door is the island's fire station at NM22395724 See the attached Arinagour description for links to 1930s photos of these houses.
Coll - Arinagour - Northern end of Shore Street
This is the opposite view to NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Shore Street looking in a northerly-ish direction. The little building in the distance with the red door is the island's fire station at NM22395724 See the attached Arinagour description for links to 1930s photos of these houses.
Coll - Arinagour - Entering the village from the south As you approach Arinagour from the ferry this is the first glimpse of the old village though a set back row of cottages and a few more modern building are off to the left (west) beforehand. The cottages ahead on the left can be seen in a closer view here: <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7242919">NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Numbers 1 to 5, Main Street</a> See also shared descriptions below:
Coll - Arinagour - Entering the village from the south
As you approach Arinagour from the ferry this is the first glimpse of the old village though a set back row of cottages and a few more modern building are off to the left (west) beforehand. The cottages ahead on the left can be seen in a closer view here: NM2257 : Coll - Arinagour - Numbers 1 to 5, Main Street See also shared descriptions below:
Coll - Arinagour - Coastguard station and vehicle Coll's little coastguard station with its Search & Rescue Land Rover parked in front is towards the south of the village of Arinagour on the way to the ferry terminal.
Coll - Arinagour - Coastguard station and vehicle
Coll's little coastguard station with its Search & Rescue Land Rover parked in front is towards the south of the village of Arinagour on the way to the ferry terminal.
Coll - Airidh Mhaorich This homestead called Airidh Mhaorich is on the opposite side of Loch Eatharna to the village and main settlement of Arinagour, Coll. How one gets to this property I'm not sure though there does seem to be some sort of track to it along the eastern side of Loch Eatharna which could perhaps be accessed via a ford north of Arinagour. Otherwise a boat would seem to be required. Certainly "out of the way"!
Coll - Airidh Mhaorich
This homestead called Airidh Mhaorich is on the opposite side of Loch Eatharna to the village and main settlement of Arinagour, Coll. How one gets to this property I'm not sure though there does seem to be some sort of track to it along the eastern side of Loch Eatharna which could perhaps be accessed via a ford north of Arinagour. Otherwise a boat would seem to be required. Certainly "out of the way"!
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Eilean nam Muc is located at Grid Ref: NM2457 (Lat: 56.626368, Lng: -6.4952121)

Unitary Authority: Argyll and Bute

Police Authority: Argyll and West Dunbartonshire

What 3 Words

///eyepieces.swatting.trying. Near Arinagour, Argyll & Bute

Nearby Locations

Sloc Adhaiceir Beag Cnoc Biorach Eilean nam Muc Meall na Caorach Sloc Adhaiceir Mòr

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Located within 500m of 56.626368,-6.4952121
Sloc Adhaiceir Mor
Natural: bay
Lat/Long: 56.6259041/-6.4977261
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Sloc Adhaiceir Beag
Natural: bay
Lat/Long: 56.6251546/-6.4982411
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Meall Mor
Lang: gd
Place: locality
Lat/Long: 56.6229501/-6.50036
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The data included in this document is from www.openstreetmap.org. The data is made available under ODbL.
Eilean Cro Balair Ross-shire
Rèidh Eilean Argyllshire

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