Cara Island

Island in Argyllshire

Scotland

Cara Island

Cara with Gigha and Islay behind Credit: Archie Cochrane

Cara Island is a small, uninhabited island located off the coast of Argyllshire in Scotland. It is part of the Inner Hebrides archipelago and is known for its rugged beauty and untouched natural landscapes. The island covers an area of approximately 28 hectares and is surrounded by the crystal-clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Cara Island is a popular destination for birdwatchers, as it is home to a variety of seabirds, including puffins, guillemots, and razorbills. The island's cliffs provide nesting sites for these birds, offering visitors a unique opportunity to observe them in their natural habitat.

In addition to its wildlife, Cara Island also boasts stunning views of the surrounding islands and the mainland of Scotland. Visitors can explore the island's rocky shores, sandy beaches, and grassy meadows, making it a perfect destination for hiking, picnicking, and photography.

Although there are no permanent residents on Cara Island, there are a few holiday cottages available for rent, allowing visitors to experience the tranquility and beauty of this remote island. Access to the island is by boat, with regular ferry services running from the nearby town of Oban.

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Cara Island Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 55.631687/-5.7516179 or Grid Reference NR6343. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Cara with Gigha and Islay behind

Archie Cochrane

The rocky shoreline of Gigha

The foreground rocks are at the southern end of the island with Dubh Sgeir beyond and the Paps of Jura in the distance.

Walter Baxter

A cairn at the southern end of Gigha

The view from the cairn over Grὸb Bagh towards Jura is superb on a lovely June day like this.

Walter Baxter

The rocky southern tip of Gigha

The small cairn in the foreground marks the proximity of Spouting Cave. According to the Walk Gigha Path Network booklet, the sound of water rushing over the stones in the cave can be heard from some distance and on a stormy day with a good south westerly wind, the water bursts through the top of the cave to form an impressive spout. On this benign day there was little noise from the cave and there was no chance of a water spout. The two people in the distance came down to see the cave hole. They had been walking on Gigha for several days and I was the first person they had met off the beaten track.

Walter Baxter

Beach on the east coast of Cara Island

Cara is an uninhabited island just south of Gigha. This image looks across the Sound of Gigha towards the Kintyre peninsula.

Douglas Kinnaird

Beach on Cara

Well sheltered beach protected by rock skerries on the east coast of Cara

Douglas Kinnaird

Cara Island off Gigha

Johnny Durnan

Cara Island taken from A'Chleit

Cara Island with Isle of Islay in the background.

anne littleson

Aird Fhada

derek lockhart

Cara Island from the Air

Aerial shot of Cara Island from NR6444

Eddie Mackinnon

Eilean Leim

Eilean Lèim, looking east towards Kintyre.

derek lockhart

Skerries ( North East Cara )

derek lockhart

Mull of Cara

derek lockhart

Port na Cile ( Cara )

Gigha and Jura behind.

derek lockhart

Corr Eilean

Corr Eilean. Gigha in background.

derek lockhart

Mull of Cara

Mull of Cara from south.

derek lockhart

Cara taken from Gigha's south pier

My late grandfather was the pilot & quartermaster on the old MacBraynes steamer serving Islay and Gigha for 40 years, but in all that time he refused to ever set foot on Cara. Apparently it's populated by Brownies - no, not small girls in brown dresses - rather the sprites they took the name from. And no superstitious old salt worth his salt would ever take the risk of going there!

Alasdair MacNeill