Eilean Mhic Chiarain

Island in Argyllshire

Scotland

Eilean Mhic Chiarain

Eilean Mhic Chiarain is a small island located in Argyllshire, Scotland. Situated off the west coast of Scotland, it is part of the Inner Hebrides archipelago. The island covers an area of approximately 26 acres and is surrounded by the beautiful waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Eilean Mhic Chiarain is characterized by its rugged and rocky terrain, with a diverse range of flora and fauna. The island is home to various species of seabirds, including puffins, razorbills, and guillemots, making it a popular spot for birdwatching enthusiasts. The surrounding waters are also teeming with marine life, offering opportunities for fishing and diving.

The island's main feature is the remains of a medieval chapel, dedicated to St. Kiaran, which dates back to the 13th century. The chapel's ruins, consisting of a stone wall and a small graveyard, provide a glimpse into the island's rich history and religious significance.

Eilean Mhic Chiarain is accessible by boat, with several companies offering tours and transportation services to the island. Visitors can explore the island's natural beauty, take in the stunning views of the surrounding coastline, and immerse themselves in its tranquil atmosphere.

The island offers a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of mainland life, making it an ideal destination for nature lovers and those seeking solitude. Whether it's exploring the historic ruins, observing wildlife, or simply enjoying the serenity of the island, Eilean Mhic Chiarain offers a unique and enchanting experience.

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Eilean Mhic Chiarain Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 56.237112/-5.6645714 or Grid Reference NM7310. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Raised Beach

Raised beaches are a feature of much of the coast of Scotland, and especially noticeable in parts of Argyll. They occur when sea level falls fairly rapidly relative to the level of the land, leaving former shores high and dry. You can see that there is a level area between the low cliffs and the present shore right up the length of the coast here.

Anne Burgess

The Cobblers of Lorn

The row of rock stacks at the shoreward side of the raised beach is a prominent feature of the west coast of Luing, and a useful landmark for sailors. They are parts of a thick sheet of felsic rock that has been intruded into the Easdale Slates which are the commonest type of rock in this area. Felsic rock is pale-coloured igneous rock which is low in iron and magnesium but high in feldspar and silica. The felsic sheet was eroded into stacks by the action of the sea when the relative level of the sea was higher, and what is now grassland was the shore. Compare with NM7209 : The Cobblers of Lorne.

Anne Burgess

Fold on the Foreshore

The rock pool occupies the eroded hinge zone of a fold in the Easdale Slate. You can just about make out the curve of the beds round the fold.

Anne Burgess

Sound of Luing

In the foreground is a forest of kelp, probably Oarweed or Tangle. The hill at the far side of the Sound is the island of Scarba.

Anne Burgess

Truncated Slate

The dark rock here is Easdale Slate, and you can easily make out that it is folded. It has been cut through by the pale rock on the left, which is a felsic sheet. Felsic rock is a pale igneous rock rich in feldspar and silica but low in magnesium and iron.

Anne Burgess

Pyrite Holes

Pyrite is a sulphide of iron, a mineral that forms in anoxic conditions. It crystallises in little cubes a few millimetres across, and its colour when fresh is brassy gold, so that it is commonly called Fool's Gold. When exposed to air, it weathers away quite readily. Each of these square holes once held a pyrite crystal which has weathered out, and most of the holes are surrounded by a ring of chemical alteration. One rusty-looking crystal is still in its hole at the very top of the image.

Anne Burgess

Isle of Luing

This is a rather featureless part of the centre of Luing, with boggy ground used mainly for grazing.

Anne Burgess

Cnoc MÃ²r, Luing

Grass pasture at Ardlarach.

M J Richardson

Cnoc MÃ²r, Luing

Lunga in the background.

Alan Reid

Minor road from Toberonochy to Cuan

Steven Brown

Dun Ablaich, Luing

Dun Ablaich is an earthwork, rather oddly in the middle of a large area of marshland.

David Purchase

Fladda Lighthouse, from the Sound of Luing

A lighthouse on one of the smaller Slate Islands in the Sound of Luing, built in 1860 by the Stevenson brothers Link

. The land to the left is another Slate Island, Belnahua. The cliffs [ca 250 m] to the right are about 13 km away at An Garradh, the southern edge of Laggan Deer Forest on Mull.

M J Richardson

Luing - Achafoll - Ruined mill

The old ruined mill at Achafoll on the Isle of Luing still retains its waterwheel though this has not turned in many years. The view extends across the verdant countryside of the Isle of Luing, with the Isle of Scarba forming a lumpy backdrop. See also: NM7410 : Luing - Achafolla - Close-up view of the old mill NM7410 : Luing - Achafoll - Former watermill NM7410 : Luing - Achafolla - Old mill in its valley

Rob Farrow

Luing - Achafoll - Former watermill

The old ruined mill at Achafoll on Luing. The distant rising land is the isle of Scarba. See also NM7410 : Luing - Achafoll - Ruined mill NM7410 : Luing - Achafolla - Old mill in its valley and NM7410 : Luing - Achafolla - Close-up view of the old mill

Rob Farrow

Luing - Achafolla - Old mill in its valley

This photogenic old mill at Achafolla on the Isle of Luing has not ground anything for many a year. It is seen here in the valley created by the stream that once fed it. See also: NM7410 : Luing - Achafoll - Ruined mill NM7410 : Luing - Achafoll - Former watermill NM7410 : Luing - Achafolla - Close-up view of the old mill

Rob Farrow

Luing - Achafolla - Close-up view of the old mill

A zoomed shot of the ruinous old watermill at Achafolla. See also: NM7410 : Luing - Achafoll - Ruined mill NM7410 : Luing - Achafoll - Former watermill NM7410 : Luing - Achafolla - Old mill in its valley

Rob Farrow

Luing - Hidden burn

Deep within the greenery seen here runs a burn which once supplied the water to power NM7410 : Luing - Achafoll - Former watermill

Rob Farrow

Rubha Fiola

Rubha Fiola is an extension northwards of the Isle of Lunga though separated from it and intervening islands including Fiola Meadhonach and Eilean Iosal at high tide. Although the population of Lunga (including Rubha Fiola) is given as zero, there is a very substantial building on the southern tip of this islet (at NM71201032) which can just be discerned on the far left of this image - I think that this is probably the Rua Fiola Island Exploration Centre, which was hit by scandal in 2014 (see Link

)

Rob Farrow

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Eilean Mhic Chiarain is located at Grid Ref: NM7310 (Lat: 56.237112, Lng: -5.6645714)

Unitary Authority: Argyll and Bute

Police Authority: Argyll and West Dunbartonshire