Eilean Meadhonach

57°20′42″N 5°50′42″W / 57.345°N 05.845°W / 57.345; -05.845Physical geographyIsland groupSkyeArea77 ha^[1]Area rank166= ^[3]Highest elevation54 m^[2]AdministrationSovereign stateUnited KingdomCountryScotlandCouncil areaHighlandDemographicsPopulation0

Eilean Meadhonach is the second largest of the Crowlin Islands, located in the Inner Sound off the island of Skye, Scotland.

It is situated immediately to the west of Eilean Mòr, and to the north is Eilean Beag, both of which it is connected to at low tide.^[4] The total area is 77 hectares (190 acres)^[1]^[5] although Haswell-Smith also provides a figure of 50 hectares (120 acres) for the area.^[4] The larger figure may include Eilean Beag and the lower one Eilean Meadhonach alone at high tide.

Crowlin Harbour is at the northern end of the 50-metre-wide (160 ft) gap between Eilean Meadhonach and Eilean Mòr and provides a natural shelter from westerly and southerly winds. It is also possible to anchor in a small pool at the centre of this strait.^[4]

Excavations on Eilean Mòr have shown evidence of Mesolithic human settlement^[4] and there are the remains of a midden and rock shelter on the north west coast of Eilean Meadhonach.^[6] Eilean Mòr has ruined cottages from historic times although there is no evidence of permanent recent habitation on Eilean Meadhonach.^[4] Eilean Beag has a light beacon and the remains of an old shieling.^[2]

Footnotes

^ ^a ^b Haswell-Smith (2004) p. 148
^ ^a ^b Ordnance Survey maps
^ Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Haswell-Smith (2004) p. 160
^ Rick Livingstone’s Tables of the Islands of Scotland (pdf) Argyll Yacht Charters. Retrieved 12 Dec 2011.
^ "Eilean Meadhonach". Canmore. Retrieved 31 Dec 2011.