Islands: The British Isles

Great Britain became an island (approximately)

6100 BC

The BBC News website (in a report dated 15 February 2011) is actually quite specific on this: it says there was a huge tsunami caused by a landslip in the sea bed off Norway, and this flooded the marshy land that had previously joined Britain to the continent.

Largest

The twelve largest islands in the British Isles are:

			Area (sq. km)	Population	Density
	Great Britain		216,777	57,000,000	263
	Ireland		84,406	6,000,000	71
	Lewis and Harris	Scotland	2,179	19,918	9
	Skye	Scotland	1,656	9,232	5.57
	Shetland Mainland	Scotland	969	17,550	18
	Mull	Scotland	875	2,667	3.05
	Anglesey	Wales	714	69,000	97
	Islay	Scotland	620	3,457	5.56
	Isle of Man	Crown Dependency	572	80,056	140
	Orkney Mainland	Scotland	523	15,315	29
	Arran	Scotland	432	5,045	11.7
	Isle of Wight	England	381	132,731	348

Note that the figures for population and density are for comparison only, and may not be up to date.

Great Britain is the world's 9th largest island, and Ireland is its 20th largest. Lewis and Harris is about 193rd largest.

Lewis is just over four times the size of Harris (683 square miles as opposed to 158) and has about seven times as many inhabitants. Lewis and Harris are joined by an isthmus.

It's interesting to note that the most densely populated island in the British Isles is the Isle of Wight, with 32% more people per square kilometre than Great Britain. It's also worth noting however that the population density of England is approximately 406 people per square kilometre – exactly one–sixth (16.67%) more than the Isle of Wight.

See individual listings below for more details.

The Channel Islands

The seven inhabited islands in the Channel Islands are, in descending order of area:

		Area (sq. miles)	Population	Density
	Jersey	45.56	99,500	2,184
	Guernsey	30.1	65,849	2,188
	Alderney	3	1,903	634
	Sark	2	600	300
	Herm	0.77	60	78
	Brecqhou	0.115	2	17
	Jethou	0.07	3	43

Alderney is the northernmost of the Channel Islands, and Jersey is the southernmost. Alderney is about 40 miles due north of Jersey. Guernsey is about 20 miles south–west of Alderney, and about 27 miles north–west of Jersey. Sark and Herm are off Guernsey, to the east; Breqhou is off the west coast of Sark, and Jethou is off the south–west point of Herm. Guernsey and its four outliers (along with their smaller, uninhabited outliers) form a distinct group, about 15 miles across from west to east.

Alderney is the closest of the Channel Islands to both France and Great Britain. It's about 10 miles west of La Hague, which is the north–west extremity of the Cotentin Peninsula – the major peninsula that protrudes from Brittany into the English Channel – and about 60 miles from the south coast of England.

The fact that Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands, and also the nearest to France, is liable to cause some confusion. It's because the Channel Islands lie to the west of the Cotentin Peninsula, which points only slightly west of north. Jersey is in fact only marginally further from the French coast than Alderney; Guernsey, lying to the west of a line drawn north from Jersey to Alderney, is furthest away.

Politically, the Channel Islands form two United Kingdom Crown Dependencies, known as the bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey – a bailiwick being (historically) the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff. The Bailiwick of Jersey covers Jersey only; the Bailiwick of Guernsey covers the other six islands. There are three crown dependencies altogether – the other being the Isle of Man.

As above, note that the figures for population and density are for comparison only and may not be up to date.

See individual listings below for more details.

The Hebrides

The Hebrides are essentially all the islands off the west coast of Scotland. They are conventionally classified into two groups: the Inner Hebrides and the Outer Hebrides. The Inner Hebrides are closer to the mainland, and the Outer Hebrides are further west.

The largest islands in the Hebrides are:

			Area (square miles)	Population	Density
	Lewis and Harris	Outer	838	21,031	25.1
	Skye	Inner	636	10,008	15.7
	Mull	Inner	336	2,800	8.3
	Islay	Inner	238	3,228	13.6
	Jura	Inner	141	196	1.4
	South Uist	Outer	123	1,754	14.3
	North Uist	Outer	115	1,254	10.9
	Rüm	Inner	40	22	0.55
	Benbecula	Outer	32	1,303	40.7

Island in the Outer Hebrides, between North and South Uist – connected to both via road causeways		Benbecula
Largest, most populous and most northerly of the Western Isles (Hebrides)		Lewis (and Harris)
Second largest island in the Inner Hebrides (after Skye)		Mull
The only Scottish island, apart from Skye, that has a Munro (Ben More)
Duart Castle (traditional seat of Clan McLean)
Largest, most populous and most northerly of the Inner Hebrides		Skye
Raasay, Scalpay, Rona and Rum are near
Separated from mainland Scotland by the Sound of Sleat
Dunvegan Castle, Talisker Distillery, Cuillin Hills
Sixth largest and most westerly island of the Inner Hebrides (30 square miles)		Tiree
Group of islands in the Outer Hebrides including Benbecula and Eriskay		Uist ("The Uists")

Other

Uninhabited rock in the Firth of Clyde, nicknamed "Paddy's milestone" – a familiar landmark from the Open golf course at Turnberry (which is named after it). 1 kilometre across and rising to 338 m (1,100 feet), it's the plug of an extinct volcano		Ailsa Craig
Over 60% of all curling stones are made from the granite of
Third largest and most northerly of the Channel Islands, and nearest to France		Alderney
Named Adolph Island by the Germans during occupation in World War II
Known to many of its inhabitants as Ynys Môn (from its Roman name, Mona)		Anglesey
The Skerries are off the north–west tip of
Puffin Island (area 0.28 sq. km, or 65 acres – 0.1 square miles) is off the eastern tip of
Parys Mountain, Beaumaris Castle, RAF Valley
North and South Stack lighthouses
Group of islands in Galway Bay, famous for traditional knitting from undyed wool – Inishmore, Innishmaan, Inisheer		Arans
The largest island in the Firth of Clyde, and Scotland's seventh largest; highest point is Goat Fell (2,866 ft, 873.5 m)		Arran
Off the south–western tip of the Lleyn peninsula (North Wales): a destination for pilgrims since a monastery was founded there in 516 AD; said by some to be the burial site of King Arthur		Bardsey
Rocky island (volcanic plug) in the Firth of Forth, approx. 1 mile off North Berwick: home to the world's largest breeding colony of northern gannets		The Bass (Bass Rock)
Island at the westernmost tip of the Scilly Islands, famous for its lighthouse, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's smallest island; the line of longitude passing through it is the eastern end of the Blue Riband route		Bishop Rock
Sixth largest of the Channel Islands: leased since 1993 by Sir David Barclay – he and his twin brother Frederick have business interestes including shipping, retail and newspapers		Brecqhou
In Poole Harbour: site of the first Boy Scout camp, 1907		Brownsea
Paired with the former county of Argyll in the name of a Scottish unitary authority, formed 1996 and covering the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council		Bute
Island off Giltar Point, south of Tenby, Pembrokeshire: site of a Cistercian monastery, whose monks sell produce including cheese, shortbread, perfumes and toiletries		Caldey (Ynys Bŷr)
Nature reserve off the south–western tip of the Isle of Man		Calf of Man
Reclaimed island off the northern (Essex) shore of the Thames Estuary: associated with the petrochemical industry since 1936; devastated by floods in 1953		Canvey Island
Small island off the coast of Co. Antrim, joined to the mainland by a rope bridge		Carrick–a–Rede
Known to the French as Les Îles Anglo–Normandes (archipelago or group of islands)		The Channel Islands
Small island in the Thames near Fuller's Brewery, a feature of the Boat Race course		Chiswick Eyot
Three quarters of a mile off Amble, Northumberland – which lies at the mouth of the river of the same name		Coquet Island
Island in the Thames at Twickenham, accessible only by a footbridge (or by boat), known in the 1960s as a music venue		Eel Pie Island
Between Orkney and Shetland, famous for its knitting (said to date back to survivors of the Spanish Armada); gives its name to the sea area that includes Orkney and Shetland		Fair Isle
5 miles NE of Bamburgh, Northumberland; 7 miles ESE of Lindisfarne		Farne Islands
Uninhabited rock off the southern tip of Ireland (County Cork): has Ireland's most southerly point; gives its name to a famous yacht race		Fastnet
Twin islands in the Bristol Channel, between Weston Super Mare (Somerset) and Lavernock Point (between Penarth and Barry, Glamorgan); their names reflect their different shapes		Flat Holm
		Steep Holm
Uninhabited island off the Pembrokeshire coast, west of Skomer: known for its breeding population of gannets, and owned by the RSPB since 1947		Grassholm
Small Scottish island made uninhabitable for all mammals following experiments in germ warfare (anthrax) during WWII – finally declared safe in 1990		Gruinard
Randall's brewery		Guernsey
Fifth largest Channel Island (after Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark), and the smallest that's open to the public; cars are prohibited (as on Sark), and so are bicycles!		Herm
Name shared by an island in the North Sea, off Northumberland, and an island off the North West coast of Anglesey (the former is also known as Lindisfarne)		Holy Island
Notorious reef 23 miles east of Dundee (off the Tay estuary)		Inchcape or Bell Rock
Island in Lough Gill, immortalised by W. B. Yeats		Innishfree
Inner Hebridean site of St. Columba's monastery (founded 563). Reilig Odhráin, an ancient burying ground, said in 1549 to contain the graves of 48 kings of Scotland, 8 of Norway, and 4 of Ireland		Iona
Southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides – known as the Queen of the Hebrides: home of one of the four classes of malt whiskies, including Bowmore (named after the island's largest town), Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin; an eighth opened in 2005		Islay
Governed by an elected president, a Legislative Council, or upper house, and a popularly elected House of Keys, or lower house (one of the world's most ancient legislative assemblies); the two houses come together to form the Tynwald Court, to transact legislative business; levies its own taxes		Isle of Man
Traditionally divided into six sheadings: Ayre, Garff, Middle, Rushen, Glenfaba, Michael (clockwise from the North)
Onchan Head, Port Soderick, Union Mills (a village in the Middle sheading)
Ellan Vannin in local language
Snaefell is its highest peak
Laxey Wheel, known as the Lady Isabella – the world's largest working water wheel; Castle Rushen (both feature on banknotes)
Island in the Thames estuary, off the north coast of Kent, separated from the mainland by The Swale but connected by the Kingsferry Bridge (near Sittingbourne)		Isle of Sheppey
Sheerness, Warden Point, Shell Ness
The north–eastern extremity of Kent: once separated from the mainland by the Wantsum Channel, but now no longer an island; includes the seaside towns of Broadstairs, Margate and Ramsgate		Isle of Thanet
Vectis is the Roman name for		Isle of Wight
Godshill model village, Carisbrooke Castle
Largest and southernmost of the Channel Islands		Jersey
Groneth Castle, German Underground Hospital
Annual Battle of the Flowers
Zoo founded by Gerald Durrell, 1959 – renamed in his honour 1999
Seventh largest of the Channel Islands, and the smallest inhabited one: currently leased by Sir Peter Ogden, one of the founders of the IT services company Computacentre		Jethou
Scotland's eighth largest island: shares its name with both a French wine–growing region and a mountain range that forms much of the Franco–Swiss border, separating the rivers Rhone and Rhine		Jura
Scottish island where a total of 93 mediaeval artefacts, including 78 chessmen (made from walrus ivory and whales' teeth, probably in Norway in the 12th century) were found buried in a sand dune, in 1831; most are now in the British Museum, but some in the National Museum of Scotland (Edinburgh)		Lewis
Callanish Stones (a cross–shaped arrangement of standing stones, with a central stone circle, erected around 3,000 BC)
Holy Island, off Northumberland (accessible by car at low tide via a causeway): proper name		Lindisfarne
St. Tudwal's Islands (East and West) are off the subsidiary south–eastern extremity of the		Lleyn Peninsula
Largest island in the Bristol Channel		Lundy
Name shared by the largest islands in Orkney and Shetland respectively		Mainland
Island off Unst, Shetland, that has Britain's most northerly lighthouse; often said to be Britain's most northerly island, but see Out Stack. From 1858 to 1995, when the lighthouse was manned, this was Britain's most northerly inhabited island. Previous to 1964, it was known as North Unst – the current name means "big steep–sided island"		Muckle Flugga
Pomona (or Mainland), Hoy (and its Old Man), North and South Ronaldsay, Sanday, Westray, Stronsay		Orkney
Scapa Flow is a natural harbour in
Britain's most northerly island: a small rock half a mile north–east of Muckle Flugga		Out Stack (Ootsta)
Joined to the mainland by the 'barrier beach' known as Chesil Beach		Portland
Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island, giving it its most northerly point		Rathlin Island
Off Guernsey, fourth largest of the Channel islands; divided by an isthmus into Great and Little		Sark
Seigneurie established by Elizabeth I; ruler known as Seigneur/Dame
Parliament is the Chief Pleas; no income tax, cars are prohibited
28 miles (45 km) off Land's End: St. Mary's, St. Martin's, Tresco, Bryher and St. Agnes are the inhabited isles of; Hugh Town (St. Mary's) is the capital		Scilly
Mainland, Yell, Unst (largest); Fetlar, Papa Stour, Foula, Muckle Flugga, Burra (West and East, but only one island): islands of		Shetland
Two islands off the more southerly of Pembrokeshire's two western extremities: both are SSSIs, the former (the second alphabetically) is a national nature reserve; around half of the world's population of Manx shearwaters nest on them (the majority on the former); the name of the latter is Norse for 'wooded island'		Skomer
		Skokholm
Largest and most populous of the Scilly Isles		St. Mary's
Second largest of the Scilly Isles: its main settlements are New Grimsby and Old Grimsby, and the church is in the hamlet of Dolphin Town		Tresco
Fingal's Cave is the most famous feature of (Hebridean island)		Staffa
Britain's most northerly inhabited island (see Muckle Flugga); the third largest of the Shetland Isles (after Mainland and Yell)		Unst
Island off the Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry – connected to the Irish mainland by a bridge at Portmagee; the eastern terminus of the first commercially viable transatlantic telegraph cable (1866)		Valentia Island
Largest of the group of islands at the end of the Furness peninsula (now in Cumbria); part of the town of Barrow–in–Furness		Walney (Island)
Second largest of the Shetland Islands (after Mainland)		Yell

© Haydn Thompson 2017–23