Erraid
Erraid (Scottish Gaelic: Eilean Earraid) is a tidal island approximately one mile (two kilometres) square located in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. It lies west of Mull (to which it is linked by a beach at low tide) and southeast of Iona. The island receives about 1,000 millimetres (40 in) of rain and 1,350 hours of sunshine annually, making it one of the driest and sunniest places on the western seaboard of Scotland. It is attended by numerous uninhabited small islets, the largest being Eilean Dubh (of which there are two), Eilean nam Muc, Eilean Chalmain, Eilean Ghomain and Eilean na Seamair.
| Scottish Gaelic name | Eilean Earraid |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | [ˈelan ˈɛrˠɪtʲ] ⓘ |
| Meaning of name | Tidal island (Old Gaelic name: Arthraigh) |
Rock near the summit of Cnoc Mòr | |
| Location | |
Erraid Erraid shown within Argyll and Bute | |
| OS grid reference | NM298199 |
| Coordinates | 56.29°N 6.36°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Mull |
| Area | 187 ha (3⁄4 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 112 |
| Highest elevation | Cnoc Mòr, 75 m (246 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Council area | Argyll and Bute |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 6 |
| Population rank | 74= |
| Population density | 3.2/km2 (8.3/sq mi) |
| References | |
The island features a disused signal station for the lighthouses on Dubh Artach and Skerryvore and a row of cottages built for the lighthouse keepers.
Satish Kumar has also visited the island and his autobiography includes an account of the event.
The island is privately owned and is home to an intentional community, part of the Findhorn Foundation.
There is a well-known anchorage on the western side of the island called 'Tinker's Hole'. It is a deep but narrow channel between Erraid and the westernmost of the islets called Eilean Dubh.
In 2021, Ben Fogle's long-running hit Channel 5 series 'New Lives in the Wild' visited the island to record an episode with one of the permanent community members living there (Philip Hetherington). The episode aired on 21 September 2021.