Garbh Eileach

Garbh Eileach is a wild, uninhabited island in the Inner Hebrides, lying between Mull and Argyll in the Firth of Lorn. It covers 142 hectares and rises to 110 metres above sea level, making it the largest of the Garvellachs. The name comes from the Gaelic for ‘rough rocks’, and the whole group is known as the Garvellachs. The islands form part of the Scarba, Lunga and the Garvellachs National Scenic Area, one of Scotland’s protected landscapes. A recent study suggests the bedrock here may preserve the only detailed record of Earth’s entry into a catastrophic glacial period. Scattered birchwoods and a small herd of red deer add life to the rugged terrain. The island holds traces of human history. Near the landing place are the remains of a burial ground and a small fort, about 14 metres by 11 metres, possibly dating to late prehistory. Further northeast stand the ruins of a later house and byre with a corn-drying kiln, likely built in the late 18th or 19th century. In the 17th century Garbh Eileach supported thirty-two adults, but by 1861 only four houses remained occupied. After that, only the shepherd’s stone bothy near the landing place stayed in use, though not for permanent living. Visitors find a quiet, windswept landscape of rough rock and sparse vegetation. The landing place offers a sheltered spot to step ashore and explore the ruins. The dun and later farmstead lie close to the shore, while the higher ground is covered in heather and birch. The views stretch across the Firth of Lorn to neighbouring islands. The island’s isolation and geological importance make it a place of quiet discovery.