Lunga

Lunga is the largest of the Treshnish Isles in Argyll and Bute, off Scotland’s west coast. The island rises from volcanic rock and is known for its vivid green slopes meeting the peacock-blue sea. Blackhouse ruins mark the abandoned village in the north-east, left empty since 1857. The Treshnish Isles sit within the Loch Na Keal National Scenic Area. A narrow gut separates Lunga from the sea stack called Harp Rock. The island’s volcanic past shapes its low, rolling hills and rocky shores. Lunga holds three conservation designations for its wildlife: Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation. Grey seals swim in the surrounding waters while seabirds nest on the cliffs. Storm-petrels, kittiwakes, Manx shearwaters, guillemots, puffins, European shags and razorbills breed here in large numbers. Barnacle geese arrive each winter to feed on the island. Rare plants such as primrose, sea thrift and oyster plant grow among the grass and heather. Visitors reach Lunga by summer boat trips from Ulva Ferry, Tiree, Tobermory, Iona and Ardnamurchan. Thousands of puffins gather on the grassy slopes and allow close approach, often within a few feet. The seabird colonies cover the cliffs and sea stack, creating a noisy, busy scene in the breeding season. Wildflowers colour the slopes in summer while seals rest on the shore nearby. The island offers quiet paths between the old blackhouse ruins and fresh sea air from the Atlantic.