Rona

Rona is a small, uninhabited island in the Inner Hebrides, lying between Raasay and the Trotternish peninsula of Skye. It covers 930 hectares and is owned by Danny Luhde-Thompson and his wife Cressida Pollock. The island is an extension of Raasay’s ridge and its geology is ancient Lewisian gneiss. The landscape is rugged, with steep cliffs and limited flat ground. Much of the island is covered in heather and grass, with few areas suitable for cultivation. A natural anchorage called An Acarsaid Mhòr lies on the west side, protected by the islet An t-Eilean Garbh. Rona has a history tied to pirates, monks and clan disputes. In the 16th century it became a refuge for pirates led by Calum Garbh MacLeod. A 14th-century chapel ruin stands at the south end, with the island’s only gravestone enclosed by a wall. Archaeologists found Mesolithic evidence in four caves, though water scarcity limited permanent settlement. The island was cleared of most residents in the 19th century to make way for sheep. By 1943 only the lighthouse keepers remained, and the last family left soon after automation in 1975. A cave on the east side, Uamha an Fhuaimhar, served as a place of worship until 1912. Known as the ‘cave of the giant’, it still shows signs of Iron Age use. The island’s highest point is Meall na h-Acarseid at 125 metres. Rona Lodge at An Acarsaid Mhòr has been restored, and a single resident manages the island and its self-catering cottages. The northern end is used by the Ministry of Defence as part of a military range.