Priest Island

Priest Island lies six kilometres off the coast of Wester Ross in the Summer Isles, a small uninhabited island owned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The island’s Gaelic name, Eilean a’ Chlèirich, points to its early Christian past, and stone circles mark this ancient use. Naturalist John Harvie Brown visited in the 19th century and described a circle of nine flat stones set flush with the turf, noting their polished surfaces. He later moved the stones to a new site where they remain today. Frank Fraser Darling also lived on the island and wrote about the stone circles he saw there. The island’s exposed position makes it a haven for seabirds, including one of the largest storm petrel colonies in the UK. Grey seals and otters move along its shores, while pygmy shrews live among the heath and small patches of woodland. Salt spray and bird guano enrich the coastal plants, creating rich maritime heath communities. In 1960, pupils from Whitgift School camped on the island for two weeks to study and ring birds, bringing supplies by trek cart from Garve Station. Their work added to the understanding of the island’s birdlife. Visitors to Priest Island find a windswept landscape with few traces of human activity beyond the stone circles and a drystone-walled cave. The island’s isolation and bird colonies draw those interested in nature, while its history as a hiding place in the 1970s adds another layer of interest. The absence of modern buildings keeps the focus on the natural and archaeological features. The only structures are simple shelters used by researchers and visitors. The views across the Summer Isles stretch to the mainland on clear days.