Soay

Soay is a small, low-lying island off the south-west coast of Skye in the Inner Hebrides. It lies west of Loch Scavaig, separated by Soay Sound, and is shaped like a dumbbell with two inlets dividing it. The highest point, Beinn Bhreac, reaches 141 metres. The main settlement, Mol-chlach, sits on the shore of Camas nan Gall, the island’s main bay. Soay belongs to the Cuillin Hills National Scenic Area, one of Scotland’s protected landscapes. Boats to the island usually leave from Elgol on Skye. Its name comes from Old Norse, meaning ‘Sheep Island’. The island’s history includes a peak population of 158 in 1851, after crofters were forced off Skye during the Highland Clearances. In 1946, writer Gavin Maxwell bought Soay and tried to process basking-shark oil, but the business failed within three years. Maxwell wrote about the venture in *Harpoon at a Venture*. After his departure, the island passed to his business partner’s wife, Jeanne Geddes, and later to Tex Geddes. In 1953, most residents chose to leave for Mull due to unreliable winter ferry services. By 2011 and 2022, only three people remained. Visitors to Soay find a quiet, windswept landscape with few signs of its past industry. The remains of Maxwell’s shark-oil factory still stand near the shore. Two bays, Soay Harbour and Camas nan Gall, cut into the island’s centre. The beaches are often empty, and the only buildings are a handful of cottages near Mol-chlach. The island’s isolation and small size make it a place for solitude and simple scenery. Its history lingers in place names like Camas nan Gall, the ‘Bay of Foreigners’.