Eilean Hoan is an island in Loch Eriboll in Sutherland on the north coast of Scotland. It is about 28 hectares (69 acres) in extent and the highest point is 25 metres (82 ft) above sea level. Its name is of Gaelic and Old Norse derivation and means "haven island".[4][5]

Eilean Hoan
Scottish Gaelic nameEilean Hoan
Meaning of namehaven island
Location
Eilean Hoan is located in Highland
Eilean Hoan
Eilean Hoan
Eilean Hoan shown within Highland Scotland
OS grid referenceNC444673
Coordinates58°33′58″N 4°40′34″W / 58.566°N 4.676°W / 58.566; -4.676
Physical geography
Island groupOutlier
Area28 ha[1]
Highest elevation24 m[2]
Administration
Council areaHighland
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Demographics
Population rankn/a [3]
Lymphad

The island was last inhabited in the early 19th century and the Ordnance Survey indicate the presence of a ruined croft. It is now a nature reserve. Eilean Hoan is located at the northern, seaward end of the loch and there are various small islets in the vicinity including A' Ghoil-sgeir, An Cruachan, An Dubh-sgeir, Eilean Clùimhrig, and Pocan Smoo.[2][6]

Further south, and deeper into the loch is Eilean Choraidh.

References

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  • Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.

Notes

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  1. ^ Rick Livingstone’s Tables of the Islands of Scotland (pdf) Argyll Yacht Charters. Retrieved 12 Dec 2011.
  2. ^ a b Ordnance Survey. OS Maps Online (Map). 1:25,000. Leisure.
  3. ^ Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
  4. ^ Haswell-Smith (2004) p. 203
  5. ^ "Place Names in Durness" states that the names is "from the old Norse How-ey, the burial island." See "Place Names in Durness" Archived 2008-05-15 at the Wayback Machine countysutherland.co.uk. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  6. ^ "Place Names in Durness" Archived 2008-05-15 at the Wayback Machine countysutherland.co.uk. Retrieved 29 November 2009.

58°33′58″N 4°40′33″W / 58.56611°N 4.67583°W / 58.56611; -4.67583