Isle of Eigg

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About Isle of Eigg

Eigg is one of the Small Isles in the Inner Hebrides, lying south of Skye between Rum and Muck. It is dominated by the dramatic pitchstone ridge of An Sgùrr and is famous for the white 'singing sands' of Laig Bay and for being one of the first islands bought by its community.

The story of Isle of Eigg

Christianity reached Eigg in the 7th century through St Donnan, who founded a monastery on the island and was martyred with his monks on 17 April 617 AD, supposedly killed by Viking raiders. The darkest chapter came in 1577, when a raiding party of Clan MacLeod of Skye massacred almost the entire island population, said to be 395 MacDonalds, by smoking them out of the cave where they had hidden—today known as Massacre Cave. Eigg was cleared of crofters in the 19th century and fell into neglect until 1997, when the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust bought the island for £1.5 million in a landmark community buyout that inspired land reform across the Highlands. The island was further transformed in 2008 when it became one of the first communities in the world to be powered almost entirely by renewable energy, via a combined wind, solar and hydro scheme.

Visiting with care

Take the CalMac ferry from Mallaig to Galmisdale and explore on foot. Walk up An Sgùrr for panoramic views over the Small Isles, visit the Singing Sands at Laig Bay and the Kildonnan graveyard, and look out for golden eagles on the cliffs.

Interesting facts

• In 1577 Clan MacLeod massacred nearly the entire population of Eigg—reputedly 395 people—by smoking them out of a cave.
• St Donnan, the 7th-century missionary who brought Christianity to Eigg, was martyred on 17 April 617 AD.
• The Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust bought the island in 1997 in a landmark community buyout.
• Eigg's "Singing Sands" at Laig Bay squeak underfoot owing to the rounded quartz grains of the shell sand.