The Hebrides are grouped into the Outer Hebrides or the Western Isles (na h-Eileanan An-Iar) and the Inner Hebrides (na h-Eileanan A-staigh). The following islands make up the Outer Hebrides: Lewis (Leòdhas), Harris (Na Hearadh), North Uist (Uibhist a Tuath), Benbecula (Beinn na Bhadhla), South Uist (Uibhist a Deas), and Barra (Barraigh). The following islands make up the Inner Hebrides: Skye (an t-Eilean Sgitheanach), Rhum (Rùm), Eigg (Eige), Muck (Eilean nam Muc), Canna (Canaigh), Mull (Muile), Iona (I), Coll (Colla), Tiree (Tiriodh), Islay (Ile), Jura (Diùra) and Colonsay (Colbhasa).
The Hebrides
The Inner Hebrides are divided between the Highland and Argyll and Bute council areas. The climate is mild, due to the North Atlantic Drift current (the end of the Gulf Stream essentially) the scenery is beautiful, and there are numerous prehistoric and ancient historical remains and geological structures. Fishing, farming, crofting (a small holding form of agriculture traditional to the Highlands and Islands), sheep grazing, manufacturing of tweeds and other woolens, quarrying (slate), and catering to tourists are the chief means of livelihood these days.
The original Celtic inhabitants,
converted to Christianity by St. Columba (6th cent.), were conquered by
the Norwegians (starting in the 8th cent.). They held the Southern
Islands, as they called them, until 1266 with the defeat at the battle
of Largs, near present day Glasgow. After that time the islands were
claimed by the Scottish crown but were in fact ruled by the
half-Hebridean, half Norse island clans, the most famous descending
from Somerled. The descendants of Somerled, whom became known as
the Macdonalds (one of Somerled's descendants was Domhnall, Gaelic for
Donald) and became virtual rulers of the entire Hebrides as well as the
West and Northwest of Scotland by 1346. They are know to history
as "The Lords of the Isles". After their downfall in 1493, the
title was abrogated to the Scottish Crown, whereupon when the Union
between Scotland and England took place in the early 1700s, the title
passed to the British Crown. Thus, Prince Charles is known today
as "The Lord of the Isles". Regressing slightly, between the 18th
and 19 centuries, the Ossianic tales of Macpherson, the
literature of Sir Walter Scott
and of course, the Royal Cruise of Quenn Victoria did much to make the
islands famous. Still, these remarkable individuals saw the island
culture as a mere shadow of its former self, as heavy emigration from
the overpopulated islands occurred in the at ever increasing rates from
the 17th cent. onward,, especially to North America.
So what about Jura...
The Isle of Jura is approximately 50 kilometres in length and 11 kilometres at its widest point; conversely, its narrowest breadth lies alongside it widest as Loch Tarbert, a sea loch, nearly bisects the island such that "west" Jura lies less than 1 kilometre from "east" Jura. The Scottish mainland the island is only 8.25 kilometres away to the east, while to the west, the Islay is only some 900 metres away, across the rapidly flowing Sound of Islay. The Isles of Colonsay-Oransay are 12.75 kilometres to the northwest, while the Holy Isle (not shown on the map below), Iona, is only 40 kilometres to the north-northwest. Interestingly, Ireland lies not to much further in distance to the south-southwest, but more about that later on...
The Isle of Jura and her neighbours...
Having dispensed with the "where" Jura is, what's it made of? A simple geological discourse goes like this: the island is largely composed of quartzite, which forms the rumbling ridges of the west and the island's most famous natural features, the Paps of Jura. The highest point is 785 metres at Beinn an Oir, not quite a Munro, but then you'll coming directly from sea level, so we like to think that its a bit more difficult (heh, heh). We'll not tease you here, so here's a wee view...
(Psst, we know if you copy the image, so as yer' Granny would say..."Behave!")
At any rate, there is no permanent human presence on the west coast of the island, for that matter the population of the island is a mere 180 people (at most and depending on how "permanent" one classifies its residents!), making it quite likely the leat populated area in Europe...and Europe ends at the Ural Mountains of Russia! Why so small a population? Again, back to geology, only the east coast of the island has a smattering of softer phyllites, schists, and underlying high quality Dalradian limestone-unlike its sister island of Islay, known as the "blue-green isle" for its lush soils...what a difference a few hundred metres makes!
Stepping off the geology and into the water, or oceanography in this case, the island is remarkable for its tidal currents that sweep around it, through the Sound of Islay and on the east, the Sound of Jura. These currents develop as the result of high water differing by as much as five hours from one side of the island to the other. On the west coast the maximum tidal range is about 3 metres, while on the east coast it is as little as 1.5 metres-virtually half.
The most famous oceangraphic feature connected with Jura is the Corryvreckan, located off the northernmost point of the island between the towering cliffs of the mountain-island of Scarba. At this point the two islands are only 1 kilometre apart and the tremendous hydro-dynamic forces created by tidal changes create an enormous series of eddies, waves and virtual whirlpools. Best avoided by small boats and ships, large modern ships easily motor through the cauldron due to their size, both in hull and engine capacity. Okay, you're interested, so here's an image, but of the "Corry" at rest-to see it in action you'll have to come visit the island...
(We know you want to copy this for your Scarba web site, go ahead make our Digimarc day...)
Speaking of governments, they need people to govern and the first people to have arrived in/on Jura would have been in the Mesolithic Period (check out John Mercer's archaeological papers and books on the subject, definitive, dense and debatable...but very, very good). The cultural geography of the island from that time until quite literally the mid-20th century would have been as a natural stepping stone between the surrounding islands, with cattle, ship, fish and all other types of commerce passing through the island to the Scottish mainland, or Ireland for that matter. Only with the demise of a direct mainland ferry link in the 1970s has Jura ceased to be connected directly to the Scottish mainland-that's progress...ahem.
Right, enough for now, more to come, so stay tuned!