View source for Càrna

{{Short description|Island in Loch Sunart, Scotland}}
{{Other places3|Carna (disambiguation)}}
{{distinguish|Canna, Scotland|Cara Island}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Scottish island
|Image=Southeast of Carna - geograph.org.uk - 1347773.jpg
|ImageCaption= The southeast of Carna looking towards [[Loch Teacuis]] and [[Morvern]]
|location_map=Scotland Highland
|caption=Càrna shown within Highland
|coordinates = {{coord|56.66|-5.88|display=inline}}
|GridReference=NM620590
|official_name=Carna
|celtic name=Càrna
|gaelic pronunciation={{IPA-gd|ˈkʰaːrˠn̪ˠə||Carna (island).ogg}}
|norse name=
|meaning of name= possibly [[cairn]] island
|area=   {{cvt|213|ha|sqmi|frac=16}}
|area rank= 104
|highest elevation=Cruachan Chàrna, {{cvt|169|m|ft|0}}
|Population=0<ref name=NRS>{{NRS1C}}</ref>
|population rank=
|main settlement=
|island group=[[Inner Hebrides]]
|local authority=[[Highland (council area)|Highland]]
|references=<ref name=Smith>Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh. Canongate.</ref><ref name=OS49>{{cite map|title=Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 49 ''Oban & East Mull''|ISBN=9780319229774|publisher=Ordnance Survey|date=2007}}</ref>
}}
'''Carna'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/doc/4000000074605244|title=Carna|publisher=[[Ordnance Survey]]|accessdate=8 November 2019}}</ref> or '''Càrna''' is an island in [[Loch Sunart]], an arm of the sea, close to the [[Ardnamurchan]] [[peninsula]], on the west coast of [[Scotland]].
==Geography==
Carna lies wedged across the mouth of Loch Teacuis in the middle of [[Loch Sunart]], forming two narrow [[Strait|kyles]] which provide some of the trickiest rock-dodging for yachtsmen anywhere on the west coast.<ref>{{cite book| author=Lawrence, Martin| title=Yachtsman's Pilot: Isle of Mull and adjacent coasts| publisher=Imray|year=2004| isbn=0-85288-692-6}}</ref> Moine schist bedrock of quartz-feldspar constitution, with mixed schists and mica schists in a west coastal strip.<ref name=Smith/> A north–south ridge divides the island in two. From the heather covered rocky peak of Cruachan Chàrna, there are extensive views over [[Oronsay, Loch Sunart]], [[Morvern]], [[Coll]] and [[Isle of Mull]].<ref name=Isleofcarna>{{cite web| title=Island website| url=http://www.isleofcarna.co.uk/| accessdate=2008-08-01}}</ref>
==Wildlife==
Carna contains a wide variety of habitats that support a large range of native wildlife species including [[European otter|otters]], [[White-tailed eagle|sea]] and [[Golden eagle|golden]] eagles, orchids, [[Harbor seal|harbour seals]], [[Arctic tern]]s, foxes, [[red deer]], [[Eurasian water shrew|water shrews]], [[Great spotted woodpecker|woodpeckers]], [[Common cuckoo|cuckoos]], [[Grey heron|herons]], [[Eurasian curlew|curlews]] and [[Common kestrel|kestrels]].<ref name=Smith/><ref name=Isleofcarna/> The island's habitats include wild flower meadows, native [[Temperate rainforest|Atlantic Oakwood]] and [[Caledonian Forest|Scots Pine woodlands]], hill grazing, heather moorland and wetland habitats which is a diverse selection for a small island and helps support a wide biodiversity.
Scotland hosts the only populations of [[European wildcat]] (sub-species ''Felis sylvestris grampia'') in the [[British Isles]], with numbers estimated at between 400 and 2,000 animals.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk/ | title = Scotland's Cat; 400 and counting&nbsp;... | publisher = Scottish Wildcat Association | accessdate = 1 January 2007 | archive-date = 17 September 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120917073509/http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> In 2013 it was announced that the island of Càrna is to provide a [[animal sanctuary|sanctuary]] and [[captive breeding|breeding station]] in order to protect the threatened species.<ref>[http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/remote-island-plan-to-help-save-scottish-wildcats-from-extinction.22215339 "Remote island plan to help save Scottish wildcats from extinction"]. (23 September 2013) Glasgow. ''The Herald''. Retrieved 25 September 2013.</ref>
In 2014 Carna Conservation Initiative was formed by the owners with local business Ardnamurchan Marine Centre to enhance and protect the islands wildlife and habitats, improve the islands economic and environmental sustainability and benefit the local community and economy. The initiative includes a range of conservation projects including restoring ancient wild flower meadows, recreating native woodlands, establishing colonies of native [[European dark bee|dark honeybees]], removing [[Invasive species|invasive]] non-native species and taking part in the monitoring of Loch Sunart [[Marine protected area|Marine Protected Area]] (MPA) which surrounds the island.
==Economy and history==
Carna is thought to be more fertile than its neighbour, Oronsay, and due to its much greater aspect has better water sources. There are signs of [[Terrace (agriculture)|terracing]] by early man and the northern part of the island is named Bac a' Mhathachaidh ([[Scottish Gaelic]]: "cultivated bank"). The island has a clear "in-bye" area of around {{convert|20|ha|acre|-1|abbr=off}}, which has been improved over hundreds of years for farming by drainage into an ancient 'Head dyke' and the cultivation of fields for haymaking and growing crops. This area surrounds the once main township of Dailachreagain ([[Scottish Gaelic]]: "rocky meadow") which once had around 20 dwellings. There is also the remains of a tidal fish trap in one of the bays on the eastern side of the island and at various points around the shore can be seen bait holes where inhabitants would have pounded their fish bait.
Originally forming part of the Kingdom of [[Dál Riata|Dal Riata]], and later the [[Lord of the Isles|Lordship of The Isles]], the island was a strategic hub and used as a clan gathering site on a number of occasions. The [[MacDonalds of Sleat|MacDonalds]] were gathered on Carna by [[Donald Balloch]] in 1431 prior to the [[Battle of Inverlochy (1431)|Battle of Inverlochy]] where they were on the winning side against the Scottish Crown. Later in 1543 the last remaining claimant to the Lordship of the Isles, [[Domhnall Dubh|Donald Dubh]], led his final insurrection from Carna before dying a short time later. With the full decline of the Lordship by 1493 the Island then passed to the [[Duke of Argyll]] until it was sold off in the 19th century.
In common with many Scottish islands the population has declined since the 19th century. At one point up to 18 families lived there but by 1881 the population was seven. In 1891 it was recorded as ten but this had dropped to only two in 1961. No permanent population was recorded in 1981, 2001 or 2011.<ref name="NRS" /><ref name="Smith" /> The island has been privately owned by the same family since the 1880s and has three holiday homes with currently no permanent inhabitants.<ref name="Smith" /><ref name="Isleofcarna" /> Carna House, rebuilt as a holiday home in 1920s and largely untouched since then, and Carna Cottage are available to rent on a self-catered basis through Carna Conservation Initiative.<ref name="Isleofcarna" />
A graveyard still remains above and behind Carna Cottage, which has headstones marked from 1707 to 2008. The last use occurred there in 2009 when the ashes of Margaret Hewer, a former owner in the family, were scattered there. Her father Dr Earnshaw Hewer was also buried on Carna in 1931.<ref name="FRCS">[http://livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk/biogs/E004206b.htm "Hewer, Edward Septimus Earnshaw (1875 - 1931)"]. Plarr's Lives of the Fellows Online. Retrieved 25 September 2013.</ref>
==Glencripesdale Estate==
[[File:carna.jpg|left|thumb|An old boat on Carna]]
Carna once formed part of the neighbouring [[Glencripesdale Estate]] stretched for {{convert|32|km}} along the entire south side of Loch Sunart, and the entire east side of [[Loch Teacuis]]. It comprised the smaller estates of Glencripesdale, [[Laudale]] and [[Rahoy]], and measured {{convert|106|km2}}, and its centre point was the 27-bedroom [[Glencripesdale House|Glencripesdale Castle]].
It was purchased in the 1870s by the three Newton brothers ([[Canon Horace Newton]], [[Goodwin Newton]] & William Newton III). Dr. Earnshaw Hewer, the son in law of Canon Newton, bought the island in 1922 when the rest of the estate was being sold after the Canon's death and thus Carna is the last remaining part still owned by the family.<ref name=FRCS/>
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== See also ==
{{Portal|Scottish islands}}
* [[List of islands of Scotland]]
==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Càrna}}
{{Hebrides (uninhabited)}}
{{coord|56|40|0|N|5|53|0|W|display=title|region:GB_type:isle}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carna}}
[[Category:Former populated places in Scotland]]
[[Category:Uninhabited islands of Highland (council area)]]
[[Category:Morvern]]