Innis Mhòr
Encyclopedia
Innis Mhòr is a tidal island in the Dornoch Firth
of Easter Ross
off the east coast of Scotland. It is about 26 hectares (64.2 acre) in extent and is largely, if not exclusively made up of moving sand dunes. No point on the island is greater than 5 metres (16.4 ft) above sea level. It has almost certainly never been permanently inhabited. The nearest settlement is Inver to the south, (which is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) west of Portmahomack
) and the town of Tain
is 8 kilometres (5 mi) to the east.
Scotland's north and west coasts have over 700 islands all told. Innis Mhòr is one of the few east coast islands, only 4 of which exceed 20 hectares (49.4 acre) in size.
The extensive tidal Whiteness Sands lie between Innis Mhòr and the Easter Ross coast, with the headland of Rubh'na h-Innse Moire lying to the west of the island. Inland there is the Morrich More
, an extensive area of dune
grassland with wetland communities, and a grade 1 SSSI, and RAF Tain
, a bombing range on an alluvial plain known as the Fendom. The area includes the most extensive area (260 hectares (1 sq mi)) of salt marsh
in the Highlands. The island is part of the Dornoch Firth National Scenic Area
, one of 40 in Scotland.
Local birdlife includes important populations of Osprey
(10 pairs representing about 10% of the UK breeding population), Bar-tailed Godwit
, Greylag Goose
and Wigeon
and numerous more common species such as Curlew
, Dunlin
, Oystercatcher
and Teal
.
There are no other islands nearby, although a sandy spit to the south is marked as Innis Bheag (meaning "small island") on some maps and is also referred to as Paterson Island.
Dornoch Firth
The Dornoch Firth is a firth on the east coast of Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty, to the south, and Sutherland, to the north....
of Easter Ross
Easter Ross
Easter Ross is a loosely defined area in the east of Ross, Highland, Scotland.The name is used in the constituency name Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, which is the name of both a British House of Commons constituency and a Scottish Parliament constituency...
off the east coast of Scotland. It is about 26 hectares (64.2 acre) in extent and is largely, if not exclusively made up of moving sand dunes. No point on the island is greater than 5 metres (16.4 ft) above sea level. It has almost certainly never been permanently inhabited. The nearest settlement is Inver to the south, (which is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) west of Portmahomack
Portmahomack
Portmahomack is a small fishing village in Easter Ross, Scotland. It is situated in the Tarbat Peninsula in the parish of Tarbat. Tarbat Ness Lighthouse is about three miles from the village at the end of the Tarbat Peninsula. Ballone Castle lies about a mile from the village...
) and the town of Tain
Tain
Tain is a royal burgh and post town in the committee area of Ross and Cromarty, in the Highland area of Scotland.-Etymology:...
is 8 kilometres (5 mi) to the east.
Scotland's north and west coasts have over 700 islands all told. Innis Mhòr is one of the few east coast islands, only 4 of which exceed 20 hectares (49.4 acre) in size.
The extensive tidal Whiteness Sands lie between Innis Mhòr and the Easter Ross coast, with the headland of Rubh'na h-Innse Moire lying to the west of the island. Inland there is the Morrich More
Morrich More
Morrich More is an extensive area of dune grassland with wetland communities, on the southern shore of the Dornoch Firth, Scotland.Morrich More lies east of Tain, on the southern shore of the Dornoch Firth, Scotland. Offshore lie extensive areas of intertidal sandflat, including the tidal island of...
, an extensive area of dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
grassland with wetland communities, and a grade 1 SSSI, and RAF Tain
RAF Tain
RAF Tain is a Ministry of Defence air weapons range on the Moray Firth near Tain in Scotland. Royal Air Force aircrews from RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Leuchars are trained in air weaponry on the range, along with NATO aircrew.-Facilities:...
, a bombing range on an alluvial plain known as the Fendom. The area includes the most extensive area (260 hectares (1 sq mi)) of salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
in the Highlands. The island is part of the Dornoch Firth National Scenic Area
National Scenic Area
National Scenic Area is a designation for areas of natural beauty used by more than one nation.* National Scenic Area * National Scenic Area * National scenic areas in Taiwan* National Scenic Area...
, one of 40 in Scotland.
Local birdlife includes important populations of Osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
(10 pairs representing about 10% of the UK breeding population), Bar-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
The Bar-tailed Godwit is a large wader in the family Scolopacidae, which breeds on Arctic coasts and tundra mainly in the Old World, and winters on coasts in temperate and tropical regions of the Old World...
, Greylag Goose
Greylag Goose
The Greylag Goose , Anser anser, is a bird with a wide range in the Old World. It is the type species of the genus Anser....
and Wigeon
Wigeon
The Eurasian Wigeon, also known as Widgeon or Eurasian Widgeon is one of three species of wigeon in the dabbling duck genus Anas. It is common and widespread within its range...
and numerous more common species such as Curlew
Eurasian Curlew
The Eurasian Curlew, Numenius arquata, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia...
, Dunlin
Dunlin
The Dunlin, Calidris alpina, is a small wader, sometimes separated with the other "stints" in Erolia. It is a circumpolar breeder in Arctic or subarctic regions. Birds that breed in northern Europe and Asia are long-distance migrants, wintering south to Africa, southeast Asia and the Middle East...
, Oystercatcher
Eurasian Oystercatcher
The Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, also known as the Common Pied Oystercatcher, or just Oystercatcher, is a wader in the oystercatcher bird family Haematopodidae. It is the most widespread of the oystercatchers, with three races breeding in western Europe, central Eurasia,...
and Teal
Common Teal
The Eurasian Teal or Common Teal is a common and widespread duck which breeds in temperate Eurasia and migrates south in winter. The Eurasian Teal is often called simply the Teal due to being the only one of these small dabbling ducks in much of its range...
.
There are no other islands nearby, although a sandy spit to the south is marked as Innis Bheag (meaning "small island") on some maps and is also referred to as Paterson Island.