Island 87 - Muck, Inner Hebrides

Muck has been owned and farmed by the MacEwen family since 1896.  It has a current population of around 30 people.  The name Muck comes from the Gaelic muc mara, meaning sea pig or porpoise.  The island is composed of basalt. 

Passenger ferries from Mallaig and Arisaig land at the new slipway on the island.

There is a craft shop/café in Port Mor but no shop on the island, so you need to come prepared!  We stayed in the hostel, which was small but clean and cosy.  The lady in charge of it, who was very friendly and chatty, met us off the ferry with a wheelbarrow in which to put our luggage!  There is also a hotel, a B&B and a Yurt. 

 

Muck has been farmed since the Bronze Age.  The population of Muck peaked in 1821 at 321.  The MacLeans who owned the island at the time evicted 150 people in 1828 and they emigrated to Cape Breton.  By 1835 the remaining population had emigrated or moved to elsewhere in Scotland.  Sheep were introduced in 1835.

In 1878 Muck was let to David Weir, who developed a dairy farm making cheese and the dairy, midden and bothy beside Gallanach were built at this time.   The island is now grazed by sheep and beef cattle and there are a few pigs. 

Hostel

Muck from An Sgurr on Eigg

Burial Ground at Gallanach looking towards Eilean nan Each 

A Bronze Age burial circle is being reused as the MacEwen family graveyard.

Eigg from Muck