Island 258 - Fraoch Eilean Beag, Gruinard Bay, Highland

Fraoch Eilean Beag is a small rocky tidal island on the eastern side of Gruinard Bay.  Gruinard Island in the middle of the bay is of course famous for having been used by the Ministry of Defence for experiments with anthrax as a bio-weapon.  It remained out of bounds until 1990 when it was declared safe 4 years after the island was soaked in formaldehyde solution.

Fraoch Eilean Beag has a larger neighbour immediately to the west - Fraoch Eilean Mor.  It looks on the OS maps as though Fraoch Eilean Mor should be accessible on foot at low tide.  However the day I visited it was a neap tide and it wasn't.

It was a bit of a scramble up on to Fraoch Eilean Beag over some slippery rocks.  There was a barely discernible path round the south side, which I followed.  The island is covered in heather, grass, bracken, brambles and a lone pine tree. When I visited in September 2014 lots of devil's bit scabious flowers were in bloom. 

 Fraoch Eilean Beag

 Fraoch Eilean Mor and Fraoch Eilean Beag on a misty morning

Eilean an Tuirc from Fraoch Eilean Beag