A lifetime of Islands: Island 314 - Or Eilean, Scalpay, Harris, Outer Hebrides

Or Eilean is a small tidal island, which is only separated from the island of Scalpay by a strip of seaweed covered land no wider than about 15 metres and which is covered at high tide. The island is about 500 metres from east to west and 300 metres from north to south.

I followed a group of sheep on to the island. However being more agile than me, they soon disappeared up the cliff an on to the plateau of the island. I stayed lower down, as I was on my own and no one knew where I was, so I didn't want to risk having an accident. The bit of the island I visited had plenty of grass and bracken with some thrift, heather and tormentil. I saw a wren and listened to a stonechat.