Isle of Ewe

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Isle of Ewe
Gaelic: Eilean Iùbh

Inner Hebrides
(Ross-shire)

Eileaniubhwestcoast.jpg
West coast of the Isle of Ewe
Location
Location: 57°50’4"N, 5°36’53"W
Grid reference: NG855885
Area: 760 acres
Highest point: Creag Streap, 236 feet
Data
Population: 12

The Isle of Ewe is a island within Loch Ewe on the west coast of Ross-shire. Its name is nothing to do with sheep nor, alas, with declarations of affection, but from the Gaelic name Iùbh, connected to the Old Irish eo, meaning "yew".

Geography and geology

The Isle of Ewe is located in Loch Ewe, west of Aultbea, one of the many lochs and bays which indent this wild coast of Ross-shire. The loch shore curls close around to embrace the isle and guard it from the stormy Atlantic seas that run on the coasts of Wester Ross.

The island is made up of sandstone and the shore line varies from flat pebble beaches to cliffs. It is part of the Wester Ross National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland.[1]

Cultural references

The circuit of the isle is a popular boat trip for courting couples, drawn by the sound of the name which whispers "I love you", and local boatmen have not been slow to avail themselves of the business of romance.

For the same reason, it was also featured as a desert island in the second chapter of Telltale Games' adventure game Tales of Monkey Island: The Siege of Spinner Cay.[2]

It was mentioned in The Goon Show, during the episode "Lurgi Strikes Britain."

Aidan Moffat released a song under the title of "A Scenic Route to the Isle Of Ewe" on his album How To Get To Heaven From Scotland.

Footnotes