islands forth islands forth group small islands located estuary east coast scotland group lie open waters majority east city edinburgh islands lie west river estuary islands varied geology history ecclesiastical connections involved military centuries recorded history aids navigation erected islands dating 17th century islands permanently inhabited area diversity bird sea life scientific northern derived bird connection bass rock islands eastern scotland size group geography isle coast south south outer group islands near east west known simply bass lamb second group lie inner forth north shore lies midway north south nearer edinburgh south shore west waters islands resident population recent years monasteries fortifications past late 19th century isle population island names element word island geology islands remnants isle rock fine dark grey colour green largely bass volcanic plug popular making stones island origin partly studies landscape beneath waters revealed visible surface larger tail structure similar structure created glacial action tidal kilometres west component rock origin volcanic origin sections sandstone coal limestone named containing numerous fossils springs island similarly varied consisting sandstone limestone natural history important area nature conservation range habitats including extensive named developed typically dominated rush sea club rush sea common grass inner important nationally internationally important numbers birds hosts populations knot great outer islands support significant numbers nesting nesting northern largest single rock world viewed mainland rock looks white sheer number birds tonnes year scientific names derived rock bird traditionally known locally eggs meat considered estimated birds harvested rock bird species rock include duck numerous lies close harbour historically rabbit warren rabbits bred food wiped 1950s atlantic colony largest britain pairs endangered onwards invasion non endemic plant tree preventing chicks year project led launched early hundreds volunteers working hard rid island problem ferried boat centre winter months sea signs starting return island breed reserves noted species bird varieties recorded isle history islands contain pre historic remains created cultures names unknown affected successive influences celtic norse english speaking peoples historic period reflected names islands came attack early historic period 15th century reign king site extraordinary experiment according historian james directed dumb woman transported island language grow speak isolated rest world thought original language language god reliable account spoke reported spoke good hebrew isolated refuge victims history repeated passengers plague ridden ship plague came mainland russian sailors died infectious disease buried mentioned shakespeare described saint english garrisons raided english troops 14th century wars independence 16th century suffered english occupation garrisoned islands force marines ordered reinforce built large square fort corner towers site present day lighthouse forces mainly italian mercenaries ejected combined franco scottish force general later fortifications islands including fortified subsequent years fear napoleonic invasion world wars gun world wars derelict concrete structures designed island look like battleship distance buildings later filming scenes film ecclesiastical associations islands said connections saints connections islands mother said cast deep waters isle father resulted abundance fish seas nearby murdered invading killed raid buried stone coffin island said floated coming rest churchyard isle long history ecclesiastical activity remains including 13th century church irish missionary resided bass 8th century ruined 12th century chapel dedicated connections king alexander island decided site monastery 7th century founded school late 7th century having met derived island vicar navigation isles act aid navigation numerous devices guide shipping busy waters near ports construction begun designed built lighthouse stands metres high operational light built automated light small rock automated early time controlled powered gas delivered weekly lighthouse constructed bass rock isle light long history having operation crude coal fired structure erected existing building constructed converted rock station automated march island owned commissioners northern lights managed national nature reserve islands accessible public transport regular summer service islands outer islands isle north outer kilometres coast mainland kilometres long kilometres wide total area hectares acres making far largest forth islands inhabited past recorded living lighthouse tidal north joined main island bridge north north east south east lie offshore south bass rock kilometres offshore kilometres north east steep sided island currently lived centuries castle dating 14th century later prison remains chapel built circa family owned island centuries belongs sir family purchased rock features works fiction including hectares acres extent second largest islands forth small stack lies offshore northwest lies north harbour purchased sir lamb island long wide flanked south dog shore including law rocks february island bought israeli kilometres north west like nearby islands result volcanic activity substantial population accessed primitive eastern shore said based map shape island attended companion called south dog south separated main bulk high tides inner islands close shores history dominated religion use military events currently owned founder doesn live lies kilometres east kilometres north city edinburgh metres metres size rocks known cow lie north half way hazard identified permanent light island recent resident population census usually resident population recorded time census resident employed maintains island runs shop summer 14th century john records referring sea north including rough island possibly island island long history fortification incorporated forth bridge foundations laid bridge disaster plans abandoned construction bridge west end island extended pier foundation island construction office castle buildings accommodate workers stone castle build bridge estuary tidal island hectares acres extent currently lies mile shore popular recreation area speed water rises catch visitors leaving stranded island tidal reaches near consists reed beds salt marshes derelict farmhouse island managed island nature reserve upstream smaller includes small islands small north shore west east near artificial island reclaimed land created salt production land reclaimed ash power station onwards mainland offshore rocks grid reference called 17th century map appears reclaimed land coast south grid reference nearby castle tidal island forth road bridge south bay lies common rocks west vows lie farther coast east vows hazard shipping entrance fewer south coast little lies including lie outside port
Islands of the Forth