Scottish Islands Typology: overview 2024

4 The Scottish Government Scottish Islands Typology

This chapter sets out the ten island types identified by the Scottish Government Scottish Islands Typology (2024). It provides details of the characteristics of each island type and a list of islands included in each category, with additional information noting any nuance within the category in relation to the areas considered.

The Scottish Government Scottish Islands Typology (2024) recognises ten island categories based on factors of capacity and reliance:

• Connected Independent Islands
• Independent Hub Islands
• Independent Outer Isles
• Reliant Inner Isles
• Reliant Outer Isles
• Semi-Reliant Isles
• Outpost Islands
• Mainland-Connected Islands
• Unserviced Islands
• Previously Inhabited Islands

It should be noted that these descriptive titles are not intended to be hierarchical. They simply reflect the way that factors of capacity and reliance may influence island life. The names of the categories are largely based on work carried out on Gow’s Typology of Scotland’s Islands, in consultation with islanders, and deliberately avoid urban-centric terms such as remote and accessible. Consultation with islanders on the typology included presenting category names in a session run by the Scottish Islands Federation and a workshop with islanders in early 2023. The feedback from these sessions indicated broad approval for category names, with a recognition from islanders that we all rely on systems and services which may be beyond our control, and that reliance on ferries in particular is a key part of island life.

In addition, it is important to note that the framework used to develop this typology is based on Gow’s Typology of Scotland’s Islands which compares islands to each other rather than to other geographical areas such as rural or urban areas of the Scottish mainland. As such the results and descriptions for each island type were created to provide an overview of islands in comparison to each other, rather than to non-island areas. Given this, scoring highly for a particular factor does not necessarily mean that there are no challenges in this area, it is simply an indication of how an island is positioned relative to other islands in the typology.

Table 1 provides a summary of population, local amenities, and access to ferry connections in each of the ten island types within the Scottish Government Scottish Islands Typology. While this provides a general picture there remains some variation within island types which are explored more in the remainder of this chapter.

Notes

¹ The low population levels in these islands means that the movement of a small number of people to or from the island can result in significant population change. A variety of population growth and decline is therefore to be expected in these categories.

4.1 Connected Independent Islands

Connected Independent Islands had high population levels, a good range of local amenities, and high levels of access to mainland Scotland via ferry services relative to the other islands in the typology.

Islands / island groupings in this category have good levels of access to amenities and services both on and off the island relative to other islands in the typology, along with higher than average and, for the most part, growing populations. This category includes larger islands and island groupings where there may be substantial differences in access to amenities between the main population centres and outlying areas.

The islands included within the Connected Independent Islands category are:

• Arran
• Bute
• Great Cumbrae
• Mainland Orkney & connected isles^[4]
• Mull

While Great Cumbrae’s amenities score was significantly lower than other island groupings, it scored above average when compared with the other islands considered in the typology. It also benefits from a fast and frequent ferry crossing to the town of Largs on the Scottish mainland, where a wide range of amenities and services are available. Great Cumbrae was therefore deemed to have a high level of access to amenities for the purpose of this typology.

While ferry access for the Mainland Orkney & connected isles grouping is substantially lower than others in this class the islands benefit from above-average provision in this area and are served by three different ferry routes to mainland Scotland. The variety and frequency of these routes offers additional resilience in terms of ferry access.^[5]

While Mull scored highly across all categories considered, it should be noted that access to education varies across the island. While high school pupils across the majority of Mull access schooling in Tobermory on a daily basis via road, travel times mean that those in some areas opt to leave home for high school, boarding weekly at the hostel at Oban High School^[6].

4.2 Independent Hub Islands

Independent Hub Islands are characterised by high populations and good levels of on-island amenities and services relative to other islands in the typology. However, these islands received substantially lower scores for their ferry connections with mainland Scotland than Connected Independent Islands.

The islands / island groupings in this category are home to some of the largest island populations in Scotland. However, all except the Mainland Shetland & connected isles grouping have seen population decline since 1981^[7]. These islands are also characterised by having high levels of access to local amenities and services on-island compared to other islands in the typology. However, they face some challenges in relation to ferry access to mainland Scotland which may affect their ability to access goods and services located off-island. This is despite all islands in this class having direct ferry connections to mainland Scotland^[8]. These transport challenges vary but include ferry crossing length and frequency, and the location of the mainland port serving the island. This category includes larger islands and island groupings where there may be substantial differences in access to amenities between the main population centres and outlying areas.

The islands included in the Independent Hub Islands category are:

• Islay
• Lewis, Harris & connected isles^[9]
• Mainland Shetland & connected isles^[10]
• Uist & connected isles^[11]

4.3 Independent Outer Isles

Independent Outer Islands are characterised by relatively low levels of ferry access to mainland Scotland but generally good access to amenities and services on-islands relative to other islands in the typology, or easy access to amenities on a neighbouring island. These islands have mid to low population levels which are mainly declining.

Islands / island groupings in this category have relatively good access to amenities on-island but relatively low levels of ferry access to mainland Scotland. The only island / island groupings in this category to have a direct ferry connection to mainland Scotland are Barra & Vatersay and Tiree^[12]. These islands both had less than one crossing per day to mainland Scotland in winter 2023/4 and average crossing times in the range of four to five hours. Ferry connections for all other islands in this category require travel via at least one other island.

The population of these islands varies significantly but nearly all islands / island groupings in this class have seen population decline over 30 years. The only islands in this category to have seen population increase are Bressay and Whalsay which saw increases of 10.2% and 2.9% respectively. This category includes larger islands and island groupings where there may be substantial differences in access to amenities between the main population centres and outlying areas.

The islands included in Independent Outer Isles category are:

• Barra and Vatersay
• Bressay
• Jura
• Tiree
• Unst
• Whalsay
• Yell

Although Bressay scores poorly for amenities, the frequency, crossing time and arrival point for ferries between Bressay and Lerwick arguably provides islanders with access to the high levels of amenities available in Lerwick. Bressay was therefore included in this class.

4.4 Reliant Inner Isles

Reliant Inner Isles are characterised by a lack of amenities and services on-island but relatively good ferry connections to mainland Scotland compared with other islands in the typology. These islands have mid to low populations which are growing or stable.

Islands / island groupings in this class have relatively few amenities on-island but good ferry connections to mainland Scotland, providing relatively good access to goods and services based elsewhere. This class of islands includes those with direct ferry connections to the Scottish mainland and those who are connected by ferry to another larger island with additional amenities. For those islands in this class with direct ferry connections to mainland Scotland, the highest average crossing time was 25 minutes.

Reliant Inner Isles have mid to low populations, relative to the other islands in the typology, though all have seen stable or increasing populations since 1981.

The islands included in the Reliant Inner Isles category are:

• Easdale
• Iona
• Kerrera
• Lismore
• Luing
• Raasay
• Ulva & Gometra

While high school pupils in Easdale, Kerrera, Lismore and Gometra can access schooling on a daily basis via ferry, travel times mean that pupils can choose to board weekly at the hostel at Oban High School^[13].

Kerrera and Ulva have substantially lower scoring in the category of population than the other islands within this class. However, both have been the subject of repopulation efforts over recent years.

4.5 Semi-Reliant Islands

Semi-Reliant Islands are characterised by mid-level populations and mid-range access to local amenities and ferry connection to mainland Scotland compared to other islands in the typology. This indicates that they have some ability to function on daily basis without access to amenities and services in the wider world but face some level of challenge accessing amenities off-island due to their ferry connections.

Islands / island groupings in this category have mid-level population levels relative to other islands in the typology, though there is significant variation within the category. The majority of islands in the category have seen population decline or stability. Gigha and Rousay were the only islands showing increases, but these were marginal, accounting for just ten people in Gigha and seven people in Rousay. These factors may impact on the islands’ capacity to provide amenities and services at a local level and / or the willingness of those in the outside world to serve these islands.

All bar one of the islands in this class is located in the Orkney Islands Council local authority area. Gigha is the only island outwith Orkney and also the only island which has a direct connection to the Scottish mainland, however the mainland port for this route is located in a Remote Rural^[14] area outwith a settlement. The islands in this category located in Orkney connect to the Scottish mainland via Mainland Orkney and the crossing time and frequency of inter-island ferries serving these islands is variable.

Islands in this category have mid-range access to on-island amenities compared with other islands in the typology and experience some challenges in accessing amenities off-island due to their ferry connections.

The islands included in the Semi-Reliant Islands category are:

• Gigha
• Hoy & Walls
• Papa Westray
• Rousay
• Sanday (Orkney)
• Shapinsay
• Stronsay
• Westray

4.6 Reliant Outer Isles

Reliant Outer Isles are characterised by the low availability of amenities and services on-island and medium to poor scores for ferry connections relative to other islands in the typology. All islands in this class had less than 200 inhabitants in 2011, however the majority had seen population increases since 1981.

The small populations and mid to low access to mainland Scotland via ferry means that islands / island groupings in this category are likely to rely heavily on the outside world for the provision of services and goods but do so in the context of transport challenges. These islands are a mix of those with direct ferry connections to the Scottish mainland and those who connect to the Scottish mainland via other islands.^[15] Those with direct connections to the Scottish mainland have an average crossing frequency of less than one ferry per day and all have average crossing times in excess of two hours. For those islands without direct connections to mainland Scotland, the crossing time and frequency of inter-island ferries is highly variable.

While the majority of islands in this category have seen population increases since 1981, North Ronaldsay and Flotta have experienced population decline. However, any population change for islands in this class must be seen in the context of low population levels which means that the movement of even a small number of people can have a large impact on both statistical reporting and community life.

The islands included in the Reliant Outer Isles category are:

• Coll
• Colonsay & Oronsay
• Eday
• Egilsay
• Eigg
• Flotta
• Graemsay
• Muck
• North Ronaldsay
• Rum
• Wyre

4.7 Outpost Islands

Outpost Islands are characterised by very low populations. Other than Unserviced Islands, which are typically home to a single household, Outpost Islands have the lowest levels of provision for local amenities and ferry connections of all inhabited islands in the typology.

Islands / island groupings in this category some of the lowest population levels within the typology with Skerries’ population of 74 being the largest in this class. Only Unserviced Islands, which are typically home to a single household, have lower population levels. This is highly likely to affect on-island capacity to provide amenities and the willingness and / or ability of those in the outside world to serve these islands. This is reflected in the fact that these islands have the lowest levels of access to on-island amenities compared to other islands in the typology.

These islands also have the lowest levels of access to mainland Scotland via ferry compared to other islands in the typology. Canna & Sanday is the only island / island grouping in this class to have a direct mainland ferry link, however it has the lowest number of average ferry crossings per day with just 0.3 scheduled crossings per day in the winter of 2023/4 and an average crossing time of just under three hours. Five of the islands in this category are outlying islands in the Shetland Islands Council area which connect to the Scottish mainland via Mainland Shetland. Journeys from and to Fetlar require travel via Yell and Mainland Shetland to reach mainland Scotland. The crossing time and frequency of inter-island ferries serving islands in this category is variable.

The islands included in the Outpost Islands category are:

• Canna & Sanday
• Fair Isle
• Fetlar
• Foula
• Papa Stour
• Skerries^[16]

4.8 Mainland-Connected Islands

Mainland Connected Islands have permanent fixed links to mainland Scotland via public roads meaning that, alongside the amenities and services they have access to on-island, they can also access amenities and services in mainland Scotland with relative ease compared to other islands in the typology. These islands have higher than average, growing population levels.

Islands in this category are accessible from mainland Scotland via a bridge. This means that, alongside the amenities and services they have access to on-island, they can also access schooling, GPs and hospitals, grocery stores and vehicle fuel outlets based in mainland Scotland via road. These islands are therefore characterised by their lack of reliance on ferry services to access amenities and services elsewhere.

Although Skye has a higher level of on-island amenities than Seil, those living in outlying areas of Skye must travel further to access key local amenities than those based in Seil, which is around 16 miles by road from the Very Remote Rural Town^[17] of Oban. While the population of the two islands in this class is substantially different, both islands have higher than average populations and have seen a significant increase in population since 1981.

The islands included in the Mainland-Connected Islands category are:

• Seil
• Skye

4.9 Unserviced Islands

Unserviced Islands are small islands with low populations, no public amenities, and no scheduled ferry services, though some have access to the mainland via private causeways or bridges. These islands have the lowest populations of all islands in the typology and are typically home to just one household.

This class includes islands which are predominantly owned or managed for private interests, including as private residences, businesses, or intentional communities. As such, they have very low populations, typically made up of a single household, and no public amenities or scheduled ferry services.

The island of Erraid had four households in 2011 but is predominantly owned and managed by the Findhorn Foundation as an intentional community. Holy Isle reported zero households but 31 residents in 2011. This is likely to be due to the fact that the island is home to a religious community.

The islands included in the Unserviced Islands category are:

• Auskerry
• Eilean dà Mhèinn
• Eilean Shona
• Eilean Tioram / Dry Island
• Erraid
• Gairsay
• Holm of Grimbister
• Holy Island
• Inner Holm
• Isle of Danna
• Isle of Ewe
• Rona / Ronaigh (Skye)
• Scalpay (Skye)
• Shuna (Luing)
• Soay
• Tanera More / Tannara Mòr
• Vaila

4.10 Previously Inhabited islands

Previously Inhabited Islands were once populated but now have no inhabitants, no on-island amenities, and no ferry services. This class has been included in the Scottish Government Scottish Islands Typology to allow the typology to be directly mapped against the existing Scottish Island Regions (2023) geography, which includes previously inhabited islands. The full list of the 71 islands included in this category is available in Appendix 1.