AN ISLAND off the coast of the Isle of Skye which is rich in history has gone up for sale in what has been described as an “exceptionally rare opportunity”.
Fladda-Chuain Island, which is located three miles north west of the Trotternish peninsula on the Isle of Skye has hit the market for an asking price of £190,000.
The island’s name can be translated as Flat Island of the Ocean and has picturesque views of the Outer Hebrides.
Fladda-Chuain has a varied 66 acre landscape with small valleys, peaks and cliffs, the highest point being 29 meters above sea level.
The island is home to plenty of wildlife including a host of bird species including Storm Petrel, Gannet, Shag, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, common Sandpiper, Great Skua, Arctic Tern and Black Guillemot.
Porpoises, dolphins, whales, basking sharks and otters are also regularly seen around the island.
Steeped in folklore it was once a sacred place identified by some as the mysterious Tír na nÓg in Irish mythology, The Isle of Perpetual Youth, and was believed to be a magical island where it is always summer and the sun never sets.
There is even a ruined chapel on the western side of the island for when St Columba brought Christianity to Fladda-Chuain in the sixth century.
There’s also evidence that the Vikings visited the island as an 11th century gold ring was found in 1851 and is on display in the National Museum of Scotland.
According to folklore, there was a stone in the chapel known as the Weeping Stone and it was forever wet.
Fishermen would pour three handfuls of seawater on the stone to gain favourable winds and better catches.
There are no homes on the island or any services bar the ruins of the chapel and some mobile phone signal.
The last inhabitant was known as “Am Muileach Mòr”, which means either Big Mullman or Man of the Headland.
