Bac Beag
Bac Beag is a Scottish island, one of the Treshnish Isles in the Inner Hebrides.
Scottish Gaelic name | Bac Beag |
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Meaning of name | little bank or obstacle |
Location | |
![]() ![]() Bac Beag Bac Beag shown within Argyll and Bute | |
OS grid reference | NM238377 |
Coordinates | 56.451°N 6.483°W |
Physical geography | |
Island group | Treshnish Isles |
Area | ha |
Highest elevation | m |
Administration | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Country | Scotland |
Council area | Argyll and Bute |
Demographics | |
Population | 0 |
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References | [1][2][3] |
Origin of name
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The Gaelic name has several possible interpretations. The meaning of Beag clearly means “small” (as opposed to Bac Mòr, its larger sister), but the word Bac can mean either a "bank", or an "obstacle" or "hindrance".
Geography
Bac Beag, along with its sister island, Bac Mor, lies south of Lunga, and is at the south-western end of the Treshnish Isles’ chain. In contrast to Bac Mòr, Bac Beag is low-lying and fairly flat. It is of volcanic origin.
Wildlife
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Like the other Treshnish Isles, Bac Beag is uninhabited and is owned by a charity, the Hebridean Trust. The Treshnish Isles are designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Protection Area due to their importance for breeding seabirds.
References
- 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
- Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 1-84195-454-3.
- Ordnance Survey
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