The Gaelic name maybe meaning… Island of Whales)
EILEAN NAM MUC
The smallest of the Small Isles, the beautiful Isle of Muck is wee gem of a destination. The perfect size for exploring on foot, it is a lovely walk from the ferry over to the white sand of Gallanach Bay. The bay is picture-perfect with crystal clear waters that are teeming with sea life. From the bay you have stunning views over to neighbouring Rum and Eigg, and the surrounding craggy coastline is perfect for exploring.
Gallanach bay is a haven for wildlife – with birds foraging along the shoreline, and eagles gliding overhead. There have also been plenty of otter sightings, sometimes eating their daily catch of fish on the shore. The bay is home to a seal colony, who are incredibly inquisitive watching you from the water, or basking on the rocks.
A bit about the site
Gallanach bay is 30 mins walk up the road from the pier. There are Toilet facilities in The Craft Shop & Tearoom and the Isle of Muck Community Hall.
Getting here
Ferries from Mallaig and Arisaig
Visitors cannot bring a vehicle to Muck
Accessibility
Fully accessible
Useful links
Isle of Muck
Visit Scotland - Small Isles
Visit Small Isles
Responsible Access
Wondrous creatures in the waters
Look out for
Basking sharks
Minke whales
Harbour porpoises
Bottlenose dolphins
Otters
Seals
Shearwaters
Gannets
Guillimots Oystercatchers
Check out the latest sightings on HWDT Whale Track
Seal of Approval
The seal colony that call Gallanach Bay their home are an inquisitive bunch, often bobbing up to get a look at visitors to the beach. You could see both grey and common seals here; grey seals are larger and have a long straight nose while the smaller commons have more of a snout. Seals are seen year-round here, though if you are visiting between October and November you might be lucky enough to spot one of the white, fluffy grey seal pups - cute!
Don’t muck about
It is generally understood that Muck got its name from the Gaelic for whale – Muc-Mara, making Muck the island of whales not the island of mud. It’s a fitting title. The seas around Muck are a hot spot for whales, dolphins and porpoises of all kind. Minke whales feed around here in the summer and harbour porpoises call these waters home all year round. Another possible translation would be ‘The island of Pigs’, but since you are actually more likely to spot a whale we will stick with that!