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| Scottish Gaelic name | Uibhist a Deas |
|---|---|
| Scots name | Sooth Uist[1] |
| Meaning of name | Unknown[2] |
 | |
 | |
| Location | |
  South Uist South Uist shown within the Outer Hebrides | |
| OS grid reference | NF786343 |
| Coordinates | 57°16′00″N7°19′00″W / 57.2667°N 7.3167°W /57.2667; -7.3167 |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Uist &Barra |
| Area | 32,026 hectares (124 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 9 [3] |
| Highest elevation | Beinn Mhòr 620 metres (2,030 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Na h-Eileanan Siar |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population |  1,650[4] |
| Population rank | 9 [3] |
| Population density | 5.15 people/km2[4][5] |
| Largest settlement | Lochboisdale |
 | |
| References | [5][6][7][8] |
South Uist (Scottish Gaelic:Uibhist a Deas,[ˈɯ.ɪʃtʲəˈtʲes̪]ⓘ;Scots:Sooth Uist) is the second-largest island of theOuter Hebrides inScotland. At the 2022 census it had a usually resident population of 1,650, a decrease of 104 since 2011.[4][9] The island, in common with the rest of theHebrides, is one of the last remaining strongholds of theGaelic language in Scotland. South Uist's inhabitants are known in Gaelic asDeasaich (Southerners). The population is about 90%Roman Catholic.
The island is home to a nature reserve and a number of sites ofarchaeological interest, including the only location in theBritish Isles where prehistoricmummies have been found.[10] In the northwest, there is a missile testing range. In 2006 South Uist, together with neighbouringBenbecula andEriskay, was involved in Scotland's biggest-evercommunity land buyout by Stòras Uibhist.[11] The group also owns the "biggestcommunity wind farm in Scotland", Lochcarnan, on South Uist which opened in 2013.[12][13]
In common with the rest of theWestern Isles, South Uist is formed from the oldest rocks in Britain,Lewisian gneiss brought to the surface by old tectonic movements. They bear the scars of the last glaciation which has exposed many of them. The rocks had high-grade regionalmetamorphism around 2,900 million years ago: in theArchaean eon. Some showgranulite facies metamorphism, but most have slightly cooleramphibolite facies. A number of metabasic bodies andmetasediments occur locally in the gneiss.[14]
On the east side of the island between Lochboisdale and Ornish – part of the Outer Hebrides Thrust Zone – is theCorodale gneiss, dominated bygarnet-pyroxene rock. A narrow zone ofpseudotachylyte occurs along its western margin with the regular gneiss. The Usinish peninsula is formed from ‘mashed gneiss’, within which the banding has mainly been destroyed. Between these two gneisses is a band ofmylonite (as offshore on Stuley). Mashed gneiss occurs again in the extreme southeast. Small occurrences ofArchaeangranites are found in the centre of the island.[14][15]
The island is traversed by manynormal faults: E to W, to NNW to SSE, many being NW to SE. Numerous NW to SEdykes cut through the island: quartz-dolerite,camptonite andmonchiquite dykes of Permo-Carboniferous age and laterPalaeogenetholeiitic dykes. More recent geological deposits includeblown sand along the northern and western coasts andpeat inland along with some (glacial)till.[16]
The west ismachair (fertile low-lying coastal plain) with a continuous sandybeach, whilst the east coast is mountainous with the peaks ofBeinn Mhòr (Gèideabhal) at 620 metres (2,030 ft) and Hecla at 606 metres (1,988 ft). The island is linked toEriskay andBenbecula bycauseways.
The landscape is characterised by numerous lochs and lochans, the largest of which isLoch Bì.
The main village on the island isLochboisdale (Loch Baghasdail), from whichCaledonian MacBrayne operates ferries toMallaig (Malaig) on the Scottish mainland (some sailings to Oban in winter when the only large vessel able to dock at Mallaig, MV Lord of the Isles, is covering elsewhere on the Calmac network for vessels in drydock, or in drydock herself). The company previously operated services toCastlebay (Bàgh a' Chaisteil) onBarra, however as of the 2016 fleet reshuffle these have been removed. There is a separate service to Ardmhòr (Barra) operating from Eriskay numerous times a day. (Smaller settlements includeDaliburgh (Dalabrog),Howmore (Tobha Mòr) and Ludag (An Lùdag).
South Uist has anoceanic climate (Köppen:Cfb).
| Climate data for South Uist Range (4 m or 13 ft asl, averages 1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.9 (46.2) | 7.7 (45.9) | 8.7 (47.7) | 10.5 (50.9) | 13.0 (55.4) | 14.8 (58.6) | 16.2 (61.2) | 16.3 (61.3) | 15.0 (59.0) | 12.3 (54.1) | 9.9 (49.8) | 8.3 (46.9) | 11.7 (53.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.5 (38.3) | 3.3 (37.9) | 4.1 (39.4) | 5.5 (41.9) | 7.5 (45.5) | 9.9 (49.8) | 11.5 (52.7) | 11.7 (53.1) | 10.4 (50.7) | 7.9 (46.2) | 5.5 (41.9) | 3.7 (38.7) | 7.0 (44.7) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 136.7 (5.38) | 102.9 (4.05) | 95.6 (3.76) | 68.3 (2.69) | 64.5 (2.54) | 65.0 (2.56) | 77.5 (3.05) | 100.7 (3.96) | 97.5 (3.84) | 132.1 (5.20) | 127.8 (5.03) | 133.0 (5.24) | 1,201.6 (47.3) |
| Average rainy days(≥ 1 mm) | 21.5 | 18.1 | 17.8 | 13.6 | 13.0 | 12.8 | 14.5 | 16.7 | 15.8 | 19.7 | 21.0 | 20.8 | 205.3 |
| Source:Met Office[17] | |||||||||||||
Mac an Tàilleir (2003) suggests that the derivation ofUist may be "corn island".[18] However, whilst noting that thevist ending would have been familiar to speakers ofOld Norse as meaning "dwelling", Gammeltoft (2007) says that the word is "of non-Gaelic origin" and that it reveals itself as one of a number of "foreign place-names having undergone adaptation in Old Norse". In contrast, Clancy (2018) has argued thatÍvist itself is an Old Norsecalque on an earlier Gaelic name,*Ibuid orIbdaig, which corresponds toPtolemy’sEboudai.[19][note 1]
South Uist was clearly home to a thrivingNeolithic community. The island is covered in several neolithic remains, such asburial cairns,[note 2] and a small number of standing stones, of which the largest—standing 17 feet (5.2 m) tall—is in the centre of the island, at the northern edge ofBeinn A' Charra. Occupation continued into theChalcolithic, as evidenced by a number ofBeaker finds throughout the island.
Later in theBronze Age, a man wasmummified,[note 3] and placed on display atCladh Hallan, parts occasionally being replaced over the centuries; he was joined by a woman three hundred years later. Together they are the only knownprehistoric mummies in the British Isles.[21][clarification needed] Towards the end of the Bronze Age, the mummies were buried,[note 4] and a row ofroundhouses built on top of them.
Burials underneath buildings during this time are seen elsewhere on South Uist. At Hornish Point (Cnoc Mòr) a burial was found under a roundhouse, consisting of an individual, likely male and aged 12. The skeleton had been dismembered, probably some time after death when the body was partly decomposed. Cannibalism was ruled out as there were none of the marks of skinning, filleting and butchering which would be expected if it was cannibalism.[22][23]
Cladh Hallan was not abandoned until the lateIron Age. At around that time, in the 2nd century BC, abroch was built atDun Vulan; archeological investigation suggests the inhabitants often atepork. After the 2nd century AD, the Dun Vulan broch was converted into a three-roomed house. At a similar time, awheelhouse was constructed atKilpheder; within a cupboard (in the wheelhouse) was found an enameled bronzebrooch, of a style fashionable in theRoman Britain of 150 AD.[note 6]
In the 9th century, Vikings invaded South Uist, along with the rest of the Hebrides, and thegaelic kingdom ofDál Riata to the south, and established theKingdom of the Isles throughout these lands. A shortOgham inscription has been found inBornish, inscribed on a piece of animal bone, dating from this era;[24] it is thought that the Vikings used it as agaming token, or perhaps forsortilege.[24]
FollowingNorwegian unification under KingHarold Fairhair, the Kingdom of the Isles was declared a crown dependency by the Norwegian king; to the Norwegians it wasSuðreyjar (meaningsouthern isles).Malcolm III of Scotland acknowledged in writing that Suðreyjar was under Norwegian control, and laterKing Edgar was forced toquitclaim in favour of the invaders. At Kilpheder, the roundhouses were abandoned in favour ofNorse longhouses;[note 7] at Bornish, a few miles to the north, a more substantial Norse settlement was built.[note 8] As indicated by archaeological finds, residents had access to a wide trading network, stretching throughout the Norwegian empire, as well as adjacent lands like Ireland.
However, in the mid-12th century,Somerled, aNorse-Gael of uncertain origin, launched a coup, which made Suðreyjar independent of Norwegian domination. Following his death, Norwegian authority was nominally restored, but in practice the kingdom was divided between Somerled's heirs (Clann Somhairle), and the dynasty that Somerled had deposed (theCrovan dynasty). The final return of Scotland's territory was to follow. TheMacRory, a branch of Somerled's heirs, ruled Uist, as well asBarra,Eigg,Rùm, theRough Bounds,Bute,Arran and northernJura.[25][26][27][28][29][note 9] A small monastery was established atHowmore.[note 10]
In the 13th century, despite Edgar'squitclaim, Scottish forces attempted to restore parts of Suðreyjar to Scotland, culminating in theBattle of Largs. In 1266, the matter was settled by theTreaty of Perth, which acknowledged the whole of Suðreyjar to Scotland, in exchange for a compensatory sum of money.[note 11] The Treaty expressly preserved the status of the rulers of Suðreyjar; the MacRory lands, excepting Bute, Arran, and Jura, became theLordship ofGarmoran, a quasi-independent crown dependency. Following this, the Norse longhouses were gradually abandoned, in favour of newBlackhouses[note 12] and a new parish church was built at Howmore for South Uist.[note 13]
At the turn of the century,William I had created the position ofSheriff of Inverness, to be responsible for the Scottish highlands, which now extended to Garmoran.[31][32] In 1293, however, kingJohn Balliol established theSheriffdom of Skye, which included the Outer Hebrides. Nevertheless, following his usurpation, the Skye sheriffdom ceased to be mentioned,[note 14] and the Garmoran lordship (including Uist) was confirmed tothe MacRory leader. In 1343, KingDavid II issued a further charter for this tothe latter's son.[33]
Just three years later[note 15] the sole surviving MacRory heir wasAmy of Garmoran. The southern parts of the Kingdom of the Isles had become theLordship of the Isles, ruled by theMacDonalds (another group of Somerled's descendants). Amy married the MacDonald leader,John of Islay, but a decade later he divorced her, and married the king's niece instead (in return for a substantialdowry). As part of the divorce, John deprived his eldest son,Ranald, of the ability to inherit the Lordship of the Isles, in favour of a son by his new wife. As compensation, John granted Lordship of Uist to Ranald's younger brother Godfrey, while making Ranald Lord of the remainder of Garmoran.
However, on Ranald's death, disputes between Godfrey and his nephews (the elder of whom foundedClan Ranald) led to an enormous amount of violent feuding. In 1427, frustrated with the level of violence in the Highlands,King James I demanded that Highland leaders should attend a meeting atInverness. On arrival, many of the leaders were seized and imprisoned; Alexander MacGorrie, son of Godfrey, was considered to be one of the two most reprehensible, and after a quickshow trial, was immediately executed.[34] King James declared the Lordship of Uist forfeit.
Following the forfeiture, and in that same year,the Lord of the Isles grantedLairdship of the southern third of South Uist (traditionally calledLochboisdale[note 16]), together withBarra, to Giolla Adhamhnáin mac Néill, leader of theMacNeils. At around this timeCalvay Castle was built, guarding Lochboisdale.
The remainder of South Uist remained with the Scottish crown until 1469, whenJames III granted Lairdship of it toJohn of Ross, the Lord of the Isles; in turn, John passed it to his own half-brother,Hugh of Sleat (the grant to Hugh was later confirmed by the king—James IV—in a 1493 charter). Hugh died a few years later, in 1498, and for reasons that are not remotely clear, his son—John of Sleat—immediately resigned, transferring all authority to the king.
On 3 August that same year,king James IV awarded the central third of South Uist (traditionally known asKilpheder[note 17]), by charter toRanald Bane, leader ofClan Ranald.[35] Two days later,[note 18] the king gave Ranald Bane a charter for the northern third (traditionally known asSkirhough[note 19]) as well.[35] Ranald Bane, or his heirs, built Casteal Bheagram, on Loch an Eilean in Skirhough, as their local stronghold.[note 20]
Some time after Ranald Bane's nephew, John Moidartach,[note 21] succeeded as laird, he fell out of favour withKing James V.[note 22] By 1538, James had transferred lairdship of Kilpheder to John's younger half-brother, Farquhar;[note 23][36] the king gave him Skirhough shortly afterwards.[37] In 1563, Farquhar sold his portion of South Uist to a distant relation,James MacDonald (heir of the second son of John of Islay);[note 24][38] that same year,Mary, Queen of Scots, issued a charter confirming James MacDonald as laird of these lands.[39]
In the following year, Farquhar was murdered by John Moidartach's sons.[40] The year after that,[note 25] as opponents of theScottish reformation, Moidartach and his family took the side ofthe Queen during theChaseabout Raid, and were consequently back in royal favour; the Queen prohibited them from being punished for Farquhar's murder.[40] By the last decades of the century, John Moidartach had obtained a practical hold on Farquhar's former lands, though seemingly as a tenant of James MacDonald's heirs. In 1584 John died, and was buried at Howmore; a decorated stone from the site (theClanranald Stone) is thought to have been his headstone.[note 26]
In 1596, concerned by the active involvement of highland leaders in Irish rebellions againstQueen Elizabeth of England, kingJames VI of Scotland (Elizabeth's heir) demanded that they send well-armed men, as well as attending themselves, to meet him atDumbarton on 1 August, and produce the charters for their land. As neither John Moidartach's heirs, nor those of James MacDonald, did so, Skirhough and Kilpheder became forfeit, by the corresponding Act of Parliament. Consequently, the king awarded them to Donald Gorm Mòr, the heir of Hugh of Sleat, as a reward;[41] he had been one of the few Highland leaders who obeyed the king's summons.[42] Donald Gorm Mòrsubinfeudated Skirhough and Kilpheder back to Clan Ranald, for £46 per annum.
The leader of the MacNeils did not submit to the 1609Statutes of Iona. Using this as justification, Clan Ranald drove the MacNeils out of Lochboisdale, and were subsequently awarded a charter for it, in 1610.[43] In 1622, Donald Gorm Mòr's successor, Donald Gorm Òg,[note 27] is found requesting that the Privy Council physically punish the Clan Ranald leadership for not removing their families and tenants from Skirhough;[44] presumably they hadn't been paying the rent.[45] By way of settlement of the dispute,[note 28] Donald Gorm Og was granted lairdship over Lochboisdale as well;[45] thus Donald Gorm Og became laird of the whole of South Uist, while Clan Ranald held it as his feudal vassals.
In 1633, Donald Gorm Òg decided to simply sell lairdship of South Uist tothe Earl of Argyll;[note 29] in January 1634, this arrangement was confirmed by a crown charter.[46] In 1661, as a leading opponent of kingCharles I, the Earl's son —the Marquess of Argyll — was convicted of high treason, and his lands became forfeit. Thus, in 1673, it was the king demanding that Clan Ranald pay their outstanding rent for South Uist.[47]
In 1701, Ailean Dearg MacDonald, the Chief ofClan MacDonald of Clanranald, built Ormaclete Castle as his new main residence in South Uist. According to localSeanchaidh Angus MacLellan, Ailean Dearg is said to have gone into considerable debt in order to build the castle and, according to theoral tradition, once played a prank that terrified his many creditors when they visited South Uist, which resulted in his debts all being cancelled and his credit restored.[48]
In 1715, somevenison caught fire in the kitchen, which led to the whole castle burning down. At the time, like many of the otherClan Donald leaders, Ailean Dearg was away fighting in theJacobite rising of 1715. A few days after the fire, Ailean Dearg was fighting on the right wing of the Jacobite Army at theBattle of Sheriffmuir when he fell mortally wounded. Ailean Dearg was, according toJohn Lorne Campbell, "killed, it was popularly said, by asilver bullet that negatived the charm he used to wear".[49] Alasdair Dubh, 11th Chief ofClan MacDonald of Glengarry then managed to rally the faltering warriors ofClan Donald by throwing up hisblue bonnet and crying (Scottish Gaelic:"Buillean an-diugh, tuiream a-màireach"!) ("Blows today, mourning tomorrow!").[50] After these events, the Chiefs of Clan Ranald moved their main residence back toBenbecula.
During the time when the Chiefs of Clanranald wereabsentee landlords, the estateFactor lived, according to Angus MacLellan, in a house at Loch Eynort on a site still known as (Scottish Gaelic:Rubha Taigh a' Mhàil), or "The Rent House Point."[51]
During theJacobite rising of 1745, Ranald MacDonald, the son of the Clan Ranald leader,[note 30] amassed large amounts of debt by funding the Jacobite army.[note 31] In the following year,Bonnie Prince Charlie was able to hide at Calvay Castle, after fleeing from theBattle of Culloden, until he was able to escape with the aid ofFlora MacDonald. Though an act of attainder (and forfeit) was subsequently passed against Ranald, it had no effect, due to accidentally naming him asDonald MacDonald.
Ranald's debts proved burdensome for his family, but his grandson,Ranald George MacDonald, was able to keep them at bay thanks to theNapoleonic Wars; the wars had restricted the supply of certain minerals, turning the production ofsoda ash by burningkelp into a highly profitable activity. Kelp harvesting (and burning) became one of the principle economic activities of the population of South Uist,[52] but when the wars ended, competition from importedbarilla resulted in the kelp price collapsing.[53] In 1837, facing bankruptcy,[53] Ranald sold South Uist to Lt. ColonelJohn Gordon ofCluny.
Already accustomed totreating people as slaves, and seeing the financial advantages to livestock farming, Gordon was ruthless, evicting the population with short notice. On 11 August 1851, he demanded that everyone in South Uist attend a public meeting at Lochboisdale; according to an eyewitness,[note 32] he dragged the attendees from the meeting, sometimes in handcuffs, and threw then onto waiting ships, like cattle.[54] Having"cleared" much of the land, he replaced the population with flocks ofBlackface sheep, bringing inLowland farmers to care for them. The former population largely moved to Canada; the remaining populace of South Uist represented less than half of the 1841 total.[note 33][55]
Meanwhile, as both Col. Gordon and hisFactors considered the nearby island ofEriskay "agriculturally worthless", accordingly used the island as a dumping ground for evicted tenants from his many other island estates throughout the southernOuter Hebrides. For the most part, however, the newly arrived islanders of Eriskay, which drastically multiplied the island's population, belonged overwhelmingly to the once strictly illegalCatholic Church in Scotland and had their family roots across theSound of Barra in South Uist.[56]
Lochboisdale became a major herring port later in the 19th century. In 1889, counties were formally created in Scotland, on shrieval boundaries, bya dedicated Local Government Act; South Uist therefore became part of the newcounty of Inverness. Following late 20th-century reforms, South Uist became part of the Highland Region. The population level remained steady after the 19th-century clearances (in 2004 it was 2,285[55]). Following a series of different landowners, South Uist was owned by South Uist Estates Ltd from 1960. In 2006, the local community bought all of the company's shares, via thespecial purpose vehicleSealladh na Beinne Mòire.[57][58]
In the north west of the island at (57°20′N07°20′W / 57.333°N 7.333°W /57.333; -7.333), a missile testing range was built in 1957–58 to launch theMGM-5 Corporal missile, Britain and America's[clarification needed] first guided nuclear weapon. This development went ahead despite significant protests, some locals expressing concern that theScottish Gaelic language would not survive the influx of English-speaking Army personnel. The British Government claimed that there was an 'overriding national interest' in establishing a training range for their newly purchased Corporal, a weapon that was to be at the front line ofCold War defence. The Corporal missile was tested from 1959 to 1963, before giving way toMGM-29 Sergeant andMGM-52 Lance tactical nuclear missiles. The 'rocket range' as it is known locally has also been used to test high-altitude research rockets,Skua andPetrel. Local opposition to the range inspired the 1957 novelRockets Galore byCompton Mackenzie, which was made into the filmRockets Galore!.
MOD Hebrides is still owned by theMoD operated byQinetiQ as a testing facility for missile systems such as the surface-to-airRapier missile andunmanned aerial vehicles.[citation needed]
After a protracted campaign, South Uist residents took control of the island on 30 November 2006 in Scotland's biggest community land buyout to date. The previous landowners, a sporting syndicate, sold the assets of the 92,000-acre (370 km2) estate for £4.5 million[59] to a Community Company known asStòras Uibhist, which was set up to purchase the land and to manage it.[60][61] The buyout resulted in most of South Uist, and neighbouring Benbecula, and all of Eriskay coming under community control.[62] The proposal for community ownership received the overwhelming support of the people of the islands, who "look forward to regenerating the local economy, reversing decline and depopulation, and reducing dependency, while remaining aware of the environmental needs, culture and history of the islands". The company claims its name—Stòras Uibhist (meaning 'Uist Resource')—symbolises hope for the future wealth and prosperity of the islands. The organisation's website states thatStòras Uibhist comprises South Uist Estates Ltd, South Uist Renewable Energy (the wind farm) and Lochboisdale Development Limited ("which is responsible for the newly built Marina in the port of Lochboisdale").[63]
Tourism is important to the island's economy and attractions include the Kildonan Museum, housing the 16th-century Clanranald Stone, and the ruins of the house whereFlora MacDonald was born.
South Uist is home to the Askernish Golf Course.[64] The oldest course in the Outer Hebrides, Askernish was designed byOld Tom Morris, who also worked on the Old Course at St Andrews. Morris was commissioned byLady Gordon Cathcart in 1891.[65] The Askernish course existed intact until the 1930s, but was partly destroyed to make way for an aircraft runway, then abandoned, and ultimately lost. Its identity remained hidden for many years before its apparent discovery, a claim disputed by some locals.[66][67][68]Restoration of the course to Morris's original design was held up by disagreements with local crofters,[69][70] but after legal challenges were resolved in the courts, the course opened in August 2008. The summer music school, Ceòlas,[71] takes place every year from the first Sunday of July in Daliburgh School on the island. In 2019, it was estimated that the school contributed around £210,000 to the local economy.[72] It is then followed by the local children's summer school, Fèis Tir a'Mhurain.
The Explore South Uist Web site discusses attractions to tourists: Loch Druidibeg a National Nature Reserve, the Cladh Hallan Roundhouses archaeological site, Ormacleit Castle(completed in 1708 and destroyed by fire in 1715), Uist Sculpture Trail "of seven commissioned works by artists", the Statue of Our Lady of the Isles, the Askernish Golf Course, Flora MacDonald's Monument, Kildonan Museum and Crafts and some Standing Stones.[73] The community group owner of South Uist, the Stòras Uibhist, owns the Lochcarnan 6.9MW wind farm project which began operation in 2013. It is composed of three Enercon E-70 2.3MW turbines. In 2019, the operation required re-financing which was easily obtained. A spokesperson for Stòras Uibhist said that the wind farm is important because it "generates income we can reinvest back into the communities ... to boost the economy, protect local crofting practices and generate employment opportunities".[13]
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The west coast of South Uist is home to the most extensive cultivatedmachair system in Scotland,[74] which is protected as protected a both aSpecial Area of Conservation and aSpecial Protection Area under theNatura 2000 programme.[75][76] Over 200 species of flowering plants have been recorded on the reserve, some of which are nationally scarce. South Uist is considered the best place in the UK for the aquatic plant Slender Naiad(Najas flexilis),[77] which is aEuropean Protected Species. Nationally important populations of breeding waders are also present, includingredshank,dunlin,lapwing andringed plover. The island is also home togreylag geese on the lochs, and in summercorncrakes on the machair.Otters andhen harriers are also seen.[75][76]
Loch Druidibeg in the north of the island was formerly (until 2012) anational nature reserve owned and managed byScottish Natural Heritage (SNH).[78] The area, which is now protected as aSite of Special Scientific Interest, covers 1,675 hectares ofmachair,bog, freshwaterlochs,estuary, heather moorland and hill.[79][80] Ownership of the SSSI was transferred from SNH to the local community-owned company Stòras Uibhist.[81]
An area of the south west coast of the island is designated as theSouth Uist Machair National Scenic Area,[82] one of40 such areas in Scotland which are defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and ensure its protection from inappropriate development.[83] The designated area covers 13,314 ha in total, of which 6,289 ha is on land, with a further 7,025 ha being marine (i.e. belowlow tide level).[84]
There has been considerable controversy overhedgehogs on South Uist. The animals are not native to the islands, having been introduced in the 1970s to reduce garden pests. It is claimed that they pose a threat to the eggs of ground-nesting wading birds on the island. In 2003 the Uist Wader Project — headed by Scottish Natural Heritage — began a cull of hedgehogs in the area. Following a campaign and concerns over animal welfare, this cull was called off in 2007; instead, hedgehogs are being captured and moved to mainland Scotland.[85][86][87]
Along with the island's situation on the North Atlantic Ocean, its machair is considered to be one of the most vulnerable coasts in Scotland due to relativesea level rise and the potential effects ofclimate change.[88] Specifically, research[89] has shown that the most vulnerable areas include Ìochdar, Stoneybridge, Cille Pheadair, and Orasay.
At the 2011 Census it was found that 1,888Gaelic speakers live on South Uist and Benbecula, this being 60% of the two islands' population.[90] 'Na Meadhoinean', Middle District in South Uist, is the strongest Gaelic-speaking community in the world, at 82%. The Gaelic dialect spoken is aSouthern Hebridean dialect related to that of the rest ofUist and ofBarra.[91]
A local Gaelic folktale tells of how a seal came out of the sea to settle a boundary dispute between the communities of Lochboisdale and Kilpheder by showing the antagonists where the boundary line should lie.[92][93]
The 1962 television series,The Dark Island, was filmed in South Uist.
Media related toSouth Uist at Wikimedia Commons
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