Horse Island
(Horse Isle)

Horse Island and the Arran Ferry in the Firth of Clyde
©2013 Gazetteer for Scotland

An unpopulated low-lying island located in the Firth of Clyde, 1¼ miles (2 km) northwest of Ardrossan, the dangerous rocky shore of Horse Island (or Horse Isle) has caused many ships to be wrecked in bad weather over the centuries and claimed a considerable number of lives. Casualties include the brigs Minerva (1821) and Morning Star (1871), together with the tugboat Brigadier (1960). An old light beacon stands testament to the danger. Today the island is a nature reserve, run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, with nationally important populations of Lesser Black Backed and Herring Gulls, together with other species such as Eider Duck.

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©2013 The Editors of The Gazetteer for Scotland
Supported by: The Robertson Trust,  The Royal Scottish Geographical Society,
  School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh.