Tanera Mor

The largest of the Summer Isles - the one lying right in front of our cottage - is named Tanera Mor (in Gaelic mor is large - beag is small - there is also a Tanera Beag). It is a beautiful island, one of the few with a source of fresh water. The island had been used as a harbor by norsemen in the 8th - 13th centuries and as a burial ground since medieval times. In the late 18th and during the 19th centuries there was a thriving herring fishery and packing industry on the island (the painting is a copy in sepia tones of a 1820 print by Daniell showing the pier and harbor). There were homes and a school as well as large numbers of boats coming and going from the pier unloading fish for processing. There was also an active but illicit whisky still operating there. When the herring schools moved away the fishery died out and in the early 1900's the last of the island families moved to the mainland.

In 1939 Fraser Darling bought Tanera Mor and attempted to make it a going farm - but in the end he had to admit defeat and sold the island. He recounts the story in his book "Island Farm" - a book that Wilf had in his library and we had read on our first trip to Coigach. Now the island boasts a post office where they print their own stamps, a salmon farm and a few houses for the few permanent residents and some rental chalets for tourists. Most of the other houses and buildings from earlier years have crumbled to dust - but the old pier still stands as a reminder of former glory (see photo).

The island now is a tourist destination and last year a group of artists held a two week workshop there. Even some luxury cruise ships land in the fine harbor for people to come ashore for a few hours to buy stamps and do some walking around the island. For us it was part of the beautiful and familiar view from our front garden. Lucky us.