Gruinard Island

Gruinard Island is an island in Gruinard Bay on the northwest coast of Scotland, positioned between Gairloch and Ullapool in the Atlantic Ocean. The landmass shows an oval shape roughly 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) long and about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) wide at low tide.

The landmass belonged to Clan MacKenzie in the 16th century and supported a small community until the last six residents left during the 1920s. During World War II, the British government conducted biological warfare tests here that rendered the land uninhabitable for decades.

The location gained scientific significance due to military experiments during World War II, leading to extensive studies on biological warfare effects.

Reaching the island requires chartering a private boat from the Scottish mainland, as no regular ferry service or public transport operates here. The landmass has no buildings or services, so visitors must bring all supplies and remain entirely self-sufficient.

After contamination from anthrax experiments, the territory remained off-limits to humans and animals for over four decades until the British government treated it with 280 tonnes of formaldehyde solution. In 1990, officials declared the site safe and returned it to an heir of the original owner family for a symbolic price of 500 pounds.

Location: Highland

Part of: Inner Hebrides

GPS coordinates: 57.89000,-5.47000

Latest update: December 15, 2025 01:28