The Minch

Geographical location

The Minch ( Scottish Gaelic An Cuan Sgìth, Cuan na Hearadh, An Cuan Leòdhasach, German also Minchkanal ), also known as The North Minch, is a strait in north-west Scotland, the north-west Highlands, and the northern Inner Hebrides by the double Isle of Lewis and Harris separated in the Outer Hebrides. In Old Norse it was a " Skotlandsfjörð " ( " Scotland Fjord" ) known.

The Lower Minch ( An Cuan Canach ), also known as The Little Minch, located further south and separates Skye from the more southerly Outer Hebrides North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Barra and other small islands. It opens into the Sea of ​​the Hebrides. The Minch, the Sea of the Hebrides and the North Channel form classed by the IHO -sea environments Inner Seas of the west coast of Scotland, also known as Inner Scottish Sea.

The Minch is between 30 and 70 miles wide and about 110 kilometers long. Presumably, the impact of the largest meteorite took place here that ever hit the British Isles. The Lower Minch is about 25 kilometers wide.

The Minch Project is a joint project of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the Highland Council and Scottish Natural Heritage. It wants to fight in the Minch against pollution, erosion and reduce waste and promote tourism - especially nature tourism such as dolphin watching. The reduction of pollution is of particular concern because of the Minch a busy sea passage is - per month is the mass of the passing ships 2.5 million tons.

Caledonian MacBrayne operates ferries across the Minch.