16-05-2025
Tiny Scottish island that is only accessible during low tide is filled with WW2 ruins
Less than six miles from Edinburgh, the island is one of 17 in Scotland that can be reached on foot at low tide
Sitting less than six miles from the heart of Edinburgh, a tiny island has a remarkable history that belies its small size. And if you want to experience it first-hand, you'll have to pick your moment carefully, as it can only be reached on foot when the tide is out.
Cramond Island is one of Scotland's more curious landmarks. Isolated and uninhabited today, the Firth of Forth tidal island's haunting quiet hides a past filled with amazing tales stretching from prehistory to the Second World War.
The island, one of 17 that are walkable from the Scottish mainland, captured national headlines in 2011 when a man and woman became stranded after the tide came in, The Express reports.
The story took a surreal twist when it emerged that the man's name was Daniel Defoe, a striking coincidence that led to comparisons with the namesake author of Robinson Crusoe, the classic adventure novel published in 1719.
Though deserted for much of its history, evidence suggests Cramond Island held a special place in ancient times.
Archaeological finds point to human activity dating back to the prehistoric era, and at least one burial cist has been discovered, hinting at its possible ceremonial or spiritual significance for early coastal communities.
The island may also be the site of Urbs Iudeu, an early medieval fortress referenced by the Venerable Bede in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People.
If true, Cramond Island would have witnessed a siege in 655 AD during one of the era's many power struggles.
Centuries later, in 1596, it became the setting for a dramatic duel. Under the sanction of King James VI of Scotland, Adam Bruntfield challenged James Carmichael to single combat, accusing him of murdering his brother. Bruntfield emerged victorious.
By the late 18th century, the island took on a quieter role. The British Wool Society used it for grazing sheep in the 1790s, and farming continued until 1904 when the last farmer, Peter Hogg, passed away.
A ruined farmstead still stands today. While the structure appears on a map drawn in 1853, its precise origins remain uncertain.
Cramond Island was pulled into the conflict of both world wars in the 20th century.
In 1914, in the early days of The Great War, an anti-submarine net was installed, stretching between Cramond Island, Inchmickery, Inchcolm and the Fife coast, aiming to deter enemy vessels from navigating up the Forth.
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When the Second World War broke out in 1939, the island was once again fortified as military planners feared a German invasion via the Firth of Forth.
An anti-boat boom was laid across the estuary from the island, and gun emplacements were constructed. A spotlight tower was also installed to sweep across the tidal causeway.
That invasion never materialised, and following the war, the military departed, leaving behind the skeletal remains of bunkers, fortifications and other wartime structures that still stand in silent testament to its strategic past.
