Scotland’s western islands get a deserved amount of attention. But if you want to do something different, why not explore the eastern isles scattered along the Firth of Forth estuary? Mostly uninhabited and reclaimed by nature, they are home to countless wild seabirds and ancient castle ruins, and hold stories of smugglers, military battles, fleeing monks and political treachery.
Here is our guide to these extraordinary islands.
9. Lamb
Named after the common Norse word for "small island", Lamb is just 100m long and 50m wide. The illusionist Uri Gellar bought the island in 2009 as he believed Lamb, with Craigleith and Fidra, mirror the layout of the Pyramids at Giza and are the key to an ancient Egyptian mystery. Photo: Getty Images
10. The Isle of May
Take a boat from Anstruther and head across the waves to the otherworldly Isle of May. With a name thought to mean 'gull island', it is populated by more than 200,000 sea birds in the summer - including 90,000 puffins. The eastern most of the Forth Isles, this is a place completely taken over by birds, cramming on the cliff ledges and swooping overhead with tiny fish poking from their beaks. A nature reserve also home to seals, May has a history of smuggling and scientific research is conducted on neighbouring isle Rona. Photo: Getty Images/ Henry Sandercock