The Isle of May is a small Scottish island in the outer Firth of Forth, about 5 miles (8 km) off the coast near the fishing town of Anstruther in Fife, roughly east of Edinburgh.

Where it is on the map

  • The island sits at the mouth of the Firth of Forth, between the Fife coast to the north and the Lothian coast (including North Berwick) to the south.
  • It lies around 5 miles (8 km) off Anstruther and about 11 miles from the East Lothian side, making it one of the more accessible wildlife islands from the Edinburgh area.

Key geographic facts

  • The Isle of May is about 1.5 km long and 0.5 km wide, with an area of roughly 57 hectares.
  • Its west side has high cliffs (up to about 45 m / 150 ft), while the land slopes down to lower rocky shores and small beaches on the east.

How people usually get there

  • Visitors typically go by boat from Anstruther in Fife or from North Berwick on the Lothian side, on seasonal wildlife and bird‑watching trips.
  • The crossing usually takes around 45 minutes each way, with several hours on the island when services are running.

What the Isle of May is known for

  • The island is a national nature reserve owned and managed by NatureScot, famous for large colonies of puffins, other seabirds, and grey seals.
  • It also hosts the historic Isle of May Lighthouse, first established in the early 19th century and associated with engineer Robert Stevenson.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.