Skye but the meaning of this Gaelic name is unclear. , which means "island of the mist" (a translation of the Norse name), is a poetic Gaelic name for the island. At , Skye is the second-largest island in Scotland after Lewis and Harris. The coastline of Skye is a series of peninsulas and bays radiating out from a centre dominated by the Cuillin hills (Gaelic: ). Malcolm Slesser suggested that its shape "sticks out of the west coast of northern Scotland like a lobster's claw ready to snap at the fish bone of Harris and Lewis" and W. H. Murray,
Cuillin ensure its protection from inappropriate development. The areas protected by the designation are considered to represent the type of scenic beauty "popularly associated with Scotland and for which it is renowned". The "Cuillin Hills National Scenic Area" covers 22,726 ha, of which 27,320 ha is on land, with a further 4594 ha being marine (i.e. below low tide level). Due to the rocky nature of the Cuillin they have historically been of little use for agriculture: this contrasts with the majority of the highlands, where the hills were used to provide seasonal grazing for cattle and sheep. Despite the lack