[4] The outer loch's northern coastline on Ulva is made of basaltic ridges and many rocks and islets, with many different types of vegetation.

The southern coastline, bounded by the Ardmeanach peninsula, has cliffs, land slips and substantial slopes that are covered in scree.

The southern shore consists of cliffs and slopes leading to the Munro and extinct volcano of Ben More and Scarisdale Wood to the south east.

The closest larger village is Salen, located 4 km (2+1⁄2 mi) northeast across the isthmus from the head of the loch.

The B8035 road runs along Loch na Keal's southern shore, before turning inland to pass over the Ardmeanach peninsula to the west of Ben More.

Celtic culture was a major influence during both Pictish and Dalriadan times as well as the post-Norse period when the islands became part of modern Scotland.

[7] Gometra (Scottish Gaelic: Gòmastra [ˈkoːməs̪t̪ɾə]) lies immediately west of Ulva, to which it is linked by a bridge, and at low tide also by a beach.

[8] Once home to a population of over a hundred, it is now down to a tight-knit community of a handful of people, up to a thousand black face sheep, highland cattle, pigs, horses, a flock of feral goats, and red deer.

In the early 20th century the island was farmed by John MacColum, known as "Johnny Colonsay", but he and his family were forced out by a plague of rats.

Its name was derived from the Old Norse for stave or pillar island, given by the Vikings as its columnar basalt reminded them of their houses, which were built from vertically placed tree-logs.

He and his fellow-travellers extolled the natural beauty of the basalt columns in general and of the island's main sea cavern, which Banks renamed 'Fingal's Cave'.

Their visit was followed by those of many other prominent personalities throughout the next two centuries, including Queen Victoria and Felix Mendelssohn.

[13] Inch Kenneth (Scottish Gaelic: Innis Choinnich) is a small grassy island at the entrance of Loch na Keal, to the south of Ulva.

[22] The outer waters of the loch are also protected under Natura 2000 as a Special Area of Conservation, due to the presence of harbour porpoises.

[23] The Burg estate, covering 617 ha of land at the tip of the Ardmeanach peninsula on the southern side of the loch, has been owned by the National Trust for Scotland since 1932.