[5][8] Writing in the early 18th century, Martin Martin recorded that "this little isle is the most unequal rocky piece of ground to be seen anywhere: there is but very few acres fit for digging, the whole is covered with long heath, erica-baccifera, mertillus, and some mixture of grass; it is reckoned very fruitful in pasturage: most of the rocks consist of the hectic stone, and a considerable part of them is of a red colour.

Pink felspar cliffs drop steeply into the water, and small lush woodland lends a touch of luxury.

Sgàth a' Bhannaich and Beinn na h-Iolaire (hill of the eagle) are further north and are each over 100 metres (330 ft) high.

Rona's name is believed to be of Old Norse origin, from Hraun-eyer meaning "rough islands" and probably reflects a Viking settlement.

[1] Between 1999 and 2004 a large scale archaeological project, Scotland's First Settlers, was undertaken in the Inner Sound to locate and examine sites relating to the Mesolithic period in the strait.

[16] Writing in 1549, Dean Monro stated: "At the north end of Raarsay, be half myle of sea frae it, layes ane ile callit Ronay, mair then a myle in lengthe, full of wood and heddir, with ane havin for heiland galeys in the middis of it, and the same havein is guyed for fostering of theives, ruggairs, and reivairs, till a nail, upon the peilling and spulzeing of poure pepill.

He wrote to the Duke of Argyll, then Governor of the British Fisheries Society stating that Rona was: ...one of the most advantageous places on this coast for a fishing station.

It is surrounded with numbers of banks which are daily discovered by the country people who come to fish from the mainland, which makes me think there is an inexhaustible fund of them about the island.

In 1843 Rona and Raasay were sold to George Rainy who began clearing the native population of the latter to make way for sheep.

[19] Archaeologists conducted a small test pit excavation in the early 2000s and found evidence of occupation of the cave from at least the Iron Age onwards.

[5][20][21] 57.5 hectares (142 acres) at the north end of the island remain in the hands of the Ministry of Defence[5] and are part of the BUTEC military range.

[22][23] Writing in the 1960s, Fraser Darling and Boyd recorded a herd of feral goats on the island and an absence of mice and voles.