Expecting an invasion from the Forth river, the causeway to this island was fortified during World War II to ward off an attack. Preparation proved to be pointless, however, as an invasion never occurred, and the machinery and strong structures were abandoned after the war. Now dotted with these wartime memorabilia, the island gives insights to the struggles of the war and some of the ingenious methods used to fight Hitler’s armies. Strong concrete teeth rise out of the ground to halt any ships attempting to enter the country through the river.
One of 17 islands that can be walked to from mainland Scotland, Cramond island was just offshore of one of the few Roman strongholds in Scotland. The island seems to have been inhabited long before that, as soldiers during the Second World War discovered an ancient stone burial chamber. In more recent centuries, Cramond Island was used for sheep grazing, until the last sheep farmer passed away in the late 1800’s. Today, Cramond Island stands as an eternal reminder of the effects of war and the ingenuities employed in stopping a global threat.