Man stays over on ‘world’s deadliest island’ in UK that ‘kills you if you breathe’

When I think of travelling to an island, I picture Grecian vibes, waves lapping on a beach, maybe a cocktail under the Caribbean sun.

Perhaps at a stretch I think of Tom Hanks in Cast Away, but I certainly don’t consider travelling to a place that supposedly ‘kills you if you breathe’.

But one man on YouTube decided he’d go and stay over on what’s tipped as the ‘world’s deadliest island’ located here in the UK.

Found in Gruinard Bay between Garilock and Ullapool is the small Scottish spot named Gruinard Island.

The place is also widely known as ‘Anthrax Island’ after the soil became heavily contaminated and quarantined for decades.

During World War Two, scientists used the place to carry out germ warfare experiments, with the anthrax remaining on the island.

He decided to do some exploring of his own (YouTube/DaraTah)

According to the Mayo Clinic, Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) ‘is a rare but serious illness caused by a spore-forming bacterium’ that is the reason that the Ministry of Supply recognised the island to be too contaminated to inhabit in 1945.

But that doesn’t mean nobody has attempted to visit.

YouTuber Dara Tah wanted to learn more about the island and its history, which is riddled with mystery.

In the 80s, nobody even knew about the island being contaminated until activists known as the ‘Dark Harvest Commandos’ delivered a package containing soil from the island, leading to a decontamination effort some years later.

Then, in 2022, a wildfire caused a lot of the land to go up in flames.

With that information tucked under his belt, Dara and his friend, Matt James, travelled to the island to have a look around, stay overnight, and test the soil for anthrax.

It's located off the northwest coast of the Scottish Highlands (Google Maps/LADbible)

Let it be known that the symptoms of anthrax include things like skin sores, shock, and even death.

So, he was playing with fire by going on this little trip.

However, his attempt at finding the truth about the island after believing the government were responsible for the fire upon the island led him to a discovery.

Donning a gas mask and white hazmat suit, disinfecting themselves and setting up their camp for the night, both men realised the extent of the damage to the island.

“There seems to be absolutely nothing on the island, everything is just burnt,” Dara said.

Then, he revealed the natural habitat on its surface, explaining that there are ‘skulls' but ‘no living wildlife’.

To further find out what they were dealing with, the pair took soil samples and sent them off to a lab, before going to sleep on the island and then waiting for their ride home.

The results? “Anthrax island is Anthrax free,” Dara revealed.

“Bacillus anthracis not found,” he said as he read the report. “That’s so weird I can’t believe it! It’s done, they burnt it all away.”

So, what’s the deal with the island now?

According to Far Out Magazine, Gruinard’s island is privately owned, and since the fire, it appears that it is becoming a natural hub for plants and shoots.