Firth Holiday Cottages in Orkney Islands Firth Holiday Cottages in Orkney Islands 2 Cottages in Firth, near Orkney 2 Bedrooms Orkney Islands From Wikipedia , the free encyclopedia The Orkney Islands, usually called simply Orkney, are one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. Orkney consists of about 70 small islands 16 km north of Caithness in northern mainland Scotland. The largest island in the group is known as The Mainland, with approximately 20 being inhabited. Orkney's administrative capital is Kirkwall on "The Mainland." Home to the St Magnus' Cathedral, it has about 7,500 inhabitants and a large port. The only other burgh is Stromness at the western end of "The Mainland", with a population of only about 2,000. The third largest settlement (c. 550) is St Margaret's Hope, on South Ronaldsay. Orkney is also a former county, and a Lieutenancy area, and the Orkney constituency of the Scottish Parliament. Islands The largest island in Orkney is known as "The Mainland".

An older name for it is Hrossey (Horse-island). Other islands can be classified as north or south of "The Mainland." The islands north of "The Mainland" are known collectively as The North Isles, those to the south as The South Isles. The remote Sule Skerry and Sule Stack lie around 60 km west of the archipelago, but form part of the council area. The North Isles The northern group of islands is the most extensive and consists of a large number of moderately sized islands, linked to "The Mainland" by ferries. Most of the islands described as "holms" are very small. Auskerry South Ronaldsay, Switha, Swona Geography The Pentland Firth is a seaway which separates Orkney from the mainland of Scotland. The firth is 11 km wide between Brough Ness on the island of South Ronaldsay and Duncansby Head in Caithness.

Orkney lies between 58° 41' and 59° 24' North, and 2° 22' and 3° 26' West, measures 80 km from northeast to southwest and 47 km from east to west, and covers 973 km². Excepting on the west coasts of the larger islands, which present rugged cliff scenery remarkable both for beauty and for colouring, the group lies somewhat low and is of bleak aspect. The hilliest island is Hoy; the highest point in Orkney, Ward Hill, is to be found there. The only other islands containing heights of any importance are "The Mainland", with (another) Ward Hill (268 m), and Wideford Hill and Rousay. Nearly all of the islands possess lochs (lakes), and The Loch of Harray and The Loch of Stenness on "The Mainland" attain noteworthy proportions. The rivers are merely streams draining the high land.

Excepting on the west fronts of the Mainland, Hoy and Rousay, the coastline of the islands is deeply indented, and the islands themselves are divided from each other by straits generally called "sounds" or "firths", though off the north-east of Hoy the designation "Bring Deeps" is used, south of "The Mainland" is Scapa Flow and to the south-west of Eday is found the Fall of Warness. The very names of the islands indicate their nature: the terminal "a" or "ay" represents the Norse ey, meaning "island", which is scarcely disguised even in the words "Pomona" (an older alternative name for The Mainland) and "Hoy". The islets are usually styled "holms" and the isolated rocks "skerries". The tidal currents, or races, or "roost" (as some of them are called locally, from the Icelandic) off many of the isles run with enormous velocity, and whirlpools are of frequent occurrence, and strong enough at times to prove a source of danger to small craft.

The charm of Orkney does not lie in their ordinary physical features, so much as in beautiful atmospheric effects, extraordinary examples of light and shade, and rich coloration of cliff and sea. The islands are notable for the lack of trees, which is partly accounted for by the amount of wind (although the climate in general is temperate). The formation of peat is evidence that this was not always the case, and deliberate deforestation is believed to have taken place at some stage prior to the Neolithic, the use of stone in settlements such as Skara Brae being evidence of the lack of availability of timber for building. Most of the land is still taken up by farms, and agriculture is by far the most important sector of the economy, with fishing also being a major occupation. Orkney exports beef, cheese, whisky, beer, fish and seafood. Geology All the islands of this group are built up entirely of Old Red Sandstone.

As in the neighbouring mainland county of Caithness, these rocks rest upon the metamorphic rocks of the eastern schists, as may be seen on The Mainland, where a narrow strip is exposed between Stromness and Inganess, and again in the small island of Graemsay; they are represented by grey gneiss and granite. The upper division of the Old Red Sandstone is found only on Hoy, where it forms the Old Man of Hoy and neighbouring cliffs on the northwest coast. The Old Man of Hoy presents a characteristic section, for it exhibits a thick pile of massive, current-bedded red sandstones, resting, near the foot of the pinnacle, upon a thin bed of amygdaloidal porphyrite, which in its turn lies unconformably upon steeply inclined flagstones. This bed of volcanic rock may be followed northward in the cliffs, and it may be noticed that it thickens considerably in that direction.

The Lower Old Red Sandstone is represented by well-bedded flagstones over most of the islands; in the south of The Mainland these are faulted against an overlying series of massive red sandstones, but a gradual passage from the flagstones to the sandstones may be followed from Westray southeastwards into Eday. A strong synclinal fold traverses Eday and Shapinsay, the axis being North and South. Near Haco's Ness in Shapinsay there is a small exposure of amygdaloidal diabase, which is (of course) older than that on Hoy. Many indications of ice action are found on these islands; striated surfaces are to be seen on the cliffs in Eday and Westray, in Kirkwall Bay and on Stennie Hill in Eday; boulder clay, with marine shells, and with many boulders of rocks foreign to the islands (chalk, oolitic limestone, flint, etc), which must have been brought up from the region of Moray Firth, rests upon the old strata in many places. Local moraines are found in some of the valleys in The Mainland and Hoy.

Climate The climate is remarkably temperate and steady for such a northerly latitude. The average temperature for the year is 8 °C (46 °F), for winter 4 °C (39 °F) and for summer 12 °C (54 °F). The winter months are January, February and March, the last being the coldest. Spring never begins before April, and it is the middle of June before the warmth grows comfortable. September is frequently the finest month, and at the end of October or the beginning of November the "peedie" (or little) summer or milder weather may occur. The average annual rainfall varies from 850 mm (33 in.) to 940 mm (37 in.). Fogs occur during summer and early autumn, and furious gales may be expected four or five times in the year. To tourists, one of the fascinations of the islands is their nightless summers. On the longest day, the sun rises at 03:00 and sets at 21:25 — and darkness is unknown, it being possible to read at midnight. Winter, however, is long and depressing.

On the shortest day the sun rises at 09:10 and sets at 15:17. The soil generally is a sandy loam or a strong but friable clay, and very fertile. Large quantities of seaweed as well as lime and marl are available for manure. Economy The woollen trade once promised to reach considerable dimensions, but towards the end of the 18th century was superseded by the linen (for which flax came to be largely grown); and when this in turn collapsed before the products of the mills of Dundee, Dunfermline and Glasgow, straw-plaiting was taken up, though only to be killed in due time by the competition of the south. The kelp industry was formerly of at least minor importance. For several centuries the Dutch practically monopolised the herring fishery, but when their supremacy was destroyed by the salt duty, the Orcadians failed to seize the opportunity thus presented, and George Barry (died 1805) recorded that in his day the fisheries were almost totally neglected. The industry, however, revived, concentrating on herring, cod and ling, but also catching lobsters and crabs.

In recent years, the Orkney economy has seen growth in areas other than the traditional agriculture, livestock farming, and fishing. These include tourism; food and beverage manufacture; jewellery, knitwear, and other crafts production; construction; and oil transportation through the Flotta oil terminal. Public services also play a significant role. Communications Frequent ferry services operate on the following routes: Lerwick to Kirkwall John O'Groats to Burwick, South Ronaldsay Gills Bay to St Margaret's Hope Most of the larger islands have their own airfield or airstrip. Loganair operates regular services to six islands from Kirkwall. These include the shortest scheduled air service in the world, between the islands of Westray and Papa Westray. The flight is scheduled at two minutes' duration but can take less than a minute if the wind is in the right direction. There are ideas being discussed to build an undersea tunnel between Orkney and the Scottish mainland, at a length of about 9-10 miles (15-16 km) or (more likely) one connecting the Mainland to Shapinsay. (Links: both 2005).

Media The islands are currently served by two weekly local newspapers,Orkney Todayand The Orcadian, both published every Thursday. In addition, a local radio station operates, with a second hoping to return to the isles in the near future. Radio Orkney, the local opt-out of BBC Radio Scotland, broadcasts twice daily, with local news and entertainment. The Superstation Orkney, Orkney's first commercial radio station, will begin broadcasting on 105.4FM in 2006. The station was granted a community radio licence in September 2005 by Ofcom. Heritage Located on Mainland is the 'Heart of Neolithic Orkney' a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. This comprises a group of Neolithic monuments which consist of a large chambered tomb (Maes Howe), two ceremonial stone circles (the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar) and a settlement (Skara Brae), together with a number of unexcavated burial, ceremonial and settlement sites. The group constitutes a major prehistoric cultural landscape which gives a graphic depiction of life in this remote archipelago in the far north of Scotland some 5,000 years ago.

Viking settlers comprehensively occupied Orkney, and the islands became a possession of Norway until being given to Scotland during the 15th century as part of a dowry settlement. Evidence of the Viking presence is widespread, and includes the settlement at the Brough of Birsay, the vast majority of place names, and runic inscriptions at Maeshowe and other ancient sites. History Main article: History of the Orkney Islands The original inhabitants were Picts, evidence of whose occupation still exists in numerous "weems" or underground houses, chambered mounds, barrows or burial mounds, "brochs" or round towers, and stone circles and standing stones. Such implements as have survived are of the rudest description, and include quern-stones for grinding materials including grain, stone whorls and bone combs employed in primitive forms of woollen manufacture, and specimens of simple pottery ware. The Romans were aware of, and probably circumnavigated, the Orkney Islands, which they called "Orcades". There is evidence that they traded, either directly or indirectly, with the inhabitants. However, they made no attempt to occupy the islands.

If, as seems likely, the Dalriadic Gaels established a footing in the islands towards the beginning of the 6th century, their success was short-lived, and the Picts regained power and kept it until dispossessed by the Norsemen in the 9th century. In the wake of the Scots incursionists followed the Celtic missionaries about 565. They were companions of Saint Columba and their efforts to convert the folk to Christianity seem to have impressed the popular imagination, for several islands bear the epithet "Papa" in commemoration of the preachers. Vikings having made the islands the headquarters of their buccaneering expeditions (carried out indifferently against their own Norway and the coasts and isles of Scotland), Harold Hårfagre ("Fair Hair") subdued the rovers in 875 and annexed both Orkney and Shetland to Norway. The martyrdom of Earl Magnus resulted in the building of St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. The islands remained under the rule of Norse earls until 1231, when the line of the jarls became extinct.

In that year the earldom of Caithness was granted to Magnus, second son of the Earl of Angus, whom the king of Norway apparently confirmed in the title. Recent studies from the field of population genetics reveal a significant percentage of Norse ethnic heritage – up to one third of the Y chromosomes on the islands are derived from western Norwegian sources, as opposed to the Shetlands, where over half the male lineage is Norse. Some jarls of Orkney: Turf-Einar, 910 Thorfinn Turf-Einarsson, Earl of Orkney, 963 In 1468 Orkney and Shetland were pledged by Christian I of Denmark and Norway for the payment of the dowry of his daughter Margaret, betrothed to James III of Scotland, and as the money was never paid, their connection with the crown of Scotland has been perpetual.

In 1471 James bestowed the castle and lands of Ravenscraig, in Fife, on William, Earl of Orkney, in exchange for all his rights to the earldom of Orkney, which, by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland, passed on February 20, 1472, was annexed to the Scottish crown. In 1564 Lord Robert Stewart, natural son of James V of Scotland, who had visited Kirkwall twenty-four years before, was made sheriff of Orkney and Shetland, and received possession of the estates of the udallers; in 1581 he was created earl of Orkney by James VI of Scotland, the charter being ratified ten years later to his son Patrick, but in 1615 the earldom was again annexed to the crown. The islands were the rendezvous of Montrose's expedition in 1650 which culminated in his imprisonment and death. During the Protectorate they were visited by a detachment of Cromwell's troops, who initiated the inhabitants into various industrial arts and new methods of agriculture.

In 1707 the islands were granted to the earl of Morton in mortgage, redeemable by the Crown on payment of 30,000 pounds, and subject to an annual feu-duty of 500 pounds; but in 1766 his estates were sold to Sir Lawrence Dundas, ancestor of the Earls of Zetland. In early times both the archbishop of Hamburg and the archbishop of York disputed with the Norwegians ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the Orkneys and the right of consecrating bishops; but ultimately the Norwegian bishops, the first of whom was William the Old (consecrated in 1102), continued the canonical succession. The see remained vacant from 1580 to 1606, and from 1638 till the Restoration, and, after the accession of William III, the episcopacy was finally abolished (1697), although many of the clergy refused to conform. The toponymy of the Orkneys is wholly Norse, and the Norse tongue, at last extinguished by the constant influx of settlers from Scotland, lingered until the end of the 18th century.

Readers of Scott's Pirate will remember the frank contempt which Magnus Troil expressed for the Scots, and his opinions probably accurately reflected the general Norse feeling on the subject. When the islands were given as security for the princess's dowry, there seems reason to believe that it was intended to redeem the pledge, because it was then stipulated that the Norse system of government and the law of Saint Olaf should continue to be observed in Orkney and Shetland. Thus the udal succession and mode of land tenure (that is, absolute freehold as distinguished from feudal tenure) lingered to some extent, and the remaining udallers held their lands and passed them on without written title. By the mid 1800s Orkney was firmly under the rule of Scotland, with absentee sheriffs holding nominal power. For example Lord Neaves, the esteemed Scottish jurist held the sheriff position on Orkney from 1845 to 1852. During World War I and World War II, the Royal Navy had a major base at Scapa Flow. The base was closed in 1956.

In the Arthurian legend, Orkney is the home to King Lot, Sir Gareth, Sir Gaheris, Sir Gawaine, and Sir Agravain. Language The older Norn was replaced by Lowland Scots which in turn is being replaced by Scottish English. However, Orkney does have its own dialect, referred to by the locals as 'Orcadian'.

Orcadian people Magnus Erlendsson (Saint Magnus) (c1070 – c1117), Earl of Orkney c1105 – 1117 Rognvald Kali Kolssson (Saint Rognvald) (c1103 – 1158), Earl of Orkney 1136 – 1158 James Atkine (1613 – 1687), bishop first of Moray and afterwards of Galloway Murdoch McKenzie (died 1797), the hydrographer Malcolm Laing (1762 – 1818), author of the History of Scotland from the Union of the Crowns to the Union of the Kingdoms William Sinclair (1766 – 1818), Chief Factor at the Hudsons Bay Company Mary Brunton (1778 – 1818), author of Self-Control, Discipline and other novels Samuel Laing (1780 – 1868), author of A Residence in Norway, and translator of the Heimskringla, the Icelandic chronicle of the kings of Norway Thomas Stewart Traill (1

781 – 1862), professor of medical jurisprudence at Edinburgh University and editor of the 8th edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica Samuel Laing (1812 – 1897), chairman of the London, Brighton.

& South Coast railway, and introducer of the system of "parliamentary" trains with fares of one penny a mile Dr. John Rae (1813 – 1893), an Arctic explorer Rev. Matthew Armour (1820-1903), Sanday’s radical Free Kirk Minister William Balfour Baikie (1825 – 1864), traveller in Africa Walter Traill Dennison (1826 - 1894), Orcadian folklorist Edwin Muir (1887 – 1959), author and poet Stanley Cursiter (1887 – 1976), artist Eric Linklater (1899 – 1974), novelist, playwright, journalist, essayist, and poet George Mackay Brown (1921 – 1996), poet, author, playwright.

Luke Sutherland, writer of novels Jelly Roll, Sweatmeat and Venus as a Boy Constituencies The Orkney Islands are represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom as part of the Orkney and Shetland constituency, which elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. In the Scottish Parliament the Orkney Islands are themselves the Orkney constituency, which elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post system. Also, the Orkney Islands are within the Highlands and Islands electoral region. This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. This article was copied on 11 July 2006. The current version with history is available on Wikipedia.

Text on this page is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License (see Copyrights for details) HHRCOUK_Area_Key f0cdb526-aea2-4c57-9461-4db68f15fd4b Orkneyjar - The Enchanted Quernstone Orkney's Giant Folklore The Enchanted Quernstone The Pentland Firth is a notorious stretch of water that separates Orkney from the northern tip of the Scottish mainland. Reputed to be one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the world, it is, and always has been, a danger to shipping. This Orcadian folktale not only explains why the Firth is salty, but also neatly explains the existence of a treacherous whirlpool known as The Swelchie. "There were two giantesses named Fenia and Menia who were bond-maids to a Danish king called Frodi. King Frodi kept the unfortunate pair continually at work turning a massive magical quern called Grotti that had the power to grind out whatever it was asked to grind.

So merciless was Frodi in his demands that the two giantesses rebelled and using the magic quern ground out an army to free them from their life of slavery. Frodi was killed and Fenia and Menia sailed away with a sea-rover known as Mysing. While sailing through the Pentland Firth, Mysing asked the giantesses to grind salt which they did but unfortunately in such quantities that the boat sank near the island of Stroma creating the whirlpool called The Swelchie. At the bottom of this whirlpool lies Grotti, turning endlessly and still making the sea salty." Section Contents Pentland Firth | Article about Pentland Firth by The Free Dictionary Pentland Firth | Article about Pentland Firth by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Wikipedia . Pentland Firth (pĕnt`lənd fûrth), channel, 6 to 8 mi (9.7–12.9 km) wide and c.14 mi (23 km) long, N Scotland.

Connecting the North Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, it separates the Scottish mainland from the Orkney Islands Orkney Islands, archipelago and council area (1991 pop. 19,650), 376 sq mi (974 sq km), N Scotland, consisting of about 70 islands in the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, N of Scottish mainland across the Pentland Firth. About 20 islands are inhabited. ..... Click the link for more information. . Its rough waters have proven dangerous to small vessels. Small islands dot the Pentland Firth. Pentland Firth a strait between the northern shore of Scotland and the Orkney Islands. The Pentland Firth connects the North Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. It is 26 km long and 11 km wide, with depths to 84 m. There are strong tidal currents (to 7.6 km per hour). Pentland Firth a channel between the mainland of N Scotland and the Orkney Islands: notorious for rough seas. Length: 32 km (20 miles).

Width: up to 13 km (8 miles) Top ten Scottish firths (From Evening Times) Top ten Scottish firths / Today's Top 10 1 Firth of Clyde: Stretching from Dumbarton to the south of Arran, it is one of the most scenic areas of Scotland. 2 Firth of Forth: The glacial estuary of the River Forth, which runs under the landmark Forth Bridges. 3 Moray Firth: An inlet of the North Sea, it is the largest firth in Scotland. 4 Beauly Firth: A continuation of the Moray Firth, it stretches from the Kessock Bridge to Beauly. 5 Pentland Firth: Large body of water that separates Orkney from the north coast of the Scottish mainland. 6 Solway Firth: It separates Scotland and England, with Dumfries and Galloway to the north and Cumbria to the south. 7 Firth of Tay: It empties into the North Sea between Fife and Dundee. 8 Dornoch Firth: It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty and Sutherland.

9 Firth of Lorn: It separates Mull from the Argyllshire coast. 10 Cromarty Firth: In the east Highlands, it is home to the safe anchorage of Invergordon. Lighthouses of Scotland: Orkney Lighthouses of Scotland: Orkney Orkney is a former county, now a council area, including some 70 islands lying north of the mainland of Scotland. The islands are separated from the mainland by the narrow waters of Pentland Firth. Twenty of them are inhabited, the largest being Orkney Mainland. The town of Kirkwall is the administrative center. The population is roughly 20,000. The islands are accessible by air and by ferries from Aberdeen; they can also be reached by a shorter ferry ride from Scrabster on the mainland side of Pentland Firth. The Northern Lighthouse Board is responsible for building and maintaining the lighthouses in these northern islands. I've listed all the light stations mentioned on the NLB web site, although at several of these stations the historic lighthouse has been replaced by a modern tower.

In Orkney place names, a ness is a cape or headland, and the ending -ay (from the Norse ey) means "island." A holm is a small rounded island, and a skerry is a small, rocky island. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights . Admiralty numbers are from Volume A of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 114. General Sources Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse. Noup Head Light, Westray, September 2008 Geograph Creative Commons photo by Nicholas Mutton Pentland Firth and South Ronaldsay Lighthouses Note: Located in the southeastern quadrant of Orkney, South Ronaldsay is accessible from Orkney Mainland by a series of causeways built during World War II and known as the Churchill Barriers . The south end of the island faces Pentland Firth , the strait separating Orkney from the mainland of Scotland. The strait is dangerous to navigate because of very strong tidal currents. Pentland Skerries Low 1794 (rebuilt in 1820s) (T.

Smith and Robert Stevenson). Inactive since 1895. 18 m (60 ft) round stone tower with gallery; lantern removed. Tower painted white. Percy Quick's photo is at right. No longer used as a lighthouse, the tower now houses the station's fog horn (one 4.5 s blast every 45 s). ARLHS SCO-340. Pentland Skerries High (Muckle Skerry) 1794 (rebuilt in 1820s) (T. Smith and Robert Stevenson). Active; focal plane 52 m (171 ft); three white flashes, separated by 6 s, every 30 s. 36 m (118 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white with buff trim; lantern painted black. 1-story keeper's houses and other light station buildings enclosed by a stone wall.

Percy Quick's photo is at right, George Brown has a photo , a good aerial photo is available, Trabas has a photo , Marinas.com also has aerial photos , Cailean Macleod has a distant view taken from Duncansby Head on the Scottish mainland, and Google has a satellite view . The Pentland Skerries are small rocky islands obstructing the eastern entrance to Pentland Firth. Located on Muckle Skerry , the largest of the group, about 8 km (5 mi) northeast of Duncansby Head on the mainland and 6 km (3.5 mi) south of Brough Ness, South Ronaldsay, in Orkney; the lighthouse is distantly visible from both locations. Accessible only by helicopter, as landing on the island is quite dangerous. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board . ARLHS SCO-169; Admiralty A3562; NGA 3020. Lother Rock 1910. Active; focal plane 13 m (42 ft); quick-flashing white light. 12 m (39 ft) square skeletal tower with an open lantern structure.

Trabas has Ina Rendtel's closeup photo , Jenšíková has a photo , and Google has a distant street view , but the tower is difficult to distinguish in Google's satellite view . Located on a rock south of Brough Ness, the southernmost point of South Ronaldsay; should be visible from that headland. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board . ARLHS SCO-132; Admiralty A3564; NGA 3024. Pentland Skerries Low (left) and High Lights, November 2008 Flickr photo copyright Percy Quick; used by permission * [Hoxa Head (2)] 1996 (station established 1901). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); flash every 3 s, white or red depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) square metal equipment shelter covered with white panels; the light is displayed from a short mast at the top. A concrete World War II lookout tower is near the lighthouse.

Trabas has Ina Rendtel's closeup photo , Jon Page has a view taken from the lookout tower, Marinas.com has aerial photos , and Google has a satellite view . Huelse has a historic postcard view of the original lighthouse. Located on the northwestern point of South Ronaldsay, marking the east side of the Hoxa Sound entrance to Scapa Flow. Accessible by road about 7 km (4 mi) west of St. Margaret's Hope. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board . ARLHS SCO-103; Admiralty A3610; NGA 3100. [Swona (2)] Date unknown (station established 1906). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 8 s. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) concrete post light with a square gallery; the light is displayed from a short mast. Trabas has Ina Rendtel's photo , Ian Balcombe has a very distant view , and Google has a satellite view .

Swona is an uninhabited island in Pentland Firth about 6 km (3.5 mi) west of Brough Ness and a similar distance northeast of Stroma. Located at the southwestern tip of the island, known as the Tarf. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board . ARLHS SCO-234; Admiralty A3607.5; NGA 3076. Hoy Lighthouses Note: Hoy , located at the southwestern end of Orkney, is the second largest island of the group. It is accessible by ferries from Houton. Hoy Sound separates Hoy from Orkney mainland and provides a northwestern entrance to the natural harbor of Scapa Flow between Hoy, Orkney Mainland, and South Ronaldsay. ("Flow" is derived from the Norse word flói meaning a bay or gulf.) Tor Ness (2) 1937. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white flash every 3 s. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white.

A 2008 closeup photo is available, Trabas has Tom Champagne's photo , Marinas.com has aerial photos , and Google has a satellite view . Located at the southwestern corner of Hoy marking the northwestern entrance to Pentland Firth, 13 km (8 mi) north of Dunnet Head Light on the mainland. The site does not appear to be accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board . ARLHS SCO-244; Admiralty A3600; NGA 3084. Cantick Head Light, Hoy, October 2008 Geograph Creative Commons photo by Calum McRoberts Graemsay and Scapa Flow Lighthouses Note: Graemsay lies north of Hoy and south of Stromness in Hoy Sound, about 8 km (5 mi) northwest of Scapa Flow. Cava 1898. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); flash every 3 s, white or red depending on direction. 9.5 m (29 ft) round cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white.

A nice closeup photo is available, Trabas has Ina Rendtel's photo , Dmitry Rostopshin has a photo , Marinas.com has aerial photos , and Google has a distant satellite view . Located at the northern tip of Cava, an island in the northwestern corner of Scapa Flow and the eastern entrance to Hoy Sound. Accessible only by boat; visible from ferries between Houton and Flotta. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board . ARLHS SCO-044; Admiralty A3636; NGA 3176. Copinsay Lighthouse Copinsay 1915 (David A. Stevenson). Active; focal plane 79 m (259 ft); five white flashes, separated by 2.5 s, every 30 s. 16 m (52 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with buff trim; lantern painted black. 1-story keeper's house and other buildings.

Another photo is available, Peter Gordon has a closeup , Trabas has Ina Rendtel's photo , Marinas.com has aerial photos , and Google has a satellite view . Copinsay is a small island about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Point of Ayre on the east side of Orkney Mainland. Formerly inhabited, the island is now a sanctuary owned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat; should be visible from Point of Ayre. Site and tower closed (sensitive ecological preserve). Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board . Site manager: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds ( Copinsay Island Sanctuary ). ARLHS SCO-049; Admiralty A3676; NGA 3228. Orkney Mainland Lighthouses Helliar Holm (Saeva Ness) 1893 (David A. Stevenson). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); flash every 10 s, white, red, or green depending on direction.

13 m (42 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with buff trim; lantern painted black. The abandoned 2-story keeper's house and other buildings are in very poor condition. Des Colhoun's photo is at right , Trabas has an excellent photo by Helmut Seger, a fine 2007 photo is available, Derek Mayes has a 2011 closeup , Marinas.com has aerial photos , Huelse has a historic postcard view , and Google has a satellite view . Ownership of the light station was transferred to the Orkney Islands Council in October 2014. Helliar Holm is an island in Shapinsay Sound between Shapinsay and Orkney Mainland, on the north side of the Mainland. Located on Saeva Ness on the south side of the island. Accessible only by boat, but there are good views from the ferry between Kirkwall on Orkney Mainland and Balfour on Shapinsay. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Orkney Islands Council . Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board .

ARLHS SCO-094; Admiralty 3684; NGA 3236. Helliar Holm (Saeva Ness) Light, Shapinsay, August 2007 Geograph Creative Commons photo by Des Colhoun Westray Lighthouse * Noup Head 1898 (David A. and Charles Stevenson). Active; focal plane 70 m (259 ft); white flash every 30 s. 24 m (79 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 1-story service building. Tower painted white, lantern black. Keeper's houses demolished. Nicholas Mutton's 2008 photo is at the top of this page, Craig Taylor has a great photo , John Tustin also has a photo , Trabas has Ina Rendtel's photo , Marinas.com has aerial photos , and Google has a good satellite view . The lighthouse marks the northwestern corner of Orkney on the island of Westray . Located atop a spectacular vertical cliff at the western tip of the island about 7 k (4 mi) northwest of Pierowall.

The island is accessible by ferries from Kirkwall; the lighthouse is accessible by road, but 4WD is recommended. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board . ARLHS SCO-158; Admiralty A3736; NGA 3292. North Ronaldsay Lighthouses Note: North Ronaldsay is the northernmost island of Orkney and marks the northeastern extremity of the islands. The island has a small permanent population and is accessible by ferries on Tuesdays and Fridays during the summer and weekly as weather permits during the rest of the year. ** North Ronaldsay (2) 1854 (Alan Stevenson). Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); white flash every 10 s. 42 m (138 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is painted with two white horizontal bands that contrast with the dark red color of the bricks. The keeper's houses and other light station buildings were purchased from the lighthouse board by the North Ronaldsay Trust in 2003; they have been renovated and are available for overnight accommodation . A keeper hired by the Trust lives in one of the houses.

John Tustin's photo is at right, Rob Burke has a photo , Lis Burke has a wider view , Trabas has Ina Rendtel's photo , Marinas.com has aerial photos , and Google has a satellite view . Located on the Point of Sinsoss near the northeastern tip of North Ronaldsay, about 1 km (0.6 mi) northwest of the 1789 lighthouse. The island is accessible by air; ferries from Kirkwall operate only once a week on Fridays, May through September. Site open; tower open to guided tours by arrangement with the keeper and on Sunday afternoons during the summer. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board . Site owner/manager: North Ronaldsay Trust. ARLHS SCO-155; Admiralty A3722; NGA 3280. * North Ronaldsay (1) 1789 (Thomas Smith). Inactive since 1809. 21 m (70 ft) round stone tower, unpainted. No lantern. Foundations of the original keeper's house are located next to the tower.

The third lighthouse built by the Northern Lighthouse Board, this tower was deactivated after the first Start Point Light was completed. The lantern was replaced by a masonry cap, and the tower was retained as a daybeacon. Jennifer Batten has a good photo , Alex Cameron has another photo , and Google has a satellite view . In 2008 the North Ronaldsay Trust received £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £45,000 from the Orkney Islands Council; these funds were used for an engineering study and emergency work to stabilize the building and remove two centuries' worth of bird droppings from the interior. Further restoration is planned. Located at the most easterly point of Dennis Head at the northeastern tip of North Ronaldsay. The island is accessible by air; ferries from Kirkwall operate only once a week on Fridays, May through September. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: North Ronaldsay Trust. ARLHS SCO-154. 1854 North Ronaldsay Light, April 2004 Geograph Creative Commons photo by John Tustin Sanday and Eday Lighthouses * Kettletoft Pier Date unknown.

Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) rectangular white concrete tower attached to a 1-story pier building. Trabas has Ina Rendtel's closeup photo , and Google has a street view and a satellite view . Located at the end of the pier at Kettletoft, a small port on the south side of Sanday. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty A3716; NGA 3272. Calf of Eday (Calf Sound) (2) 2002 (station established 1909). Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); three flashes every 10 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. 9 m (30 ft) octagonal cylindrical aluminum tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. Eday is an island southwest of Sanday, and Calf of Eday is a smaller island to the northeast, separated from Eday by Calf Sound.

There were protests when the Lighthouse Board announced plans for the replacement of the original lighthouse in 2000; as a result, the Board replaced the light with an aluminum replica of the original. Rob Burke has a 2003 photo , a 2007 photo is available, Trabas has Ina Rendtel's closeup photo , Marinas.com has aerial photos , and Google has an indistinct satellite view . Located on Eday (not on Calf of Eday) about 800 m (1/2 mi) north of Blett. There should be good view from a walking trail northward from Blett. Island accessible by ferries from Kirkwall. Site status unknown. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board . ARLHS SCO-034; Admiralty A3728; NGA 3288. Start Point Light, Sanday, October 2006 Geograph Creative Commons photo by Beth Loft Stronsay Lighthouses [Papa Stronsay (2)] 2002 (?) (station established 1907).

Active; focal plane 8 m (27 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 5 m (17 ft) square skeletal tower covered with white aluminum panels. Jenšíková has a photo , a blogger reports on a June 2007 NLB maintenance visit to the light, and Google has a satellite view . Trabas has Kees Aalbersberg's view of the original lighthouse. Papa Stronsay is an island just off Whitehall at the northern tip of Stronsay . The island is privately owned as a cattle farm. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board . ARLHS SCO-167; Admiralty A3706; NGA 3268. Pentland Firth turbines could generate 'almost half of Scotland’s electricity' — Department of Engineering Science Info Pentland Firth turbines could generate 'almost half of Scotland’s electricity' A new study reveals that tidal turbines stretched across Pentland Firth, which separates the Orkney Islands from mainland Scotland, could generate up to 1.9 gigawatts (GW) of power - equivalent to almost half of Scotland's electricity needs.

Image used under Creative Commons licence from Phillip CapperThis research was a carried out by Dr Thomas Adcock, Professor Guy Houlsby and Sena Serhadioğlu of Oxford University's Department of Engineering Science, Professor Alistair Borthwick of University College Cork and Assistant Professor Scott Draper of the University of Western Australia. The study provides the first reliable estimate of the maximum energy that could be generated from Pentland Firth. The 1.9GW figure is considerably lower than some early estimates as it takes into account factors such as how many tidal turbines it would be feasible to build, how a series of turbines would interact with each other, and averages out variations caused by the fortnightly and seasonal cycle of the tides. The new calculations suggest that the prospects of extracting the first 500 megawatts (MW) of energy are very promising. Due to the increasing difficulty of extracting more and more energy towards the maximum of 1.9GW, the researchers believe that a target of extracting 1GW is realistic. A report of the research appears in the journal “Proceedings of the Royal Society A”.

Dr Thomas Adcock, lead author of the report, said: “Pentland Firth promises to be one of the best sites in the world for tidal power. What our research shows is that it could potentially generate power equivalent to almost half of Scotland's annual electricity consumption”. He added: “Our study provides the first robust data about how much energy it would be feasible to extract. It also suggests that to be efficient any scheme would have to be "joined up" so that, for example, individual tidal turbines do not cancel each other out and provisions are made to store the greater energy produced by spring tides and feed these back in at neap tides”. When looking at the feasibility of a scheme for Pentland Firth the researchers assumed that, to be viable, the potential energy generated by each tidal turbine would have to be greater than that of offshore wind turbines, owing to the higher loads they would have to endure and higher maintenance costs. They also used mathematical models to investigate how different rows of turbines would interact, working out how to arrange them so as not to 'steal' each other's tidal energy, and calculating how power generation for the overall scheme might be maximised.

Dr Adcock said: “Building handfuls of tidal turbines in "plots" of ocean leased out to individual developers is not going to extract the maximum energy from Pentland Firth. To make the most of this unique site the placement of turbines would need to be carefully planned”. The researchers found that, averaged over the entire tidal cycle, the theoretical maximum power a Pentland Firth scheme could generate would be 1.9GW. This is equivalent to 16TWh per year. Figures from the Scottish government state that in 2011 Scotland's consumption of electricity was 37TWh per year. The work was commissioned and supported by the Energy Technologies Institute. A report of the research, entitled 'The available power from tidal stream turbines in the Pentland Firth', is published in "Proceedings of the Royal Society A". Department of Engineering Science, News | Pentland Firth and Orkney w...

- Scottish Renewables Scottish Renewables Pentland Firth and Orkney wave and tidal grid charge estimates hit £100m News 0141 353 4980 Email Rachelle Posted on 18/09/2012 by Rachelle Money New figures from Scottish Renewables have shown that island communities in Scotland’s first Marine Energy Park are continuing to face massive costs to connect their marine energy projects to the grid. Analysis, published at today’s (Tues 18) Marine Energy Conference in Inverness, reveals charges in the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters have continued to climb, despite an independent review by Ofgem to reform the charging regime known as TNUoS (Transmission Network Use of System). Although the review has improved matters for generators on the mainland, charges on the islands are set to rocket, adding significant costs and threatening the economic viability of wave and tidal projects that are in their early stages of development. Speaking ahead of the Marine Energy Conference, Niall Stuart, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said: “Ofgem’s review was expected to bring down charges for renewable generation given its commitment to ‘facilitate the move to a low carbon energy sector’.

However, we are seeing charges on the islands continue to increase, dwarfing those on the mainland. “The level of charges for Orkney Waters is adding significant costs to wave and tidal projects and can only hold back investment in our world-leading marine energy sector. “We have to remember that our islands are where some of our best natural resources are and if we are to meet important climate change and renewable energy targets we must find a way to ensure wind, wave and tidal projects can generate electricity for homes and businesses across Scotland.” The new figures are estimated calculations based on annual grid charges for wave and tidal projects. Estimates of the projected annual connection charges for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters area have increased from £56m last year to £107m in 2020. This contrasts with an annual subsidy of some £2m if these projects were to be built in the south west of England – the UK’s other Marine Energy Park.

While the mainland of Pentland Firth has seen a decrease of £4.6m in annual connection charges, the Orkney Waters area has seen a massive rise because electricity generators on the islands are required to pay for ‘local works’ which includes expensive undersea grid cabling from the Scottish mainland to the Orkney islands. This year’s estimates are also based on a larger grid cable which will be required to transport the increasing capacity of renewable electricity due to be generated in the Orkney waters from wave and tidal devices. Ofgem’s independent review, Project TransmiT, was launched in 2010 with the view to ensure that we move to a low carbon energy sector whilst continuing to provide value for money to existing and future consumers. Mr Stuart added: “We would like to see the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change use his powers to adjust the transmission charges and ensure costs do not deter renewable energy generation in the north of Scotland, home of the world’s leading wave and tidal sector.” Scottish Renewables will also publish a new report Marine Milestones 2011/2012 at the conference.

Notes to Editors: Swimming the Pentland Firth | Open water marathon swimming Open water marathon swimming The Pentland Firth Pentland Firth swim This is the notorious stretch of water that separates the isles of Orkney from the Scottish mainland. Tides and swell from the Atlantic and the North Sea meet here creating extremely strong currents and wild conditions. Even the predicted tides on the charts in calm conditions indicate speeds of 12 knots and of course weather conditions can increase that substantially. The tides do not go neatly up and down in six hour periods like they do in the Channel but move in all sorts of unpredictable ways in eddies and swirls. When English Channel veteran Frank Chalmers, from Dundee, spoke about maybe making the crossing in 2009, local fisherman Willie Bremner commented that ‘ there’s not a soul who’s sailed through there who has anything good to say about the Firth. You can see the blood drain when they reminisce. I was astonished when I heard that anybody would contemplate swimming it.’ The whole stretch of water is littered with wrecks of everything from super tankers to small fishing boats.

The BBC documentary Crossing Hell’s Mouth covered Frank’s build up to the swim and eventual attempt. To all intents and purposes he successfully managed to swim across but could not actually touch the land due to the darkness and weather conditions. Although the locals and crew of his boat gave him a certificate and considered the swim had been done, Frank, ever the purist, was not satisfied and in fact counted it as his only failed swim! He made another gallant attempt in 2010 but was also thwarted by the weather conditions. The first succesful swim was made in July 2011 by Collen Blair from Birkhill in Angus. No stranger to these kinds of challenges, having conquered the English Channel, the Irish Sea, Loch Ness and the Manhattan Island swim, she made it in four hours and forty one minutes. Her route took her from Torness on the south tip of the isle of Hoy to Scarfskerry in Caithness resulting in a nine mile swim.

Less than a month later Andrea Gellan from Dunfermline, another English Channel veteran and accomplished long-distance swimmer, made the crossing in two hours and forty one minutes starting this time from South Ronaldsay and finishing on Duncansby Head (a distance of approximately seven miles). Andrea reported hitting the whirlpools in the middle and commented that ‘it was fun swimming through it – really choppy and bubbly’. Not to take away from the tremendous achievements of Collen and Andrea but I think Frank pioneered this swim. I thoroughly recommend watching the very moving BBC documentary which really shows what is involved in swimming the Firth and also provides great inspiration to anyone thinking of trying an unusual long-distance swim. Orkney, Shetland & Scottish North Coast: Bunkhouses, bothies and hostels Show all Scotland The North Coast of Scotland is dotted with Hostels and Bunkhouses which offer a genuine welcome. A good plan for a road trip to the North Coast of Scotland is the Scottish North Coast 500 Coastal Route. This is a unique route on the empty sweeping, often single track, roads around the Northern tip of Scotland.

It travels the Scottish north coast from Duncansby Head, John O’Groats, Wick and Thurso eastwards along the north sea coast to Durness. Thurso is the port for Ferries to Orkney, docking at Stromness on mainland Orkney or on South Ronaldsay Visit the Orkney hostels or bunkhouses on one of the 70 Orkney islands and you will find you become part of island life. This is especially true of the hostels on the smaller islands in the Northern Isles, such as Sandy or North Ronaldsay. Some of the most ancient sites in the UK are Orkney. 5000 year old Skara Brae preserved village, Maeshowe a chambered burial tomb and the Ring of Brodgar stone circle are all close to Stromness. Visit the towns of Kirkwall and Stromness to see pretty little shopping streets, harbours and ports. The smaller Northern isles can be reached within one days travel by ferry from Kirkwall harbour which is served by regular public transport.

You may think that Shetland is remote being at the far North of the UK, but the Northern Isles are the hub of a travel network that reaches out to Scotland, Orkney, Shetland, Iceland and Norway. On the Shetland Isles you can visit the many islands, walk and explore the boundlessseascapes. The isolation of the islands has lead to the development of unique fauna and flora, and the birdlife is exceptional. Cultural events on Sherland include the Up Helly Aa guizers festival of fire in Lerwick which celebrates the burning of a Viking galley with dancing till dawn. More about the Orkney Islands The Orkney Islands are an archipelago of 70 islands, 20 of them inhabited, lying just north of Caithness. The Pentland Firth, which separates Orkney from mainland Scotland, is just 6.8 miles at its narrowest point. The Orkney islands are generally low-lying with most land area being farmed. The soil is surprisingly fertile, which helps support a population of 19,000 and produces beef, cheese, whisky and beer for export.

The climate is very temperate, average temperatures 4 deg in winter and 12 deg in summer. Occasional very strong winds account for the absence of trees. Although the islands probably supported trees in the dim and distant past, archaeological evidence suggests they have been without trees for at least 5000 years. Tourism is increasingly important to the economy, with people attracted by the natural environment as well as by cultural aspects: some of the best preserved neolithic remains in Europe, artifacts of World Wars 1 and 2 and the vibrant Orcadian culture of the present day. The Orkney Islands are a special place for ornithologists and the lesser twitcher, with many RSPB reserves. Visitors to Orkney can look forward to watching Great Skua, Red Throated Divers, Gannets, Arctic tern, Puffins, Guillemots, Hen Hariers, Merlin, Snipe and Stonechat, to name but a few. Skara Brae is the best preserved Neolithic settlement in Europe, and is a UNESCO world heritage site.

In addition there are many other well preserved Neolithic remains, such as the Ring of Brodgar, the Maeshowe Passage grave and the Standing Stones of Stenness. Scapa Flow is one of the best natural harbours in the world and was the UK’s chief naval base during both world wars. After the Treaty of Versailles, the German Fleet was interned there, and eventually the Germans scuttled 51 of their own ships to prevent their use by the British. In 1939 a German U Boat slipped into Scapa Flow and sank HMS Royal Oak, with the loss of 833 lives, after which Churchill ordered the construction of barriers between the islands, so by controlling entry in the harbour. These barriers now form a series of causeways carrying roads. Scapa flow is now popular with recreational divers exploring the wrecks, although the wreck of the Royal Oak is a protected war grave. Visitors can reach The Orkney Islands by ferry or plane. Ferries run from Gills Bay, Aberdeen, Scrabster and John O’Groats on the Scottish mainland and from Lerwick, Shetland. The main airport is Kirkwall (Orkney Mainland).

Flybe operates from Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Sumburgh (Shetland). Logan Air flies to and from Orkney Northern Isles and Fair Isle.

Question: Which firth separates Orkney from the Scottish mainland ?
Answer: THE PENTLAND FIRTH