A lifetime of Islands: September 2019

Monday, 30 September 2019

Island 476 - Isle of Fethaland, Shetland

Isle of Fethaland is located at the far north of Shetland Mainland. It is linked to Shetland Mainland at Fethaland by a storm boulder beach. I think that it would only be cut off from Mainland in storm conditions but there is a section of the beach that has no vegetation on it, so I think it counts as an island. Fethaland means fat land or rich pasture in Old Norse. The Isle of Fethaland is 1km from north to south by 500m from east to west at its widest point.

To reach the Isle of Fethaland it is a 2.5 mile walk north up a track from the end of the A970 road at Isbister. There is a small parking area at the end of the road. Alternative parking is available at Sandvoe Cemetery. There is signposted more scenic alternative route to Fethaland, which heads east from Isbister out to the coast at Wick of Virdibreck and then north up the coast. There is a defined path but it is not easy to spot in places and there aren't many signposts. However, having reached the coast all you really need to do is head north keeping the sea on your right and being careful not to fall off the cliff! When I did the walk in late August 2019 the coastal route was a bit boggy in places. On a clear day it is well worth walking the extra distance to do the coastal route, as the cliffs are spectacular, with several stacks and natural arches to see.

A fishing station was established at Fethaland during the 15th or 16th century. At first this was subsistence fishing done inshore from small boats, with the catch being consumed by the fishermen and their families. By the mid 18th century tenants were required by their landlords (merchant-lairds) to go out fishing for them, in order to keep their crofts. This was haaf (deep sea) fishing. Two trips were made each week in open six oared boats called sixareens. The fishermen sailed or rowed out up to 40 miles from the shore to the fishing grounds in order to fish for cod and ling using long-lines. They often stayed at sea for 2-3 days.

Haaf fishing stations were established at various locations across Shetland, including Fethaland, Stenness, Gloup (Yell) and Hillswick. At one time the Fethaland haaf fishing station was the busiest in Shetland, with 60 boats operating from it during the summer season (June to August). Seasonal workers were housed in up to 36 lodges. Fish were cured and dried on the pebble beach, before being packed and exported. The lodges were stone huts with roofs of wood and turf. The roofs were removed at the end of the fishing season to avoid damage during the winter storms. The remains of about 20 lodges dating from the 18th and 19th centuries can still be seen on both the Fethaland and Isle of Fethaland sides of the storm beach.

The haaf fishing industry came to an end in Shetland in the late 19th century, due to disasters in 1881 and 1900, the rise of the herring industry, the introduction of large steam trawlers and the Crofters' Holdings Act of 1886, which gave crofters security of tenure and other rights.

Point of Fethaland Lighthouse was built on the highest point on the island in 1977, to guide oil tankers sailing to and from the oil terminal at Sullom Voe.

On the north side of the haaf fishing station there are the remains of an oval shaped chambered prehistoric house (possibly dating from the Iron Age). The site was excavated in 1904 by Abercromby and pottery was found.

In Viking times soapstone (known as Kleber in Shetland) was quarried on the east side of the Isle of Fethaland to the north of Cleber Geos. The oval shapes of the bowls they carved out of the soft stone can still be seen on the cliffs.

When I visited the Isle of Fethaland in late August 2019, hawkweed and tormentil were in flower on the island and I could see the dried remains of lots of thrift flowers from earlier in the year.

Looking north towards the Isle of Fethaland across the Wick of Breibister

Looking south east from the haaf station towards the Wick of Breibister

Isle of Fethaland from Fethaland

Wester Wick looking towards Buska Stack

Isle of Fethaland from Fethaland

Fethaland haaf station

Looking south east from the haaf station

Fethaland from the Isle of Fethaland

Lamb in one of the haaf station ruins

Haaf station ruins

Point of Fethaland Lighthouse

Cliffs on the west side of Isle of Fethaland

Cliffs on the west coast of Isle of Fethaland

Looking south down the west coast

Looking north towards Gruney, Fladda and Ramna Stacks from Point of Fethaland

Looking south from Point of Fethaland towards the lighthouse

Looking north across Stuack towards Gruney, Fladda and Ramna Stacks from Point of Fethaland

Bark Stack, east coast of Isle of Fethaland

Bark Stack on the east coast of Isle of Fethaland

Outcrop of white rock - looking north on the east coast of Isle of Fethaland, close to Bark Stack

Looking south across the haaf station towards Fethaland

Haaf station

Looking north across Fethaland towards the Isle of Fethaland

Saturday, 28 September 2019

Island 475 - Ayre of Dury, Shetland

Ayre of Dury is a flat, low lying small uninhabited tidal island located on the south side of Dury Voe. close to the scattered hamlet of Dury in the parish of North Nesting, on the east side of Shetland Mainland. The island is really a shingle spit, which has grown large and high enough above the high tide level for vegetation to grow on it. The island is round and about 100 metres in diameter.

It was an easy walk from the B9075 road down across a field to the Ayre of Dury. When I visited in late August 2019 sea mayweed and red clover were in flower and the dried remains of thrift flowers from earlier in the year could also be seen. The island is closely grazed by sheep, although the ones on the island ran back to Mainland when they saw me coming.

Looking north west from Ayre of Dury towards Dury

Looking west from Ayre of Dury toward Dury

Looking south east down the shingle spit towards Ayre of Dury

Shingle spit where it joins Shetland Mainland

Ayre of Dury from Dury

Thursday, 26 September 2019

Island 474 - Ben Holm, South Nesting, Shetland

Ben Holm is a small uninhabited tidal island located on the west side of East Voe of Skellister in the parish of South Nesting on Shetland Mainland. It is close to the hamlet of Skellister. Ben Holm is attached to Shetland Mainland by a 200 metre long pebble tombolo and I would think it is only cut off from Mainland at times of high spring tides or during storms.

Ben Holm was easy to access when I visited in late August 2019 because the grass in the field between it and the road had been harvested for hay earlier in the year and the grass was still short. The island itself was ungrazed and the grass was very long. Sea mayweed, devil's bit scabious, buttercups, tormentil, autumn hawkbit, bird's-foot trefoil, red clover, self-heal, silverweed and bedstraw were all in flower on the island.

Looking south east towards Ben Holm

Looking south east towards Benholm

Benholm from Skellister

Ben Holm

Old buoy on Ben Holm

Skellister from Ben Holm

Devil's bit scabious on Ben Holm

Skellister from Ben Holm

Calf Holm from Ben Holm

Abandoned boat on Ben Holm

Tuesday, 24 September 2019

Island 473 - Calf Holm, South Nesting, Shetland

Calf Holm is a small uninhabited tidal island on the south east side of East Voe of Skellister in the parish of South Nesting on the east side of Shetland Mainland. The closest settlement is the hamlet of Brough. Calf Holm is linked to Shetland Mainland by a 100 metre long pebble tombolo and it is probably only completely cut off during high spring tides or in storm conditions. The island is about 100 metres long by 50 metres wide.

The quickest route to visit Calf Holm is from the hamlet of Brough but I parked my car further east up the road to Eswick where there was a suitable parking place. I then walked north down a field to towards the sea and then west across several fields, some with grazing sheep. I had to cross a few fences, as there weren't many gates and it was a bit boggy in places.

When I visited in late August 2019, in addition to grass, thistles, nettles, silverweed and yarrow were growing on Calf Holm, which is grazed by sheep, although there were none present when I was there.

Looking west towards Skellister from Calf Holm

The pebble tombolo - looking south east towards Brough

Remains of a sea urchin

Looking south from Calf Holm towards the tombolo

Looking south west from Calf Holm towards Garth

Looking north west towards Calf Holm

Looking west towards Calf Holm in the distance

Sunday, 22 September 2019

Island 472 - Rossie Island or Inchbraoch, Montrose, Angus

Rossie Island or Inchbraoch (also formerly called Inchbrayock), which lies on the south east side of Montrose Basin and to the south of the town of Montrose, is no longer a true island. By 1862 the island was linked to the mainland by Inch Bridge to the south and by a suspension bridge to the north. The River South Esk continued to flow out to the sea via two channels - a larger one to the north of the island and a narrower one to the south of the island. Between 1973 and 1975 the south channel was filled in, so that it could be used for industries supporting the oil industry. Land was also reclaimed on the eastern side of the island for industrial use.

In 1879 the North British, Arbroath and Montrose Railway Company constructed two viaducts to carry their railway across Rossie Island. Both viaducts were designed by Sir Thomas Bouch, who also designed the first Tay Bridge. The southern viaduct (known as the Ferryden Viaduct) was built of brick and the northern one (known as the South Esk Viaduct) was built of wrought iron lattice girders. However after the collapse of the Tay Bridge on 28th December 1879, which killed 75 people, concerns were raised about the safety of the South Esk Viaduct and tests were carried out on it during 1880. These concluded that, although the plans showed a straight bridge, it actually had a distinct curve and several of the piers were not perpendicular. It therefore had to be dismantled and rebuilt to a design by W.R. Galbraith. The railway line eventually opened to traffic in 1881.

The A92 road runs from north to south across the western side of Rossie Island. There are several streets of houses on the western side of the island while the eastern and southern side is mainly industrial. Rossie Island is also home to Montrose Sailing Club and a large graveyard. A footpath runs around the western side of the island.