Skaw, Unst
| Skaw | |
|---|---|
 The road to Skaw | |
  Skaw Location within Shetland | |
| OS grid reference | HP657163 |
| Civil parish | |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SHETLAND |
| Postcode district | ZE2 |
| Dialling code | 01806 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Skaw is a tiny settlement in the Scottish archipelago of Shetland, located on the island of Unst. It is located north of Haroldswick on a peninsula in the northeast corner of the island, and is the most northerly settlement in the United Kingdom.[1] The burn (stream) of Skaw flows from the uplands to the west through the constellation of small crofts that make up Skaw, and then east into the Wick of Skaw, a bay of the North Sea. A sheltered sandy beach lines the coast of the Wick of Skaw.
During World War II, the Royal Air Force built a Chain Home radar station at Skaw. A combined Coastal Defence U-boat and Chain Home Low station was also built at Saxa Vord; after the war this became a ROTOR radar station. RAF Saxa Vord continued as a radar station after the end of the ROTOR programme.
The unclassified road from the B9087 to Skaw is the most northerly road in the UK road network.
Walter Sutherland, a former inhabitant of the northernmost cottage in the UK, was reportedly the last native speaker of the Norn language.
Etymology
Skaw is derived from the Old Norse "Skagi" meaning a cape, headland, promontory or peninsula. [2][3]
See also
References
- ^ "Overview of Skaw". Scottish Places. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
- ^ Jakobsen, Jakob (1993). The Place-Names of Shetland (reprint of 1897 ed.). Orkney. p. 96. ISBN 978-1112000461.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Stewart, John (1987). Shetland Place-names. Lerwick. p. 246.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
External links
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