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Unst

Coordinates: 60°45′N 0°53′W / 60.750°N 0.883°W / 60.750; -0.883
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Unst
Old Norse nameOrnyst
Meaning of namePossibly of Pictish origin or Old Norse for 'home of the eagle'
Location
OS grid referenceHP600091
Physical geography
Island groupShetland
Area120.68 km²
Area rank14 [1]
Highest elevationSaxa Vord 284 m
Administration
Council areaShetland Islands
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Demographics
Population720
Population rank19 [1]
Largest settlementBaltasound
Lymphad
References[2][3][4][5][3]

Unst is one of the North Isles of the Shetland Islands, Scotland. It is the northernmost of the inhabited British Isles and is the third largest island in Shetland after the Mainland and Yell. It has an area of 120.68 km² (46 square miles).[3]

Unst is largely grassland, with coastal cliffs. Its main village is Baltasound, formerly the second largest herring fishing port after Lerwick and now the location of a brewery, a leisure centre and the island's airport. Other settlements include Uyeasound, home to Greenwell's Booth (a Hanseatic warehouse) and Muness Castle, (built in 1598 and sacked by pirates in 1627); and Haroldswick, location of a boat museum and a heritage centre.

History

Muness Castle

The meaning of the name 'Unst' is unknown, but appears to be of pre-Norse origin, like a number of other islands in the Shetland archipelago (eg. Yell and Fetlar). It is therefore presumably a name given by the pre-Scandinavian inhabitants, and perhaps originated among people speaking a dialect of the Pictish language.[3]

It was Robert Louis Stevenson's Uncle and Father that were the main design engineers for the lighthouse. He visited Unst and the island became the basis for the map of Treasure Island [citation needed] - a claim also made by Fidra in East Lothian.

On 7 January 2007, Unst was rocked by an earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale. This is believed to be one of the most powerful earthquakes in the Norwegian Sea area in the past 10 years.[6]

Geography and geology

The island lays claims to many "most northerly" UK titles. The tiny settlement of Skaw in the north-east of the island is the northernmost settlement in the UK. The Muckle Flugga lighthouse, just off the far north of Unst, was opened in 1858 and is the most northerly lighthouse in the UK, situated close to Out Stack, the most northerly rock in the UK.

Economy and transport

The world's most comfortable bus shelter?

Ferries link Belmont on the island to Gutcher on Yell and Oddsta on Fetlar.

Less well known is an extraordinary bus shelter on the island, known as Bobby's Bus Shelter, furnished by local residents with a sofa, television, computer and other home comforts.[7]

Unst is also home to the PURE Wind Hydrogen project.[8] (Promoting Unst Renewable Energy), a community-owned clean energy system based on hydrogen production. This project is part of the Unst Partnership, the community's development trust.

At the southern end of Unst, above the islands ferry terminal, stands Belmont House dating from 1775. Being restored by the Belmont Trust, it will be used as a high class holiday house and also become a venue for weddings, meetings, art and community events. Shetland's most outstanding Georgian building and highly important within Scotland, the Belmont restoration project is costing over £1m and should be completed by 2009.[9]

The usually resident population of Unst and Fetlar in the 2001 census was 806.

Saxa Vord

The Saxa Vord Royal Air Force radar station closed in 2006 with the loss of more than 100 jobs.[10] However, a phoenix has arisen from the ashes in the form of the new Saxa Vord Resort. April 2007 saw the purchase of RAF Saxa Vord's domestic site, plus the road up to the Mid Site, by Military Asset Management (MAM), a company owned by Highland entrepreneur, Frank Strang.[citation needed]

Recognising that military bases tend to be situated in remote rural areas and that their closure, (as a result of the "Cold War peace dividend"), can have devastating economic and social consequences for local communities, MAM was established to transform closing bases into self sustaining, profitable enterprises, encouraging and fostering local economic regeneration in the process. Accordingly, Saxa Vord is currently being transformed into a ground-breaking new tourism venture: Britain's first "residential natural and cultural heritage activity centre".

The concept is simple: to attract like-minded people from all over the world to stay at Saxa Vord, where they will enjoy unique insights into some of the North Atlantic's most iconic natural and cultural heritage. The first phase is complete and Saxa Vord currently (2007) offers 20 self catering holiday houses, a 16-bedroom bunkhouse, together with a restaurant and bar. 2008 will see the launch of an 80-bedroom study centre, leisure facilities and a guided walks/evening talks programme.[11]

Local people are being employed whenever possible at Saxa Vord and there is direct local involvement in the business. For example, Sonny Priest manages and supplies the bar at Saxa Vord and is relocating his brewery to the site.[12] Similarly, Sheltand's only chocolatier, has moved to new premisses at Saxa Vord.[13] In both cases the businesses have the space that they need to expand so that they can reach new markets on the British mainland and beyond.

Wildlife

Unst is important for its seabird colonies, including those at Hermaness National Nature Reserve. It is also known for its plant life, including Norwegian sandwort and Shetland Mouse-ear, the latter unique to the island.

Bibliography

  • Sandison, Charles - Unst: My Island Home and its Story, Shetland Times, 1968 [repr. 1975]

References

  1. ^ a b Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
  2. ^ 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
  3. ^ a b c d Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 1841954543.
  4. ^ Get-a-map (Map). Ordnance Survey.
  5. ^ Anderson, Joseph (Ed.) (1893) Orkneyinga Saga. Translated by Jón A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. James Thin and Mercat Press (1990 reprint). ISBN 0-901824-25-9
  6. ^ BBC: Earthquake shakes sea island
  7. ^ "Unst Bus Shelter". Retrieved 2008-01-08.
  8. ^ PURE hydrogen project
  9. ^ The Belmont Trust Retrieved 11 February 2007.
  10. ^ "'No funds' for closing radar base". BBC. 24 August 2005. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
  11. ^ "Saxa Vord Resort". Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  12. ^ "Valhalla Brewery". Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  13. ^ "Foords Chocolates". Retrieved 2007-11-06.


60°45′N 0°53′W / 60.750°N 0.883°W / 60.750; -0.883

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