Ardnave (peninsula)
As Ardnave ( Gaelic : Aird Nèimh ) is a peninsula of the Scottish island of Islay referred. Her name means hill of the cave or high sacred place .
geography
location
The Ardnave Peninsula occupies the north-western part of the Hebridean island of Islay. In the south it is delimited by a 5.8 km long imaginary line between the head of the sea arm Loch Gruinart and the bay Sanaigmore Bay . The land mass travels 6.5 km in a north-northeast direction and finally ends at Cape Ardnave Point opposite the island of Nave . Ardnave forms most of the northwest coast of Islay and the west coast of Loch Gruinart. Like the peninsula of Rhinns of Islay to the south, Ardnave can only be reached via an isthmus between the sea bays Loch Indaal and Loch Gruinart. Administratively, Ardnave is part of Islay of the Council Area Argyll and Bute . Historically, it was part of what is now the traditional county of Argyllshire .
terrain
The landscape shows changing episodes of moorland , heather and dune landscapes , marshland and farmland . The terrain is mostly characterized by gently rolling hills, which, however, rise to a maximum of 76 m ( Creag Mhòr in the southeast). The west coast is usually rocky, while dunes can be found at Ardnave Point. The east coast around Loch Gruinart consists of sandy salt marshes.
Waters
There are several lakes on the Ardnave Peninsula. The largest are Ardnave Loch in the north, Loch Laingeadail to the south and Loch an Fhir Mhor on the southern border. The former two lakes are connected by a stream. There are many small streams that run in an east-west direction and, after a short run , flow into the Atlantic Ocean or Loch Gruinart.
Settlements
The island of Islay is only sparsely populated with 3457 inhabitants (as of 2001) and an area of 615 km 2 . On the Ardnave Peninsula there are none of the larger towns, only small agricultural settlements, which today mostly consist of individual farms. The village of Kilnave is of historical importance , which has probably been a Christian center on Islay since the 5th century, as can be seen today in the ruins of Kilnave Chapel and Kilnave Cross . The boggy and hilly interior of the peninsula is largely uninhabited.
traffic
There is only one paved, single-lane road on Ardnave. This can be reached via two junctions from the A847 and runs along the coast of Loch Gruinart in the east of the island and passes the settlements of Gruinart and Kilnave before it ends in Tayovullin . The continuation of the road consists of unpaved slopes, via which the settlement Ardnave and Ardnave Point can be reached. There are no roads along the west coast of Ardnave. However, a single-lane road leads to Sanaigmore at the foot of the peninsula. There are no railway lines.
fauna
Due to the abundance of birds, particularly rare species in the United Kingdom , parts of Ardnave are designated as a European bird sanctuary . The coast of Loch Gruinart is the most important bird reserve. This is where all the wintering specimens of the Greenland barnacle goose ( Branta leucopsis ) in the UK gather in early autumn , before some of them move on to western Scotland or Ireland . However, 74.1% overwinter there. 7.1% of the Greenlandic White-fronted Geese in the United Kingdom ( Anser albifrons flavirostris ) also overwinter on Ardnave.
history
Extensive archaeological investigations have shown that the Ardnave Peninsula has been inhabited since the 2nd millennium before our time. Iron Age objects were found among other things . The Crannógs in Ardnave Loch, Loch Laingedail and Loch an Fhir Mhor also bear witness to early settlement.
On the coast of Loch Gruinart, the last major battle between two clans on Islay took place in 1598 . At the Battle of Gruinart , Sir Lachlan Mor MacLean and his nephew Sir James MacDonald faced each other. The point of contention was the possession of the Rhinns of Islay, which MacLean wanted to receive as a dowry. The MacLeans succumbed and were almost invariably killed. In this context, the Kilnave Chapel was also destroyed.
Monuments
There are four properties listed on the Scottish Monuments Lists on Ardnave . These include the second-highest category B listed ruins of Kilnave Chapel , which was built around 1400 according to Historic Scotland . The quarry stone chapel is in Kilnave and overlooks Loch Gruinart. Attached is a cemetery, which also houses the listed Kilnave Cross , which is estimated to have been built in the 5th century.
In the village of Ardnave, the only two buildings still in use today are classified as category B monuments. For the Georgian style built farmhouse Ardnave House conflicting construction data exists. While Historic Scotland gives a construction period around the year 1750, the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland gives the late 18th century to the early 19th century as the period. The associated stables , 50 m to the west, probably date from the 18th century.
Individual evidence
- ^ List of Gaelic expressions
- ↑ Information on islayinfo.com
- ↑ 2001 Census ( Memento from May 7, 2011 on WebCite ) (PDF; 1.6 MB)
- ↑ a b c Entry on Kilnave Chapel in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
- ↑ a b Official entry of the Joint Nature Conservative Committee
- ^ Entry by the RSPB
- ↑ G. Ritchie, H. Welfare: Excavations at Ardnave, Islay , in: Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1983 , 113 , 302-366.
- ↑ Entry on Ardnave Loch in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
- ↑ Entry on Loch Langeadail in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
- ↑ Entry on Loch an Fhir Mhor in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
- ^ Entry in the Gazetteer for Scotland
- ↑ Entry on islayinfo.com
- ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ Entry on Ardnave House in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
- ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
Coordinates: 55 ° 51 ′ 40 ″ N , 6 ° 21 ′ 30 ″ W.