Burhou
Burhou | |
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Burhou as seen from Alderney (location above Clonque Bay) |
|
Waters | English Channel |
Archipelago | Channel Islands |
Geographical location | 49 ° 43 '51 " N , 2 ° 15' 8" W |
length | 800 m |
width | 200 m |
surface | 13 ha |
Highest elevation | 21 m |
main place | Burhou Hut (The Hut) (historical) |
Map of Alderney (1890) |
Burhou is a small island belonging to the Channel Islands , about 1.5 kilometers from Alderney . Politically it belongs to the Bailiwick of Guernsey . It is a nature reserve that is forbidden to enter from March 15th to July 27th. The island's fauna includes a colony of alken birds and a large number of rabbits .
In 1820 a hut was built as a shelter for fishermen and sailors. During the occupation of the Channel Islands by the German Wehrmacht in World War II , the hut served as a target for target practice and was destroyed. In 1953 a new hut was built and the Alderney Port Authority is renting it out to visitors.
There have been several attempts to keep sheep here. A French couple lived here in 1900, who left the island after a year; since then there have been no permanent residents. The soil is thin and salty as the waves often wash over the whole island. There is no drinking water supply for most of the year.