Soay (Inner Hebrides)
| Soay | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Waters | Atlantic Ocean | |
| Archipelago | Inner Hebrides | |
| Geographical location | 57 ° 9 '0 " N , 6 ° 13' 48" W | |
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| surface | 10.4 km² | |
| Highest elevation |
Beinn Bhreac 141 m |
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| Residents | 1 (2011) <1 inh / km² |
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| main place | Mol-chlach | |
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Soay ( Scottish Gaelic : Sòdhaigh , Old Norwegian : so-øy , German "Sheep Island" ) is an island in the Inner Hebrides in Scotland .
geography
Soay is just south of Skye , the largest island in the Inner Hebrides. It is separated from Skye by the Soay Sound . The island belongs to the Civil parish Bracadale , the main part of which forms the west of Skye, and forms its southernmost land mass. Rum Island is south of Soay, but it is already part of the Small Isles Parish .
Soay is 10.4 km². The highest point is the 141 meter high Beinn Bhreac . The island has the shape of a dumbbell due to the bays of Soay Harbor in the north and Camas nan Gall (German: “Bay of Strangers”) in the south. The main settlement is Mol-chlach on Camas nan Gall.
history
In 1851 the population was 158 and reached its peak. In the subsequent Highland Clearances , numerous islanders were displaced.
In 1946, the writer Gavin Maxwell bought the island and built a factory to produce shark oil from basking sharks ( Cetorhinus maximus ). After three years the factory was closed. The basking shark population around Soay has not recovered from the overexploitation at that time .
In 1953, numerous residents, mainly Gaelic speakers, were relocated to Mull . Since then, Soay has been very sparsely populated. The island had the world's first solar-controlled telephone system.
Postage stamps
Between 1965 and 1967, postage stamps were issued in the name of Soay Island. They show European motifs. Some have been overprinted with a memory of Winston Churchill . Since they were made without the permission of the island owner, they are considered fakes, but are sought after by special collectors.
traffic
Soay can be reached by boat from Elgol on Skye.
Others
- An uninhabited island in the St. Kilda Archipelago is also called Soay, see Soay (St. Kilda) . There are also the islands of Soay Mòr and Soay Beag in the Outer Hebrides , which are also uninhabited.
literature
- Laurance Reed: The Soay of our Forefathers. Birlinn, Edinburgh 2002, ISBN 1-84158-229-8 .
- Gavin Maxwell: Harpoon at a Venture. House of Lochar, Colonsay 2005, ISBN 1-899863-28-1 .
- Anne Cholawo: Island on the edge. A Life on Soay. Birlinn, Edinburgh 2016, ISBN 978-1-78027-349-5 .
Web links
- Information about Soay ( Memento from January 5, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- Map of Soay