Swona
Location
OS grid reference:	[2]
Names
Gaelic name:
Norse name:	Svíney
Meaning of name:	Pig/whale island
Area and Summit
Area:
Highest elevation:
Population
Population (2001):
Groupings
Island Group:	Orkney
Local Authority:	Orkney Islands
References:	[1]

Swona, viewed from South Ronaldsay.

The island of Swona, takes its name from Old Norse, Svíney or Swefney, meaning either "Swine Isle" or "Sweyn’s Isle" (Sweyn Asleifsson).^[2][3] It is the northern of the two islands situated in the Pentland Firth between the Orkney Islands and Caithness on the Scottish mainland. It is administered as part of the Orkney Islands while its neighbour to the south, Stroma, is part of the "Highland Region" (although traditionally part of Caithness). In 2005 Swona is owned by two Orkney farmers. It is not worked, as it is difficult to get to and is an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) conservation area with a number of rare plants. The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... // Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... The Mainland is the main island of Orkney, Scotland. ... For local government purposes, Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as Council Areas of Scotland which are all governed by unitary authorities designated as Councils which have the option under the Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997 (as chosen by Na h-Eileanan an Iar) of being known... Location Geography Area Ranked 16th  - Total 990 km²  - % Water  ? Admin HQ Kirkwall ISO 3166-2 GB-ORK ONS code 00RA Demographics Population Ranked 32nd  - Total (2006) 19,800  - Density 20 / km² Scottish Gaelic  - Total () {{{Scottish council Gaelic Speakers}}} Politics Orkney Islands Council http://www. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Scotland. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 389 pixelsFull resolution (2971 × 1443 pixels, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 389 pixelsFull resolution (2971 × 1443 pixels, file size: 3. ... Old Norse is the Germanic language spoken by the inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300. ... Sweyn Asleifsson, Orcadian adventurer and pirate, c. ... The Pentland Firth, which is actually more of a strait than a firth, separates the Orkney Islands from Caithness, which is in the far north of the Highland area of Scotland. ... The Orkney Islands, usually called simply Orkney, are one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. ... Caithness (Gallaibh in Gaelic)[1] is a committee area of Highland Council, Scotland; a lieutenancy area; and a registration county, Caithness was formerly a district within the Highland region from 1975 to 1996 and a local government county with its own county council from 1890 to 1975. ... This article is about the country. ... The island of Stroma, which in the Norse means ‘Island in the Stream’, is the southern of the two islands situated in the Pentland Firth between the Orkney Islands and Caithness on the Scottish mainland. ... This article is about the Highland administrative region in Scotland. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A conservation area is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features or biota are safeguarded. ...

History

The island was populated from around 500BC until 1974. In summer 1973 Arthur Rosie left the island and died shortly afterwards. James and Violet Rosie (brother and sister) left in March 1974. James had Parkinsons Disease and died C1976 of a perforated stomach ulcer. Violet died C1984 in South Ronaldsay. They did not return to the island after they left it. Many of the houses, while in a state of dilapidation, are as they were left, with various possessions still to be seen where they were abandoned. Centuries: 7th century BC - 6th century BC - 5th century BC Decades: 550s BC - 540s BC - 530s BC - 520s BC - 510s BC - 500s BC - 490s BC - 480s BC - 470s BC - 460s BC - 450s BC Events and Trends 509 BC - Foundation of the Roman Republic 508 BC - Office of pontifex maximus created... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ...

Boats were built on the island for a number of years, the last of which, the Hood, can be seen pulled well up the shingle beach by the landing stage. It is of course no longer seaworthy, having a hole in it caused by the feral cows using it as a rubbing post. The landing stage and boat can be seen briefly in passing through a gap in the rocks near the north end of the island on the east side. The last house to be occupied can also be seen in this area.

The island was the site of many shipwrecks caused by the strong currents in the Pentland Firth. In 1931, a 6,000 ton Danish freighter called Pennsylvania was wrecked on the island. The Orkney newspaper of the time said that it was one of the most richly-laden ships that was ever wrecked in the area. After some plundering, the wreck was finally bought by a syndicate of Stroma and Swona men. For other uses, see Shipwreck (disambiguation). ... Year 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote in Records of a Family of Engineers of his father Thomas Stevenson's experience seeing the islanders as wreckers. He was aboard a ship which was close to being wrecked on the island watched as the islanders callously awaited the harvest of the sea. Fortunately for Stevenson, the wind picked up and they made their escape. Robert Louis (Balfour) Stevenson (November 13, 1850 – December 3, 1894), was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer, and a leading representative of Neo-romanticism in English literature. ... Thomas Stevenson, 1880 Thomas Stevenson (1818-1887) was a pioneering lighthouse designer, who designed over thirty lighthouses in and around Scotland, as well as the Stevenson screen used in meteorology. ... Wrecker or wrecking may refer to: Look up Wrecker, Wrecking in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Stroma Lighthouse was built in 1896 and stands at the northern end of Stroma island. Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ...

The Swona Minor light was built in 1906 on the south west tip of Swona. It was originally a cast iron tower but was replaced by a reinforced concrete square tower sometime in the 1980s

Geography and geology

Approaching the north head of Swona. Several houses can clearly be seen

The island is about one and a quarter miles long by about half a mile wide, with a maximum height of approximately 127 feet. Its area is about 160 hectares. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ...

Being situated in the tidal stream in the Pentland Firth, a tidal race is present at both the north and south ends of the island, being minimal briefly at the turn of the tide. Between the races is a calm eddy which extends down-tide as the tide strengthens. The races are highly visible, with over-falls and whirlpools. Large swell waves can also be present, especially in bad weather conditions. When entering or leaving the eddies crossing the races, even large powerful vessels can be pushed off course, such is the demarcation between the relatively calm eddy and the fast-moving tide in the races. The Pentland Firth, which is actually more of a strait than a firth, separates the Orkney Islands from Caithness, which is in the far north of the Highland area of Scotland. ... Tidal race occurs when the movement of water due to the tide is particularly fast in a location. ... Saltstraumen whirlpool A whirlpool in a glass of water A whirlpool is a large, swirling body of water produced by ocean tides. ...

Because it is uninhabited, there is no regular access to the island; however, the ferry from Gills Bay, near John o' Groats, to St Margaret's Hope usually passes close to the island. Which side of the island it passes on is dependent on the tidal direction at the time. The ferryboat Dongan Hills, filled with commuters, about to dock at a New York City pier, circa 1945. ... Gills Bay, which is situated some 3mls. ... John o Groats (Taigh Iain Ghròt in Scottish Gaelic) (grid reference ND380734) is a village in the traditional county of Caithness, in the Highland council area of Scotland, and is usually regarded as the most northerly settlement on the mainland of Great Britain. ... St Margarets Hope, known locally as The Hope, is a village in the Orkney Islands, situated off the north-east coast of Scotland. ...

Wildlife

When the population departed they left a herd of beef cattle - 8 cows and 1 bull (cross Shorthorn and Aberdeen-Angus). In 2004, some five generations later, the herd which had turned feral was still going strong, and is now classified as a new breed. It then consisted of ten bulls, four cows, and two calves. This appears to be around the maximum number that the island can support. Two calves are born each year in the spring, although not all live to maturity. The herd gets no additional feed, although it is checked by a vet each year. The animals are self-selecting for hardiness, easy calving, and low-maintenance feeding off the grass and seaweed. Having been separated from the mainland for so long, they are completely disease-free, and have reverted to wild behaviour. Because of this, DNA samples have been taken, from the ears of some of the cattle that died. The main herd is usually in the centre of the island in the summer. Beef Shorthorn Heifers Red Beef Shorthorn Bull Light Roan Beef Shorthorn Heifer The Shorthorn breed of cattle originated in the North East of England in the late 18th century. ... Angus cow Angus cattle are solid black cattle, although white may appear on the udder. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A feral horse (an American mustang) in Wyoming A feral animal or plant is one that has escaped from domestication and returned, partly or wholly, to its wild state. ... The structure of part of a DNA double helix Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is a nucleic acid molecule that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms. ...

External links

• grid reference ND387844
• Aerial photos of Swona
• Stroma lighthouse

The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ...

References

• Hamish Haswell-Smith. The Scottish Islands. ISBN 1-84195-454-3. 

Coordinates: 58.74289° N 3.06081° W Location Geography Area Ranked 16th  - Total 990 km²  - % Water  ? Admin HQ Kirkwall ISO 3166-2 GB-ORK ONS code 00RA Demographics Population Ranked 32nd  - Total (2006) 19,800  - Density 20 / km² Scottish Gaelic  - Total () {{{Scottish council Gaelic Speakers}}} Politics Orkney Islands Council http://www. ... The Mainland, Orkney shown within The Orkney Islands The Mainland is the main island of Orkney, Scotland. ... Auskerry (Old Norse: Austrsker) is a small island at the east of the Orkney island group. ... Burray shown within Orkney Islands Burray is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland. ... Eday shown within Orkney Islands Eday is an island in Orkney, Scotland. ... Egilsay shown within Orkney Islands Egilsay is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland, lying east of Rousay. ... Flotta shown within Orkney Islands Flotta is a small island in Orkney, Scotland, lying in Scapa Flow. ... Gairsay shown within Orkney Islands Gairsay is an island in Orkney, Scotland. ... Graemsay shown within Orkney Islands Graemsay is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland with a population of around thirty people. ... Hoy shown within Orkney Islands Hoy (from Old Norse há-øy meaning high island) is one of the Orkney Islands. ... North Ronaldsay is the northernmost of the Orkney Islands, Scotland. ... Papa Stronsay shown within Orkney Islands Papa Stronsay is a small island in Orkney, Scotland, lying north east of Stronsay. ... Papa Westray shown within Orkney Islands Papa Westray, also known as Papay, is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland, with a population of around sixty people. ... Rousay shown within Orkney Islands Rousay (from Old Norse Hrólfs-øy meaning Rolfs Island) is a small but hilly island about 3 km (2 mi) off the north side of Orkneys Mainland, which has been nicknamed the Egypt of the north due to its tremendous archaeological diversity... Sanday shown within Orkney Islands Sanday is one of the inhabited islands in the Orkney Islands group off the northern coast of Scotland. ... Shapinsay shown within Orkney Islands Shapinsay is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland. ... South Ronaldsay shown within Orkney Islands South Ronaldsay is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland. ... South Walls is an inhabited island adjacent to Hoy in Orkney, Scotland. ... Stronsay is an island in Orkney, Scotland. ... Westray shown within Orkney Islands Westray is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland, with a population of around 700 people. ... Wyre shown within Orkney Islands Wyre is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland, lying south east of Rousay. ... Eynhallow is a small island, part of the Orkney Islands Scotland. ... Saeva Ness lighthouse on the tip of Helliar Holm Helliar Holm is an uninhabited island off the coast of Shapinsay in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. ... Lamb Holm is a small island in Orkney, Scotland. ... Switha is a small island in Orkney, Scotland south of Flotta, used for grazing sheep. ... This is a list of Orkney islands in Scotland. ... Kirkwall is the largest town and capital of the Orkney Islands, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. ... The main street of the village. ... Houton is a settlement 5 miles southeast of Stromness on the island of Mainland, Orkney. ... Longhope is a coastal settlement on the island of Hoy which is one of the Orkney islands off the northern coast of Scotland. ... Lyness is a village on the east coast of the island of Hoy, Orkney. ... Stromness is the second-largest town in the Orkney Islands and is located on the southwestern edge of the mainland of Orkney. ... Whitehall is the village on the island of Stronsay, in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...