Linga, Yell

Infobox Scottish island


latitude=60.66
longitude=-1.
GridReference=HU557986
celtic name= Unknown
norse name= Lyngey
meaning of name= heather island
area=45 ha
area rank=200=
highest elevation=26 m
Population= nil
population rank=
main settlement=
island group= Shetland
local authority=Shetland
references= [cite web| url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/gaelic/pdfs/placenamesK-O.pdf| title=Placenames| author=Iain Mac an Tailleir| publisher=Pàrlamaid na h-Alba|format=PDF| accessdate=2007-07-23] [http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap/ "Get-a-map"] Ordnance Survey]

Linga is a very small uninhabited island in the Bluemull Sound, Shetland, Scotland. (It should be noted that Linga is an extremely common name in Shetland.) It is 45 ha and 26m at its highest point.

Geography and geology

Linga is made up of "coarse mica-schist and gneiss".Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) "The Scottish Islands". Edinburgh. Canongate.]

It is situated off the east coast of Yell, near the village of Gutcher, and has an area of 111 acres. It is separated from Yell by Linga Sound, and Unst is to the north east. Sound Gruney, Urie Lingey are to the south east, and Hascosay to the south.

There is little freshwater on the island.

History

It is said that Jan Tait of Fetlar once kept a bear on the island, and this is commemorated in the placename - "Bear's Bait". It was said to be from Norway, where he had been taken for trial for murder, but he was pardoned for capturing this particular bear, which had been causing problems over there.Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) "The Scottish Islands". Edinburgh. Canongate.]

An abandoned chapel is located on the island. An unknown duke once planned to build a large house there after buying land on it. However this was cancelled as doctors and other services refused to provide a service to such a small remote island. The land is now owned by Charlie Henderson of Cullivoe.

There is also the remains of a sheep fold in the north.

Wildlife

Surprisingly for an island whose name derives from the Norse for "heather isle", very little grows here.

Otters, guillemots and seals breed on the island.

References