Barra Head

Infobox Scottish island |
latitude=56.8
longitude=-7.65
GridReference=NL553799
celtic name=Ceann Bharraigh (Bearnaraigh)
norse name=
meaning of name=Head of the Isle of Barra (Bjorn's Island)
area= 204 ha
area rank= 108=
highest elevation=Sotan 193 m
Population=0
population rank=
main settlement=
island group=Uist and Barra
local authority=Outer Hebrides
references= [2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland] cite book| author=Haswell-Smith, Hamish| year=2004| title=The Scottish Islands| location=Edinburgh| publisher=Canongate| isbn=1841954543] cite map| url=http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap/| title=Get-a-map| publisher=Ordnance Survey] [cite web| url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/gaelic/pdfs/placenamesA-B.pdf| title=Placenames| author=Iain Mac an Tailleir| publisher=Pàrlamaid na h-Alba| accessdate=2007-07-22]

Barra Head, also known as Berneray, is the southernmost of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. Within the Outer Hebrides, it forms part of the Barra Isles archipelago.

Originally, Barra Head only referred to the southernmost headland of Berneray, on which its lighthouse is located, but is now the most common name for the entire island.

The lighthouse, built by Robert Stevenson, has operated since 1833. From 1931, the island was inhabited only by the lighthouse keepers and their wives. The lighthouse is now automated and the island completely uninhabited. [cite web| url=http://www.nlb.org.uk/ourlights/history/barrahead.htm| title=Barra Head Lighthouse| publisher=Northern Lighthouse Board| accessdate=2008-01-06]

Wildlife

Berneray is known for its large seabird colony and was designated a SSSI in 1993. The National Trust for Scotland have owned the island since 2000. They acquired it through a bequest by Miss J M Fawcitt in memory of her parents and brother.

The island is largely covered by maritime grassland, with some machair and heath. Barra Head and the neighbouring island of Mingulay form an important breeding site for around a hundred thousand pairs of seabirds, and are especially important for the Razorbill "Alca torda", the two islands having at least 2.0% of the breeding population in 1985.cite web| url=http://www.jncc.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=1853|publisher=JNCC| title=Mingulay and Berneray SPA| accessdate=2008-01-06] Other species present include
auks, gulls, puffins, guillemots, Black-legged Kittiwakes, shags and fulmars. As such the islands are designated as a SSSI [cite web| url=http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/78/Details/|publisher=NTS| title=Mingulay, Berneray And Pabbay| accessdate=2008-01-06] and a Special Protection Area.

otan

The highest point of the island is Sotan, a Marilyn.

External links