The Mainland, Orkney

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Scottish Island of The Mainland, Orkney
Location
OS grid reference:	HY350158
Names
Gaelic or Celtic name:	Unkown
Norse name:	Megenland or Hrossey
Meaning of name:	Norse for 'mainland' or 'island of horses'
Area and Summit
Area:	61,956 ha
Area rank if >40 ha:	5
Highest elevation:	Mid Hill 271 m
Population
Population:	15,315
Population rank:	3 out of 89
Main settlement:	Kirkwall
Groupings
Island Group:	Orkney
Local Authority:	Orkney

References:	^[1]^[2]^[3]

The Mainland is the main island of Orkney, Scotland. Both of Orkney's burghs, Kirkwall and Stromness, lie on the island, which is also the heart of Orkney's ferry and air connections.

1 Geography
2 Parishes
3 Notable places
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Geography

The island is relatively densely populated and has much fertile farmland. The name Mainland is a corruption of the Old Norse 'Meginland'. Formerly the island was known as 'Hrossay' meaning 'Horse Island' in Old Norse. The island is sometimes called Pomona, or Mainland Pomona, however this name has never been used by Orcadians, and in fact stems from a seventeenth century cartographical error.

The bulk of the Mainland is west of Kirkwall. It is low-lying, but with coastal cliffs to the north and west and two sizeable lochs. This western section of the island contains numerous Neolithic and Pictish constructions. Those Neolithic constructions include the Ring of Brodgar, the cairn Maeshowe and the stone-build settlement Skara Brae.

The eastern part of the Mainland is shaped like the letter "W", the easternmost peninsula being known as Deerness. To the south, causeways called Churchill Barriers connect the island to Burray and South Ronaldsay via Lamb Holm and Glims Holm.