Balta, Shetland

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Balta, Shetland
Location
Balta, Shetland
Balta, Shetland shown within Scotland.
OS grid reference:	HU507406
Names
Gaelic name:
Norse name:	Baltey
Meaning of name:	Old Norse for
Area and Summit
Area:	80 ha
Area rank (Scottish islands):	160
Highest elevation:	44 m
Population
Population (2001):	0
Groupings
Island Group:	Shetland
Local Authority:	Shetland Islands
References:	[1][2][3][4]

Balta (Old Norse: "Baltey"^[4]) is an uninhabited island in Shetland, Scotland.

[edit] Geography

Balta lies off the east coast of Unst and Balta Sound. It has an area of 80 ha.

There is a natural arch on the eastern side of the island.

Balta Island Seafare and Skaw Smolts are the most northerly fish farm and fish hatchery in Britain.^[5]

[edit] History

Historic remains on the island include the ruins of a broch and of a Norse chapel dedicated to Saint Sunniva. There are no census records of more recent inhabitation.^[2]

John MacCulloch visited Balta in May 1820 to carry out the Trigonometrical Survey for the Ordnance Survey. Balta was the northernmost station of the zenith sector.^[6]

The Balta Light, at the southern tip of the island was one of the first concrete structures in Shetland. The lighthouse was designed by David Stevenson and built in 1895. It was demolished in 2003 and replaced by a small solar-powered light^[7].

[edit] References

1. ^ 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
2. ^ ^{a b} Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh. Canongate.
3. ^ Ordnance Survey
4. ^ ^{a b} Anderson, Joseph (Ed.) (1893) Orkneyinga Saga. Translated by Jón A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. James Thin and Mercat Press (1990 reprint). ISBN 0-901824-25-9
5. ^ Balta Island Seafare. Retrieved on 2008-01-05.
6. ^ Derek Flinn (1981), “John MacCulloch, MD, FRS and his Geological Map of Scotland: His Years in the Ordnance. 1795–1826”, Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London (London: The Royal Society): 91, <http://www.jstor.org/view/00359149/ap020059/02a00070/8?frame=noframe&userID=8b850726@abdn.ac.uk/01c0a8346800501d0320d&dpi=3&config=jstor>. Retrieved on 5 January 2008 
7. ^ Marter, Hans J.. "Historic lighthouse to go", shetland-news.co.uk, 10 November 2003. 

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Coordinates: 60°45′N 0°47′W / 60.75, -0.783