Benbecula
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| Benbecula | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
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| OS grid reference: | NF807525 |
| Names | |
| Gaelic name: | Possibly Beinn a Bhuachaille |
| Norse name: | Unknown |
| Meaning of name: | Herdsman's mountain |
| Area and Summit | |
| Area: | 8,203 ha |
| Area rank (Scottish islands): | 16 |
| Highest elevation: | Ruaval 124 m |
| Population | |
| Population (2001): | 1,219 |
| Population rank (inhabited Scottish islands): | 12 out of 97 |
| Main settlement: | Balivanich |
| Groupings | |
| Island Group: | Uists and Barra |
| Local Authority: | Na h-Eileanan Siar |
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| References: | [1][2][3] |
Benbecula is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,249, the majority of which are Roman Catholic. It forms part of the area administered by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar or the Western Isles Council. The origin of the name is Scottish Gaelic: either Beinn Bheag a' bh-Faodha, meaning the 'little mountain of the ford' or Beinn a Bhuachaille, meaning 'herdsman's mountain'.[2]
The island lies between the islands of North Uist and South Uist, to which it is connected by road causeways. Travel to any of the other main Hebridean islands, or to the Scottish mainland, must be done by air or sea. Benbecula Airport on the island has daily flights to Glasgow, Stornoway and Barra. A direct service to Inverness was introduced in 2006 but discontinued in May 2007. There are no direct ferry services from Benbecula to the mainland, but a service operated by Caledonian MacBrayne from Lochboisdale on South Uist provides a five-hour crossing to Oban on the mainland, whilst another service from Lochmaddy on North Uist provides a two-hour crossing to Uig on the Inner Hebridean island of Skye, and hence to the mainland via the Skye Bridge. Ferry services from the islands of Berneray (linked by causeway to North Uist) and Eriskay (linked to South Uist) connect to the other Outer Hebridean islands of Harris and Barra respectively.
Benbecula's main settlement is Balivanich (Scottish Gaelic: Baile a' Mhanaich, meaning "Town of the Monk") in the northwest. It is the main administrative centre for the three islands, and has the council offices and the administrative centre for the artillery deep sea firing range on South Uist, which is managed by QinetiQ. The village is also home to the airport and the island's bank.
Other villages include Craigstrome, which lies on the eastern half of Benbecula. In contrast to the cultivated west coast of the island, the eastern half is a mixture of freshwater lochs, moorland, bog and deeply indenting sea lochs. Craigstrome is near Ruabhal, Benbecula's highest hill at 124 metres (407ft).
The township of Lionacleit is also an important one, housing the Uists' main secondary school, which also doubles as a community centre containing a swimming pool, cafeteria, sports facilities, a small museum and a library. Next door to this is the Lionacleit campus of Lews Castle College.
The RAF radar station RRH Benbecula monitors the northern Atlantic.
[edit] References
- ^ 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
- ^ a b Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh. Canongate.
- ^ Ordnance Survey
[edit] External links
- Sgoil Lionacleit
- Explore Benbecula
- Undiscovered Scotland page on Benbecula
- Am Paipear Community Newspaper
- Map sources for Benbecula
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