North Ronaldsay

North Ronaldsay
Location
North Ronaldsay North Ronaldsay shown within Orkney
OS grid reference	HY759542
Names
Gaelic name	N/A
Norse name	Rínansey[1]
Meaning of name	Old Norse, possibly "Ringa's Isle"[2]
Area and summit
Area	6.9 square kilometres (2.7 sq mi)
Area rank	64[3]
Highest elevation	23 metres (75 ft)
Population
Population	72[4]
Population rank	50[3]
Pop. density	10.4 people/km2[4][2]
Main settlement	Hollandstoun
Groupings
Island group	Orkney
Local Authority	Orkney Islands
References	[2][5][6]

North Ronaldsay is the northernmost of the Orkney Islands and, with an area of 2.7 square kilometres (1.0 sq mi), is the fourteenth largest.

Geography

North Ronaldsay lies around 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of its nearest neighbour, Sanday at grid reference HY759542. The island is around 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) long along its length and is defined by two large sandy bays; Linklet Bay on the eastern shoreline and South Bay at the south. The west of the island is very rocky with many skerries. Low-lying and exposed, the island's climate is extremely changeable and frequently inclement. The surrounding waters are stormy and treacherous, and have been a notorious "graveyard" for ships (hence the unusually early provision of a lighthouse on the island).

Hollandstoun at the south of the island is the most sizable settlement lying roughly equidistant from the airfield and the pier. The island is also home to a bird observatory.

North Ronaldsay has a unique dry stane dyke that surrounds the island whose purpose is to keep the seaweed-eating North Ronaldsay sheep off the arable land.

History

According to the Orkneyinga Saga, Torf-Einarr the 10th century Norse Earl of Orkney killed Hálfdan Longlegs on North Ronaldsay in revenge for Hálfdan and his brother Gudrød Ljome's slaying of Rögnvald Eysteinsson, Torf-Einarr's father. Hálfdan and Gudrød, who were the sons of King Harald Finehair of Norway had trapped Rögnvald in his house and set it alight. Harald, apparently appalled by his sons' actions, overthrew Gudrød and restored Rögnvald's lands to his son, Thorir Rögnvaldarson, whilst Hálfdan fled westwards to Orkney and displaced Torf-Einarr. From a base in Caithness, Torf-Einarr resisted Hálfdan's occupation of the islands. After a battle at sea, and a ruthless campaign on land, Torf-Einarr spied Hálfdan hiding on North Ronaldsay. The sagas claim that Hálfdan was captured, and sacrificed to Odin as a blood-eagle.^[7][8]

Holland House was built in 1727 and the Old Beacon dating from 1789 was the third lighthouse to be built by Thomas Smith for the Commissioners of the Northern Lights.

Overview of population trends:^[9]

Year	1787	1791	1811	1841	1881	1891	1931	1961	1981	1991	2001	2011
Population	384 [10]	420	384 [11]	481	547	501	298	161	109	92	70	72[4]

Transport

Flights link the island with Kirkwall on the Orkney Mainland, as does a weekly ferry operated by Orkney Ferries. In the summer there are ferries on Tuesdays and Fridays. Flights are subsidized to £36 return or £21 return if you stay for at least one night (2013 prices).

Economy

The main industries on the island are crofting and sheep farming, where unique North Ronaldsay sheep are largely farmed collectively. Tourism also plays an important role. The island has a population of 60, roughly half of whom are descended from native islanders and half are new islanders, who have come to live there. There is great interest in attracting new families with young children in order to keep the school open, since that is vital for the economy.

The Bird Observatory

Established in 1987, the observatory's main purpose is to conduct long-term monitoring of bird populations and migration. North Ronaldsay is well known as one of the best bird watching sites in the country during the Spring and Autumn migration periods. The quantity and variety of birds that can be seen at these times is often spectacular!

The Lighthouse

Dennis Head in the north east of the island is home to an historic lighthouse known as the "Old Beacon". The light was first established in 1789 by Thomas Smith. It was to be the first of many island lighthouses for Smith (he had previously worked on the lights at Kinnaird Head and Mull of Kintyre). Smith received assistance with the North Ronaldsay light from Ezekiel Walker and from his stepson Robert Stevenson.

In 1809 with the construction of other nearby lighthouses it was decided that the North Ronaldsay light was no longer required and it was extinguished. The round stone tower was retained as a sea-mark, however, and the original beacon chamber at the top replaced by a vaulted roof capped by a remarkable ball finial. The stone spiral staircase which once led to the beacon was demolished. The original keepers' houses, roofless but largely complete, survive below the tower. In 2006, it was one of the neglected buildings selected for the Restoration TV series.

However a new lighthouse was built nearby just 43 years later in 1852. The modern lighthouse lies at the north of the island at Point of Sinsoss and boasts Britain's tallest land based lighthouse tower. The old fog siren with notable red trumpet was replaced by an electric diaphragm type horn. That horn was discontinued in favour of a Tyfon horn consisting of 8 mini trumpets installed on the building that once housed the fog siren. The Tyfon horn gives 3 blasts every 60 seconds. The electric beeper horn is now lying flat on the ground next to the fog signal building. The fog signal is still in service today.

Notes

References

• Anderson, Joseph (ed.) (1873) The Orkneyinga Saga. Translated by Jón A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. Edmonston and Douglas. The Internet Archive. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
• Pálsson, Hermann and Edwards, Paul Geoffrey (1981). Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney. Penguin Classics. ISBN 0-14-044383-5

Wikimedia Commons has media related to North Ronaldsay.

External links

• Community website 404 not found.
• North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory
• Bird Observatories Council
• Northern Lighthouse Board site on the history of North Ronaldsay Lighthouse

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v t e Lighthouses of the Northern Lighthouse Board Scotland (except principal island groups) Ailsa Craig Ardnamurchan Bass rock Bell Rock Buchan Ness Cape Wrath Chanonry Corsewall Covesea Skerries Crammag Head Davaar Duncansby Head Dunnet Head Fidra Fife Ness Girdle Ness Holy Island (Outer) Inchkeith Isle of May Kinnaird Head Mull of Galloway Mull of Kintyre North Rona Noss Head Pladda Rattray Head Rubh Re St Abbs Head Sanda Scurdie Ness Stoer Head Strathy Point Stroma Sule Skerry Tarbat Ness Turnberry Minor lights The Hebrides Barra Head Butt of Lewis Dubh Artach Eilean Glas Flannan Islands Haskeir Hyskeir Lismore Monach Neist Point Ornsay Rinns of Islay Rona Ruvaal Scarinish Skerryvore Tiumpan Head Ushenish Minor lights Orkney Auskerry Brough of Birsay Cantick Head Copinsay Hoy Sound (High) Hoy Sound (Low) North Ronaldsay Noup Head Pentland Skerries Start Point Tor Ness Minor lights Shetland Bressay Eshaness Fair Isle North Fair Isle South Firths Voe Foula Hoo Stack Lighthouse Muckle Flugga Out Skerries Point of Fethaland Sumburgh Head Ve Skerries Minor lights Isle of Man Chicken Rock Douglas Head Langness (minor light) Maughold Head Point of Ayre Thousla Rock (minor light)

Coordinates: 59°22′24″N 2°25′33″W / 59.37339°N 2.42583°W / 59.37339; -2.42583