Muckle Roe

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Muckle Roe
Location
Muckle Roe (Scotland)
Muckle Roe
Muckle Roe
Muckle Roe shown within Scotland.
OS grid reference: HU317650
Names
Gaelic name:
Norse name: Rauðey Mikla
Meaning of name: a combination of Scots and Old Norse for "big red island"
Area and Summit
Area: 1,773 ha
Area rank (Scottish islands): 37
Highest elevation: Mid Ward 172 m
Population
Population (2001): 104
Population rank (inhabited Scottish islands): 45 out of 97
Main settlement: Roesound
Groupings
Island Group: Shetland
Local Authority: Shetland Islands
Scotland
References: [1][2][3][4][5]

Muckle Roe is an island in Shetland, Scotland, in Saint Magnus Bay, to the west of Mainland, Shetland. It has a population of around 100 people, who mainly croft and live in the south east of the island.[2][5] It is not near Little Roe.

Contents

[edit] History

The island is referred to in the Orkneyinga saga [6].

In 1905, a bridge was built between Muckle Roe, and the Shetland Mainland, over Roe Sound.[5]

[edit] Geography and geology

Muckle Ayre Beach
Muckle Ayre Beach

Muckle Roe is approximately 3 miles in diameter, with high cliffs in the south. Its highest point is Mid Ward (172 metres (564 feet)).

The island's rock is red granite,[2] and the dominant feature is an ancient extinct volcano, which gives the island its name - Old Norse for "Big Red Island".[2][5]

There are crofts in the east and south east. The rest of the island is lochan-studded moorland.[7]

[edit] Population

Year Number of Inhabitants
1851
290
1871
216
1881
230
1961
103
1971
94
1981
101
1991
115
2001
104



[edit] References

  1. ^ 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
  2. ^ a b c d Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 1841954543. 
  3. ^ Ordnance Survey. Get-a-map [map].
  4. ^ Fraser, Allen (2002) The Edinburgh Geologist: Old Norse and Norn names in Shetland. Issue 39 Retrieved 14 April 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d Keay, J. & Keay, J. (1994) Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland. London. HarperCollins.
  6. ^ 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
  7. ^ Overview of Muckle Roe. Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved on 2008-01-06.

Coordinates: 60°22′N 1°25.5′W / 60.367, -1.425