Soyea Island
Meaning of nameSheep island
Location
Soyea Island is located in Highland
Soyea Island
Soyea Island
Soyea Island shown within Highland
OS grid referenceNC0465521990
Coordinates58°08′36″N 5°19′14″W / 58.143442°N 5.3206176°W / 58.143442; -5.3206176
Physical geography
Area20 hectares (0.08 sq mi)
Highest elevation38m[1]
Administration
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryScotland
Council areaHighland
Demographics
Population0
Lymphad

Soyea Island[2][3] or Soyea is an uninhabited rocky island at the mouth of Loch Inver, in Assynt, Sutherland, in the council area of Highland, Scotland. It is three nautical miles (six kilometres) west of Lochinver and two nautical miles (four kilometres) south-southwest of Achmelvich.[1] The Broad Rocks extend up to 400 yards (370 metres) from the eastern edge of Soyea Island.[4] Measuring approximately 1⁄2 mile (800 metres) from east to west,[5] its area is 20 hectares (50 acres)[6] and it rises to an elevation of 38 metres (125 ft).[1] Soyea marks the entrance of the fishing harbour of Lochinver.[7] Soyea Island has a yellow pedestal light on it.[8][9]

History

The name "Soyea" is Old Norse[7] and means "Sheep-isle"[10] or "Sea island".[11] In 1881 it was recorded as a pastoral islet.[12] In the 1920s, Soyea had a colony of Abraxas grossulariata (magpie moths) which were rare on the mainland.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Soyea Island". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  2. ^ "United Kingdom, Official Standard Names Approved by the United States Board on Geographic Names". United States. Office of Geography. 1950. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  3. ^ "Soyea Island". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  4. ^ "H.O. Pub, Issue 148". United States. Hydrographic Office. 1917. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  5. ^ Ardnamurchan to Cape Wrath. Clyde Cruising Club. 22 June 2017. ISBN 9781846239137. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  6. ^ "Rick Livingstone's Tables of the Islands of Scotland" (PDF). Argyll Yacht Charters. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  7. ^ a b The Scottish Islands: The Bestselling Guide to Every Scottish Island. Hamish Haswell-Smith. 2015. p. 188. ISBN 9781782116783. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  8. ^ "PUB. 114" (PDF). MSI. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  9. ^ "Navigation light on Soyea Island". Geograph Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  10. ^ Place names Highlands & Islands of Scotland. Alex. Macbain. 1922. ISBN 9785878525244. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  11. ^ "Transactions, Volumes 15-16". 1890. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  12. ^ "Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Soyea". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  13. ^ "The Entomologist, Volumes 55-57". Edward Newman. 1922. Retrieved 12 February 2019.

External links

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