39-651: Lyness is a village on the east coast of the island of Hoy , Orkney , Scotland. The village is within the parish of Walls and Flotta, and is situated at the junction of the B9047 and B9048. During the 1920s Lyness was briefly the headquarters of the metal salvage firm of Cox and Danks 's raising of the German High Seas Fleet , scuttled by the Germans on 21 June 1919 during the Armistice ( Scuttling of
78-638: A crucial role in the Christianisation of Orkney. Although Christianity in the islands predated the Norse by a number of years, the Norse often remained pagan. Olaf Tryggvasson , King of Norway forced the Earl of Orkney, Sigurd Hloðvisson to be baptised at South Walls. Earl Sigurd accepted, and remained a nominal Christian the rest of his life. However, he did so under duress - King Olaf had many valas (Norse shamans ) executed by being tied and left on
117-474: A few gnarly trees across hills where sheep graze, a hamlet of rough and gentle Orkney folk an hour's walk away, my cat, my books, my rememberings." 58°51′N 3°18′W / 58.850°N 3.300°W / 58.850; -3.300 South Walls South Walls is a tidal island or peninsula at the southern end of Hoy in Orkney , Scotland. It is connected to the main body of Hoy , and to
156-587: A prominent stone building close to the west end of the causeway that links the two islands of Hoy and South Walls. It was stationed there as it meant that the lifeboat could be dragged over wooden skids into the sea in either North Bay, giving access to Scapa Flow, or in Aith Hope, an offshoot of the notorious Pentland Firth to the south. The shed continued to serve as the base of the Longhope lifeboat until 1906. The replacement lifeboat station stands slightly to
195-471: A skerry at ebb. This was a long and terrible wait for death, and perhaps Earl Sigurd expected a similar fate. Walter Stewart's "Chorographic Description" of Orkney and Shetland says of South Walls: Its south coast is gnawed at as if by a rabid dog by the Pentland Firth; its waves like so many teeth are strongly resisted by the very high and hard cliffs which stretch out before this island, and blunt
234-481: Is Hackness Martello Tower and Battery . The tower, together with another on the north side at Crockness on Hoy, was built in 1815 to protect British ships in the bay of Longhope against attack by American and French privateers, during the Napoleonic Wars , while they waited for a Royal Navy escort on their journey to Baltic ports. The towers were rearmed for World War I . Hackness Martello Tower and Battery
273-707: Is "a peninsula, sometimes described as an island." The island is part of the Hoy and West Mainland National Scenic Area , one of 40 in Scotland. The Dwarfie Stane lies in the north of the Rackwick valley and dates back to around 3000 BCE. It is unique in northern Europe, bearing similarity to Neolithic or Bronze Age tombs around the Mediterranean . The tomb has a small rectangular entrance and cleft, hence its name. The two most northerly Martello Towers in
312-515: Is also the name of a hamlet in the northwest of the island. At 14,318 ha (35,380 acres) in extent, Hoy is the 12th largest of Scotland's islands . It is also the "highest and wildest and wettest (1,500 mm (59 in) of rain) of all the Orkney islands". The Old Man of Hoy , a sea stack formed from Old Red Sandstone , can be found in the northwest on the Rackwick coast. It is one of
351-688: Is featured prominently in the 1984 music video for " Here Comes The Rain Again " by the Eurythmics . Hoy has a performing arts theatre, the Gable End Theatre, which opened in 2000 and has a capacity of 75. The theatre is managed by the Hoy and Walls drama community. Some rather incongruous Art Deco structures nearby date from this period. The Arts and Crafts architect William Lethaby rebuilt Melsetter house for mountaineer Thomas Middlemore at
390-475: Is important for its seabird assemblage, which regularly supports 120,000 individual seabirds during the breeding season. One of Orkney's few woodlands is found on Hoy, and is among the most northerly areas of woodland in the UK. Patches of the woodland are scattered across the island. There is the remote possibility of locally extant Orkney charr ( Salvelinus inframundus ) documented in 1908 at Heldale Water. Hoy
429-544: Is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland . Cantick Head is well known for its lighthouse designed and built by David and Thomas Stevenson and first lit in July 1858 and automated in 1991. South Walls has substantial remains from the Second World War , when Scapa Flow was used as a Royal Navy base. A lifeboat has been stationed on Hoy since 1874, at first housed in a prominent stone building close to
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#1732787486254468-469: Is more or less oval in shape, although there is a small promontory called Cantick Head in the southeast, overlooking Kirk Hope. It is separated from Hoy by the inlet of Longhope. The body of water south of the Ayre is known as Aith Hope. Although it is clear that South Walls is inhabited as it was not listed as an inhabited island by the census no reliable estimate of the current population is available. In
507-654: Is not clear from this definition in practice they list several separately that are joined to one another by bridges and causeways such as South Ronaldsay in Orkney or are tidal islands such as Eilean Shona and Erraid in the Hebrides . South Walls is listed in Livingstone's comprehensive Scottish island tables but the Gazetteer for Scotland states that it is "a peninsula, sometimes described as an island." Haswell-Smith states that South Walls "was an island" until
546-574: Is now considered by some writers as a peninsula attached to Hoy and by others as still being an island. Some examples are given below. Neither the 2001 or 2011 censuses mention South Walls in their lists of inhabited islands. In 2001 the General Register Office for Scotland defined an island as "a mass of land surrounded by water, separate from the Scottish mainland" and although the inclusion of islands linked man-made constructions
585-514: Is open land. Another, just east of the causeway that links the two islands of Hoy and South Walls, opened in November 1972 and closed in 1993. It was used by civilian aircraft solely and was operated by the airline Loganair ; it is also now open land, used as an emergency landing strip only. The first flight to a nearby island of Flotta on 1 March 1977 was recorded to have landed at Hoy. A lifeboat has been on Hoy since 1874, at first housed in
624-579: The Helen Comrie (a Tamar-class lifeboat ) and her predecessor The Queen Mother , which was based here between 2004 and 2006. A station has been built where the lifeboat is moored at Longhope which is also the main harbour for boats to and from the island. Barnacle geese regularly over-winter on South Walls with numbers often exceeding 1500. Many species of seabirds nest on the cliffs including razorbills , fulmar and guillemots . Butterflies such as meadow browns and common blues can be seen in
663-433: The shingle beach of the Ayre at low tide. The status of South Walls is now considered by some writers as a peninsula attached to Hoy and by others as still being an island. For example neither the 2001 or 2011 censuses mention South Walls in their lists of inhabited islands and Haswell-Smith states that South Walls "was an island" until the causeway over the Ayre was constructed. The Gazetteer for Scotland states that it
702-729: The German fleet in Scapa Flow ). During the Second World War it was home to HMS Proserpine , the main base for the naval fleet based at Scapa Flow . In 2010–2011 the Golden Wharf at Lyness Harbour was upgraded to host renewable energy projects, including the Pelamis Wave Energy Converter and the Wello Penguin . Today an Orkney Ferries Ro-Ro car ferry links it to Longhope on South Walls ,
741-589: The Hoy Trust for a nominal amount. Anastrepta orcadensis , a liverwort also known as Orkney Notchwort, was first discovered on Ward Hill by William Jackson Hooker in 1808. The northern and western parts of Hoy, along with much of the adjoining sea area, is designated as a Special Protection Area due to its importance for nine breeding bird species: arctic skua , fulmar , great black-backed gull , great skua, guillemot , Black-legged kittiwake , peregrine falcon , puffin and red-throated diver. The area
780-427: The Longhope lifeboat. This class was designed to stay permanently afloat, and the decision was taken to move her to purpose-built moorings at Longhope pier. The lifeboats that have served here since have also been stationed at Longhope, including the current vessel the Helen Comrie (a Tamar-class lifeboat ) and her predecessor The Queen Mother , which was based here between 2004 and 2006. A station has been built where
819-642: The UK stand here, built in 1814 to defend merchant shipping in the natural harbour of Longhope against privateers commissioned by United States President James Madison , who declared war in 1812. The main naval base for the British fleet in both the First and Second World Wars , Scapa Flow , was at Lyness in the southeast of the island. During the early years of the Second World War, up to 12,000 personnel were based in and around Lyness to support
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#1732787486254858-406: The bite. It enjoys from and in itself quite a good production of crops, pastures, fish sea- and land-birds, and ponies. There are very many buildings on it and very many spirited inhabitants, in particular a dwelling called Snelsetter to the south, and one called Melsetter to the west. It also has an anchorage for ships not far from Snelsetter, quite commodious. Overlooking Longhope in the north east
897-481: The causeway over the Ayre was constructed. For similar reasons he excludes Skye amongst others that are considered by others as having island status. South Walls features fairly prominently in the Norse period, partly because it was the first landfall when sailing from west Caithness or Sutherland . It and North Walls were known to the Norsemen as Vágaland , the land of voes or bays. South Walls also played
936-463: The defences of the naval anchorage at Scapa Flow and the ships that used it. To support this huge population, hundreds of accommodation huts were built in a number of camps around Lyness. A large wharf was built (known as the Golden Wharf because of its huge cost) along with a series of piers and slipways. Offices, workshops, stores and recreational buildings were erected, including a cinema, a theatre and several churches. An earlier headquarters building
975-464: The district of North Walls, by a thin neck of land known as the Ayre . Its largest settlement is Longhope , which lies on a long natural harbour of the same name. Both North and South Walls belong to the civil parish of Walls and Flotta . South Walls is a popular stopping off place for barnacle geese . The Norse name of Vágaland, meaning "land of bays" applied to both what is now South Walls and
1014-410: The end of the 19th century, leaving untouched the adjacent barn which is probably mid-18th century. In Poul Anderson 's story "The Bitter Bread" the protagonist lives in secluded retirement on Hoy. There is a description of the island: "Steep red and yellow cliffs, sea green in sunlight or gray under clouds until it breaks in whiteness and thunder, gulls riding a cold loud wind, inland the heather and
1053-437: The island (and the whole archipelago) is in the north at Ward Hill , which stands at 481 metres (1,578 ft). There is a trig point at the summit. The main settlements on the island are Lyness, Rackwick and Quoyness. Longhope is a village on neighbouring South Walls . A road linking Hoy to South Walls was constructed towards the end of the 19th century. Prior to that time the latter had only been accessible by land across
1092-428: The island and four churches, suggesting a much larger population. Despite the larger population there was no paved road between the north of the island and the south, only a footpath. There was, however, an unsurfaced road between the two villages on the north of the isle; Rackwick and Moaness. Orkney Ferries operate two services to Hoy: The Hoy and Walls Community Bus provides a regular timetabled bus service across
1131-741: The island of Flotta in Scapa Flow , and Houton on Mainland, Orkney . Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery was opened in 1915 primarily to serve the Scapa Flow base (which closed in 1946). Buried there are 445 Empire and Commonwealth service personnel, chiefly Royal Navy , from World War I (109 of whom are unidentified) and 200 from World War II (8 unidentified). There are also buried here 14 German Navy sailors and 4 other German service personnel including an unidentified Luftwaffe airman, and one Norwegian war grave. There are also 30 British non-war service burials (including 2 unidentified British Army soldiers). Major naval ship losses represented among
1170-459: The islands of Hoy and Walls. The buses go from Moaness on Hoy to Hackness on South Walls, via Linksness, Lyness, North Walls, Brims , and Longhope. There have been two airfields on South Walls, perhaps due to its connections with the navy. One on the southern coast (Snelsetter) which opened in August 1934 and was closed at the end of World War Two; it was used by military and civil aircraft, and now
1209-461: The lifeboat is moored at Longhope which is also the main harbour for boats to and from the island. In Norse mythology , Hoy hosted Hjaðningavíg , the never-ending battle between Heðin and Högni. Hoy is an Important Bird Area . The northern part of the island is an RSPB reserve due to its importance for birdlife, particularly great skuas and red-throated divers . It was sold to the RSPB by
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1248-403: The past various descriptions suggest that South Walls was usually considered to be an island. The Vision of Britain map of 1856 shows a drying gap between the islands of Hoy and South Walls. A road linking South Walls to Hoy was constructed towards the end of the 19th century. Prior to that time it had only been accessible by land across the shingle beach of the Ayre at low tide. Its status
1287-484: The sea. The dramatic coastline of Hoy can be seen by visitors travelling to Orkney by ferry from the Scottish mainland. It has some of the highest sea cliffs in the UK at St John's Head, which reach 350 metres (1,150 ft). The name Hoy comes from the Norse word Háey meaning "high island". It is therefore not surprising that the island of Hoy is the most mountainous in the Orkney archipelago . The highest point on
1326-603: The south of the original station cost £2,700 to build in 1906 and was in use until 1999. On 17 March 1969 whilst based here, the lifeboat T.G.B. (ON 962) capsized while on service to the Liberian vessel Irene . Her entire crew of eight lost their lives. This station is now the home of the Longhope Lifeboat Museum , which has on display lifeboat Thomas McCunn , stationed here from 1933 to 1962. In 2000 an Arun-class lifeboat , Sir Max Aitken II became
1365-494: The southern portion of nearby Hoy. Over time this became Scots : Wais (variously spelled) for the whole area and Scots : Sooth Waas meaning "southern bays" for the island. As for Kirkwall , early cartographers assumed "waa" was a local pronunciation of "wall", hence the modern name. South Walls, like most of the Orkney archipelago, is made up of old red sandstone , with the Rousay flagstone group predominating. It
1404-493: The tallest stacks in the United Kingdom at a height of 137 metres (449 ft). The Old Man is popular with climbers, and was first climbed in 1966. Created by the erosion of a cliff through hydraulic action sometime after 1750, the stack is no more than a few hundred years old, and a painting from 1817 shows the stack with an arch at the bottom which has now further eroded and no longer remains. It may soon collapse into
1443-401: The war graves include: Hoy, Orkney Hoy (from Old Norse Háey , meaning "high island") is an island in Orkney , Scotland, measuring 143 square kilometres (55 sq mi) – the second largest in the archipelago , after Mainland . A natural causeway, the Ayre , links the island to the smaller South Walls ; the two islands are treated as one entity by the UK census. Hoy
1482-407: The west end of the causeway that links the two islands of Hoy and South Walls. In 2000 an Arun-class lifeboat , Sir Max Aitken II became the Longhope lifeboat. This class was designed to stay permanently afloat, and the decision was taken to move her to purpose-built moorings at Longhope pier. The lifeboats that have served here since have also been stationed at Longhope, including the current vessel
1521-441: Was replaced in 1943 by an imposing concrete HQ and communications centre, also sited high on Wee Fea, which now serves as a hotel. Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery is around 1 kilometre (1,100 yd) inland from the naval base and has an area of around 10,000 square metres (110,000 sq ft). Although the population of Hoy is now only around 400, there was a much larger population in the past. In 1890 there were four schools on
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