Hildasay
Island in the Shetland Islands, Scotland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hildasay (Scots: Hildasay; Old Norse: Hildisey) (from the Old Norse masculine name Hildir with ey "island"),[5] also known as Hildisay, is an uninhabited island off the west coast of the Shetland Mainland.
| Scots name | Hildasay |
|---|---|
| Old Norse name | Hildasey |
| Meaning of name | battle island, or island of Hilda |
| Location | |
  Hildasay Hildasay shown within Scotland | |
| OS grid reference | HU355403 |
| Coordinates | 60.14°N 1.36°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Shetland |
| Area | 108 ha (267 acres) |
| Area rank | 146 [1] |
| Highest elevation | 32 m (105 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Shetland Islands |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 1 |
 | |
| References | [2][3][4][5] |
Geography and geology
Hildasay has an area of 108 hectares (267 acres), and is 32 metres (105 ft) in elevation at its highest point. It consists of red-green granite (epidotic syenite) that was quarried for many years.[3][6]
The south coast has two narrow inlets, Cusa Voe and Tangi Voe. "West", the larger of two lochs, has a single islet. A satellite island, Linga lies to the south east. A long line of skerries and holms lies to the north west.[3]
History
Hildasay has been uninhabited since the late nineteenth century, but as late as 1891 had a population of 30. The island's former industries included curing herring and quarrying granite. The remains of a railway line leading from the quarry to the harbour can still be seen.[6]
As of 2020 there was one house on the island, which was temporarily occupied by charity walker Chris Lewis and his dog Jet when movement restrictions were imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]
