Noss Head
Headland on the north-east coast of Scotland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Noss Head is a headland on the north-west coast of Scotland that overlooks Sinclairs Bay. It lies approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north-east of Wick in Caithness, in the Highland council area of Scotland.
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| Noss Head MPA | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Noss Head seen from the west | |
  The location of Noss Head within Caithness. | |
| Location | Caithness, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 58.479°N 3.0509°W |
| Area | 800 ha (2,000 acres)[1] |
| Designation | Scottish Government |
| Established | 2014 |
| Operator | Marine Scotland |
Noss Head was first mentioned in the historical record as early as the 2nd century AD by Greek geographer Ptolemaios as Verubium Promontorium.[2]
Noss Head Lighthouse
Noss Head Lighthouse first entered service in 1849, and consists of an 18-metre-high (59 ft) cylindrical tower, which is painted white. It supports a single gallery and a lantern with a black cupola. It is notable as being the first lighthouse that was built with a diagonally paned lantern room. In 1987 the light was converted to automatic operation. The lighthouse is still owned and operated by the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB).[3]
Marine Protected Area
A sea area of 800 ha (3.1 sq mi) off Noss Head has been designated as a Marine Protected Area (MPA) since 2014.[1] It is home to the largest bed of horse mussels known in Scottish waters, which lies at a depth of between 35 and 45 m below sea level. Living amongst the mussel beds are many other species, including soft corals, tubeworms, barnacles, sea firs, and sea mats, brittlestars, crabs, worms and molluscs.[4]
The MPA is designated a Category IV protected area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.[5]
