Barra Head

About

Barra Head, also known as Berneray (Scottish Gaelic: Beàrnaraigh), is the southernmost island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. Within the Outer Hebrides, it forms part of the Barra Isles archipelago. Originally, Barra Head only referred to the southernmost headland of Berneray but is now a common name for the entire island. The highest point of the island is Sotan, a Marilyn. There are numerous prehistoric structures on the island and permanent occupation by 20–50 individuals occurred throughout the historic period, peaking in the 19th century. The economy of the residents was based on agriculture, fishing and fowling. The cliffs provide nesting sites for seabirds in such profusion that Berneray has been designated as a Special Protection Area. The Barra Head Lighthouse, designed by Robert Stevenson, has operated since 1833. From 1931 to 1980 Barra Head was inhabited only by the lighthouse keepers and their wives but the lighthouse is now automated and the island completely uninhabited. The rough seas that surround the island have been used to test prototype lifeboats.

The derivation of the modern name is straightforward, the Old Norse name meaning "Bjorn's island" becoming Beàrnaraigh in Gaelic and then "Berneray" as an anglicisation. However, as is often the case with Hebridean island names, there are a number of additional complications. There are two fuller Gaelic names – Beàrnaraigh Cheann Bharraigh and Beàrnaraigh an Easbaig meaning "Berneray of Barra Head" and "Berneray of the Bishop" respectively. The former refers to Barra Head the southernmost promontory of the island and the latter name is a reference to the "Bishop's Isles" an alternative name for the "Barra Isles", of which archipelago Berneray is a member. "Barra Head" alone is an English language alternative to Berneray for the island name. The Inverness-shire Ordnance Survey Name Book, volume 2, of 1876–1878, notes that "The Island of Berneray is sometimes called Barra Head but Berneray is the correct designation."

Berneray lies to the west of the Sea of the Hebrides and south of Mingulay across the Sound of Berneray, which has a strong tidal stream. The wedge-shaped island is 3 kilometres (1+3⁄4 miles) long and 1.3 km (3⁄4 mi) wide. The topography lacks variety, there being no valley or bays and the few streams are very small. Most of the island consists of gneiss, although the lighthouse was constructed of rock from a small granite quarry. The seabed to the west is a continuation of the gneiss platform with a depth of between 120 and 140 metres (390 and 460 ft). The sea floor is largely devoid of sand and there is some evidence of scouring by icebergs. This rocky platform extends south of Barra Head by at least 50 km (30 mi). Due to glacial action the sea channel to the east is significantly deeper than the open ocean to the west, reaching up to 365 m (1,198 ft). The rocky north coast has a small landing place at Leac na Fealia to the west and a small jetty at Achduin further east. From there a track leads westward and upward across the slope of the island to the lighthouse. To the west of Achduin the land is relatively flat and low-lying, the area known as "The Aird" ending at Nisam Point which overlooks the little islands of Rubha Niosaim and Sgeir Mhor.

The south coast is dominated by high cliffs, which rise to 190 m (620 ft) at Skate Point (Rubha Sgait) in the south west. Barra Head itself is the southern prominence located mid-way along the south coast. The highest point of the island is Sotan, a Marilyn whose summit lies above high cliffs between Barra Head and Skate Point. This eminence is easily reached from the track that leads from Achduin to the lighthouse that passes just to the north of the summit, which is only 3 m (10 ft) from the cliff edge. The skerry of Bird Rock guards the coast far below. The lighthouse is located near the prominence of Sròn an Duin, just east of Skate Point and above the narrow chasm of Sloc na Bèiste (ravine of the monster). Visiting in 1868 H. J. Elwes wrote:

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.