Barrel of Butter

About

The Barrel of Butter, formerly known as Carlin Skerry, is a skerry in Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands.

The rock is old red sandstone of the Devonian period. There is no soil of any significance on it. Located in Scapa Flow, between Mainland and Cava, it has a section permanently above sea level. It is to the northeast of Cava, south of Orphir, and north of Flotta.

Formerly known as Carlin Skerry, the rock gained its strange name, not from its shape, or position, as is often the case, but from the annual rent paid on it, by the residents of Orphir. In return for a barrel of butter per year, they gained permission from the local laird to hunt the seals on it. On 21 June 1919, the waters between the Barrel of Butter and Cava became full of scuttled German ships, including the SMS Bayern, Markgraf, Cöln, Dresden and König. Some of these are still popular with divers.

List of lighthouses in Scotland List of Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses Gutter Sound

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