Hoy and West Mainland National Scenic Area
Hoy and West Mainland National Scenic Area | |
---|---|
Orkney, Scotland | |
Coordinates | 58°56′N 3°12′W / 58.94°N 3.20°W |
Area | 244 km2 (94 sq mi)[1] |
Established | 1981 |
Governing body | NatureScot |
Hoy and West Mainland is a
National scenic areas are primarily designated due to the scenic qualities of an area, however NSAs may well have other special qualities, for example related to culture, history, archaeology, geology or wildlife. Areas with such qualities may be protected via other national and international designations that overlap with the NSA designation.[4] Hoy and West Mainland includes one of the six World Heritage Sites in Scotland, and there are several Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas within the NSA.[5]
Creation of the national scenic area
Following the
Although the national scenic area designation provides a degree of additional protection via the planning process, there are no bodies equivalent to a national park authority,[9] and whilst local authorities (in this case Orkney Islands Council) can produce a management strategy for each one, only the three national scenic areas within Dumfries and Galloway have current management strategies.[10]
Landscape and scenery
- Main articles: Hoy, Mainland, Orkney and Heart of Neolithic Orkney
The bold, rounded hills of North Hoy are a dominant feature across the area, and contrast with the pastoral landscape of West Mainland.[11] Human activity has played an important part in producing the current landscape, with the neolithic monuments of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney sitting at the heart of the scattered farm steadings and stone dykes surrounding the Loch of Stenness.[11]
The dramatic coastline of Hoy greets visitors travelling to Orkney by ferry from the Scottish mainland. It has extremes of many kinds: some of the highest sea cliffs in the UK at St John's Head, which reach 350 m;
West Mainland by contrast presents a softer landscape, described by SNH as "a palimpsest of geology, topography, archaeology and land use".[11] The area shows evidence of having been settled and farmed for many thousands of years. The view of the town of Stromness, and its link with the sea were also identified as "special qualities" of the area by Scottish Natural Heritage.[11]
The national scenic area includes the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, a group of Neolithic monuments found in the West Mainland portion of the area. The name was adopted by UNESCO when it proclaimed these sites as a World Heritage Site in 1999. The site of patrimony currently consists of four sites:
- Maeshowe – a unique chambered cairn and passage grave, aligned so that its central chamber is illuminated on the winter solstice. It was looted by Vikings who left one of the largest collections of runic inscriptions in the world.[14]
- Skara Brae – a cluster of eight houses making up Northern Europe’s best-preserved Neolithic village.[18]
There are also neolithic remains on Hoy, the most prominent of which is a megalithic
Conservations designations
There are three Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) within the NSA:
- The entire Hoy portion of the NSA is designated as an SAC, primarily for its upland and coastal habitats.[22]
- 638 ha of heath and coast to the northwest of Stromness is designated as an SAC due to its fens, heaths and vegetated sea cliffs.[23]
- The Loch of Stenness is designated as an SAC due to its marine species (including marine mammals).[24]
The Hoy portion of the NSA, along with much of the adjoining sea area, is designated as a
References
- ^ a b "National Scenic Areas - Maps". SNH. 20 December 2010. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ "Hoy and West Mainland National Scenic Area". NatureScot. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "National Scenic Areas". NatureScot. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "The special qualities of the National Scenic Areas" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. 2010. p. 2. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ a b "Sitelink - Map Search". NatureScot. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "History Leading to the Cairngorms National Park". Cairngorms National Park Authority. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- ^ "National Scenic Areas Review" (PDF). SNH. 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
- ^ "National Scenic Areas: background, guidance and policy". NatureScot. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "Development management and National Scenic Areas". NatureScot. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "National Scenic Areas (NSAs)". Dumfries and Galloway council. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ a b c d "The special qualities of the National Scenic Areas" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. 2010. pp. 286–294. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
- ^ IUCN Red List
- ^ "Maeshowe". Orkneyjar. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ "The Standing Stones o' Stenness". Orkneyjar. Retrieved 16 September 2008.
- ^ ISBN 9781841585963..
- ^ " The Ring o' Brodgar, Stenness ". Orkneyjar. Retrieved 16 September 2008.
- ^ "Skara Brae Prehistoric Village" Historic Scotland. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
- ^ "The Dwarfie Stane, Hoy" Orkneyjar. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
- ISBN 0-7153-6305-0.
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Hoy, Dwarfie Stane (1597)". Canmore.
- ^ "Hoy SAC". NatureScot. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "Stromness Heaths and Coast SAC". NatureScot. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "Loch of Stenness SAC". NatureScot. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "Hoy SPA". NatureScot. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "SPA Description (Hoy)". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. 21 July 2005. Retrieved 21 March 2018.