The Skerries, Isle of Anglesey
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The Skerries (Welsh: Ynysoedd y Moelrhoniaid) (grid reference SH268948), coming from the Old Norse word sker, are a group of sparsely vegetated rocky islets (skerries), with a total area of about 17 hectares (42 acres) lying 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) offshore from Carmel Head at the northwest corner of Anglesey, Wales. The islands are important as a breeding site for seabirds, and they attract divers, who come to visit the numerous shipwrecks. The Skerries Lighthouse sits atop the highest point in the islands.
The islands can be visited by charter boat from Holyhead. The individual islets are accessible from one another at low tide and by small bridges.
The name "Skerry" is the Scottish diminutive of the Old Norse "sker", and means a small rocky reef or island.[1] The Welsh name for these islands, 'Ynysoedd y Moelrhoniaid', means "Islands of the Seals".[2] An alternative name provided by some English-language sources is 'St Daniel's Isle'.[3]
Seabirds
The islands have a
Because of these birds, in particular the terns, the island has been designated as part of the
Terns interchange regularly between all three sites, and form part of a larger
The site came to national attention among
Tidal power
The area between the islands and mainland Anglesey is the site of the planned Skerries Tidal Stream Array, being developed by Marine Current Turbines and RWE npower.
References
- ^ "skerry". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- ^ "moelrhon". Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
- ^ "moelrhon". Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
- ^ "Celebrating recent successes around Wales - RSPB Cymru Blog - We love Wales! - the RSPB Community".
- ^ "The Skerries RSPB". www.rspb.org.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
- ^ "SSSI Citation: The Skerries" (PDF). Natural Resources Wales. Retrieved 12 December 2018.