Hillswick
Hillswick is a small village in Northmavine, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean and lies to the north-north west of Mainland, Shetland, the most northerly group of islands in the United Kingdom. It is situated 35 mi (56 km) from Lerwick.[3] There is a community shop,[4] a blacksmith, a public hall, a health centre, and a Church of Scotland kirk that is now mainly used for funerals, weddings and christenings. There is a wildlife sanctuary, situated at the historic former Hanseatic trading booth on the seafront, a small private art gallery with occasional public exhibitions, and the St Magnus Bay Hotel which offers accommodation, bar and restaurant services. A large dairy and sheep farm takes up the spectacular peninsula called Hillswick Ness, but there is public access and a signed walking route. There is a modern primary school at nearby Urafirth. A small automatic lighthouse is located 1.5 miles south of Hillswick, at the tip of the Ness.
Hillswick | |
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The bay at Hillswick, looking across the bay with the main settlement on the far shore | |
Hillswick Location within Shetland | |
OS grid reference | HU280769 |
Civil parish | |
Council area | |
Lieutenancy area | |
Country | Scotland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | SHETLAND |
Postcode district | ZE2 |
Dialling code | 01806 |
Police | Scotland |
Fire | Scottish |
Ambulance | Scottish |
UK Parliament | |
Scottish Parliament | |
Hillswick Lighthouse Ura Firth Baa Taing | |
Coordinates | 60.453557°N 1.496517°W |
Constructed | 1895 (first) |
Foundation | concrete base |
Construction | metal skeletal tower |
Height | 5 metres (16 ft) |
Shape | quadrangular tower covered by aluminium panels with light on the top |
Markings | white tower |
Power source | solar power |
Operator | Northern Lighthouse Board[1] |
First lit | n/a (current) |
Focal height | 34 metres (112 ft) |
Range | white: 9 nautical miles (17 km; 10 mi) red: 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) [2] |
Characteristic | Fl (4) WR 15s. |
References
- Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Scotland: Shetland". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- Hillswick Light Lighthouse Explorer. Retrieved 30 May 2016
- "Overview of Hillswick". Scottish Places. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
- "Security Check Required". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 11 August 2017.