St Ninian's Isle

St Ninian's Isle is a small tied island connected by the largest tombolo in the UK to the south-western coast of the Mainland, Shetland, in Scotland. It is part of the civil parish of Dunrossness on the South Mainland. The tombolo, known locally as an ayre from the Old Norse for "gravel bank", is 500 metres long. During the summer the tombolo is above sea level and accessible to walkers. During winter, stronger wave action removes sand from the beach so that it is usually covered at high tide, and occasionally throughout the tidal cycle, until the sand is returned the following spring. Depending on the definition used, St. Ninian's is thus either an island, or a peninsula; it has an area of about 72 hectares.

St Ninian's Isle
Scottish Gaelic nameUnknown
Old Norse nameUnknown
Meaning of nameUnknown
Location
St Ninian's Isle
St Ninian's Isle shown within Scotland
OS grid referenceHU365210
Coordinates59.97°N 1.35°W / 59.97; -1.35
Physical geography
Island groupShetland
Areac. 72 ha
Area rankUnknown
Highest elevation53 m
Administration
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryScotland
Council areaShetland
Demographics
Populationlast inhabited 1796

The nearest settlement is Bigton, also in the parish of Dunrossness. The important early medieval St Ninian's Isle Treasure of metalwork, mostly in silver, was discovered under the church floor in 1958. Many seabirds, including puffins, visit the island, with several species nesting there.

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