Where are the Hebrides?

A large group of islands located onNorthwest Europe, called the British. In addition to Great Britain and Ireland, the Hebrides are also part of this archipelago. In the fall of 2015, they were widely heard by many, since on October 21 near the Hebrides, the first in Europe training interception of a ballistic missile was carried out.

Nook of Nature

The archipelago is located off the west coast of Scotland. The two chains in the Atlantic Ocean are separated by the Hebrides Sea and the Nord-Minch and Little Minch Straits. Just over 500 rocky and mostly high islands and islets, of which only 100 are inhabited, are divided into the Outer Hebrides (one chain) and the Internal (second chain).

What is the surface of these northernlands? Of the total area of ​​7.2 thousand square meters. km, lakes owns 1.6 thousand square meters. km The rest of the surface is mostly rocky or marshy. There are many peatlands on the marshy plains. In addition, there are lava fields, there are trogs and carrs - traces of ancient glaciation. On some islands, such as Skya, there are low mountains, slightly exceeding 1,000 meters above sea level.

Fans of harsh beauty

Hebrides, often called“Archipelago at the edge of the earth”, “the kingdom of wind and waves”, is very impressive with its harsh northern beauty. Windblown boulders took amazing and bizarre shapes, resembling gigantic sculptures, rising straight from the foamy waves. Not everyone likes this beauty, but tourism is one of the revenues of the local budget, along with fishing, farming and the oil industry.

UK region

External and Internal Hebrides have differentadministrative submission. The Western Isles or Nah-Elenan Shear region is the Western, or Outer, Hebrides. Scotland, of which they are part, has owned these territories since 1266. According to the Perth Peace Treaty, the Outer Hebrides were transferred to her by Norway. This document stopped the long rivalry between the two countries for the right over the islands.

The kingdom of Scotland itself was independent from 854in 1707 But then it became the region of Great Britain and, judging by the recent referendum, it won’t soon be granted freedom and independence. Based on this fact, all the islands belonging to Scotland are still part of the UK.

Scottish most western islands

Western link of the archipelago, that is, ExternalThe Hebrides, consists of 15 islands, on which there is a permanent population, and dozens of uninhabited land areas. The Western Hebrides are separated from the Hebrides and Great Britain by the Hebrides Sea and the Nord-Minch Strait. This area includes an uninhabited rock located to the north. The right to the Rockall is disputed in Scotland by the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland and Iceland. Lewis and Harris, Nord-Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra are the largest parts of the archipelago known as the Outer Hebrides.

Small islands of the western link

In addition to small rocks rising from the waves and skerries, this part includes the islands of Flann, a small archipelago located 23 kilometers north of the largest land area of ​​Lewis and Gariss.

The islands of Flann are uninhabited since 1971. Another deserted archipelago, abandoned by the population in 1930, is located 64 km west of Nord-Uist. He is called St. Kilda. Rona and Sulisker are significantly distant islands from the main mass, and they also belong to the Outer Hebrides.

Local features

Of course, from the whole tourist flow,Directed to Scotland, the 119 islands are the most visited. But if travelers get here, to one of the 32 regions of Scotland, they are waiting for the classic beauty of the north-west of this country. Under it means amazing castles of ancient Scottish genera, white beaches, hills and heaths, green meadows and thickets of stunted birch. Here the traditions of Gaelic Scotland and old taste preferences are preserved - strong alcohol and dense, nourishing food. But tourists can also be attracted by bird bazaars, observation of seal rookeries and whales.

Landmarks and artifacts

All Hebrides are primarily famousits dark monumental ancient castles, such as Kimisul and Dunstaffneyge, Skipness and Danolley. Beautiful Benedictine monastery on Iona and the cathedral in Saddela. The islands have preserved places of worship of ancient Aboriginal cults, the most prominent of which is Callanish. It is just located on the territory of the Outer Hebrides, on the island of Lewis.

This megalithic group is the largest monument.Neolithic era in the British Isles, although due to its remoteness it is not as famous as Stonehenge and Avebury. Here, on the largest land plot of the Outer Hebrides in 1831, a unique artifact was found, known as “Chess from Lewis Island”. They are 76 figurines cut out of a walrus tusk presumably in the XII century by carvers from Trondheim (Nidaros), the third largest city in Norway.

The largest island of all Hebrides

It is necessary to clarify thatis the island of Lewis. This is one of the parts of the largest island of Lewis and Harris, an area of ​​2179 square meters. km Historically, these two areas, Lewis and Harris, are called islands, although this is not true.

The administrative center and the largest populationThe point of the Outer Hebrides is Stornoway (population over 19,000). It is here that is located itself a large factory for the production of "Harris Tweed" - local fabric. There are 4 km from Stornoway Airport, which has direct flights from Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Amazing nature of the Hebrides(photos are attached to the material). It should be noted that on the island of Lewis there are alpine lakes. Their fresh water, flowing, rushing into the ocean on a wide rocky ledges. One such terrace called Grimersta is one of the main attractions of this island.

Domestic Hebrides

The internal, or British, Hebrides are located along the coast of Great Britain. The largest of them is Skye.

These islands are also the Perth Treatymoved to Scotland, but in 1707 they were taken from her and became part of the British kingdom. The total area related to the Inner Hebrides is 4 158 thousand square kilometers, the population living here permanently exceeds 19 000 people.

The most beautiful island

The largest of the Inner Hebrides isthe aforementioned island of Skye with an area of ​​1656 square meters. km This is followed by Mull (875), Islay (620), and so on. Skye enters the small archipelago known as Ascrib Island. An interesting site to visit is the tidal island of Sunday. A tidal land is a piece of land that is separated from the mainland or a neighboring island by an artificial or natural channel disappearing at low tide hours. And at the very picturesque Kanna Island, located next to Sandy Island, at low tide hours, you can navigate by watts - coastal shoals, exposed with water outflow. The island of Aow is extremely beautiful with basalt slopes. And how impressive is Dunvegan Castle, located on the Isle of Skye!

Most visited by tourists

The Hebrides (photos are presented in the article), and Skye especially, are very picturesque.

This island is connected in 1995 with a large land.by the bridge. In addition, the ferry crossing connecting the port of Mallaj with the island is always at the service of tourists. Skye is called "Scotland in miniature." It should be noted that the production of woolen fabrics - tweed - is developed in this whole area of ​​the British Isles. Therefore, the sheep, from the wool of which it is made, are found here in large quantities. The inner islands boast the Fingal Cave (Staffa Island). She was so impressed with Felix Mendelssohn who visited here in 1829 that he wrote a concert overture entitled “The Hebrides, or Fingal's Cave”.

Hebrides nature

As noted above, the edge whereThe Hebrides (the northern water area of ​​the Atlantic Ocean) is very severe - the average January temperature is 4–6 degrees Celsius, and July – 12–14 degrees Celsius. It often rains, precipitation falls up to 2000 mm per year. The weather can change dramatically within half an hour. And, of course, constant winds blow here. As for the local flora and fauna, somewhat poor in comparison with the large British Isles, it can boast of several species found only in this territory and listed in the Red Book. This is a long-sealed seal, and klushitsa, white-tailed eagle, common chistik.