Lighthouse On Island Of Muckle Flugga An Island North Of Unst On History Visit To Shetland Islands

Tour Scotland short travel video clip, with Scottish music, of the lighthouse on the Island of Muckle Flugga a small rocky island North Of Unst on history visit to the Shetland Islands. It is often described as the northernmost point of the British Isles, but the smaller islet of Out Stack is actually further north. It used to be the northernmost inhabited island, but forfeited that accolade to Unst when Muckle Flugga Lighthouse was automated in 1995 and the last residents moved out. The name comes from Old Norse, Mikla Flugey, meaning " large steep sided island ". It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names. According to local folklore, Muckle Flugga and nearby Out Stack were formed when two giants, Herman and Saxa, fell in love with the same mermaid. They fought over her by throwing large rocks at each other, one of which became Muckle Flugga. To get rid of them, the mermaid offered to marry whichever one would follow her to the North Pole. They both followed her and drowned, as neither could swim. There were three Lightkeepers on the rock at any one time; each of the six Lightkeepers manning the station spending one month on and one month ashore. The Lightkeepers were relieved by helicopter which made trips to the lighthouse once every 2 weeks. Fresh water and any heavy stores are landed at the rock by the introduction of the service of the helicopter, reliefs were sometimes long overdue because of heavy seas which made a landing from the Attending Boat impossible. It could be said that the advent of the helicopter was the lightkeepers’ dream. It may be interesting to note that Robert Louis Stevenson, who was born in 1850, visited Muckle Flugga on 18 June 1869 with his father, Thomas Stevenson, Engineer to the Board and there is a school of thought that the Island of Unst influenced him in his writing of “ Treasure Island ”. Muckle Flugga Lighthouse was automated in March 1995. All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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