Mainland, Shetland

Mainland is the main island of the Shetland Islands in Scotland. On this island is the only Pittsburgh ( free city ) of the Shetlands: Lerwick. Mainland with its ferry and the airport in Sumburgh the transportation hub of the Shetlands.

The island is about 76 × 28 km in size with an area of 970 km ²; it reaches a height of 449 meters in the north and 293 meters to the south, and has 17.750 inhabitants.

Mainland is generally divided into four parts. The elongated southern peninsula (south of Lerwick ) consists of moorland and farmland. There are many important archaeological sites. The center of the island consists of farmland and some wooded areas. The west of the island and the north of the center of the island - especially the Northmavine Peninsula - are pretty wild and consist of bogs and coastal cliffs. In the north, Mainlands is the Sullom Voe Bay is the largest oil terminal in Europe, a significant source of revenue for the Shetland Islands, from where the oil from the oil fields Brent and Ninian is shipped, which however, have already passed their peak oil far.

The island is rich in prehistoric testimonies: Stanydale Temple, Duns and Promontory Forts, but especially Broch, among which stand out the Broch on Mousa, Clickhimin and Jarlshof. Near the Steatitbrüche of Cunningsburgh found Oghamsteine ​​, rune stones and a Pictish symbol stone.

Other settlements on Mainland are:

  • Aith
  • Brae
  • Bridge of Walls
  • Leven Wick
  • Scalloway
  • Vidlin
  • Walls ( Shetland )
  • Sumburgh
East Burra Borough Runestone Pictish stone Balta, Shetland Bressay West Burra Fair Isle Fetlar Foula Muckle Flugga Muckle Roe Noss Out Stack Papa Stour Trondra Unst Vaila Whalsay Yell, Shetland
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