|
Gress
Gress ( gd, Griais), a hamlet on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, is adjacent to the larger village of Back. Gress is within the parish of Stornoway. Between 1919 and 1921, Gress – along with nearby Coll and Tong – was the scene of several land raids. Historical sites The corn mill at Gress was built in the 19th century and used until the early 20th century. The two-storey building is in a state of ruin. There is a millstone still present. Geography and geology Gress is situated on the B895, between Stornoway and North Tolsta. Nature The moorland to the north of Gress is a breeding site for Arctic and great skua in the summer. The Iceland gull and the brent goose can be seen at Gress. The garden tiger moth has also been seen at Gress. See also * Lewis and Harris * History of the Outer Hebrides The Hebrides were settled early on in the settlement of the British Isles, perhaps as early as the Mesolithic era, around 8500–8250 BC, after the climatic conditions improved ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coll, Lewis
Coll ( gd, Col) is a farming settlement near Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Coll is situated on the B895, between Stornoway and New Tolsta, and is also within the parish of Stornoway. History From 1888 to 1921, Coll and the nearby farmlands of Tong and Gress were the scene of several land raids. This made them the focus of a wider conflict between the people of Lewis, its owners, and the government. During the 19th century Lewis, like many rural areas of Scotland, became impoverished and depopulated. This was the result of deliberate evictions of tenant farmers by the landowners (the Highland Clearances), harsh living conditions, outright famine in some years, and voluntary emigration in hopes of a better life elsewhere. Towards the start of the 20th century the British government attempted to reverse this trend, by providing land for small farm settlements, allotments or crofts, and by improving the conditions of land tenure. There was also a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Back, Lewis
Back ( gd, Am Bac) is a district and a village on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, situated on a coastal area known as Loch a'Tuath, or Broad Bay. Back is within the parish of Stornoway, and is situated on the B895. The village/district utilises the motto "Tre Dhilseachd Buaidh" (Through Loyalty Success) as seen on the crest of Back FC. District villages The district of Back comprises a number of villages, all of which are on the coast of Broadbay. These are: Gearraidh Ghuirm, Upper Coll, Coll, Inner Coll, Vatisker, Back and Gress. Transport The district of Back is located approximately five miles from Stornoway by road, and is accessed by the B895 from its junction with the A857 north of Stornoway. The District of Back is served by the W5 bus route (Mon-Saturday only). Timetables available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20140413125034/http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/travel/busservice/current/indexlh.asp Back school - Sgoil a'Bhac Sgoil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isle Of Lewis
The Isle of Lewis ( gd, Eilean Leòdhais) or simply Lewis ( gd, Leòdhas, ) is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides archipelago in Scotland. The two parts are frequently referred to as if they were separate islands. The total area of Lewis is . Lewis is, in general, the lower-lying part of the island: the other part, Harris, is more mountainous. Due to its larger area and flatter, more fertile land, Lewis contains three-quarters of the population of the Western Isles, and the largest settlement, Stornoway. The island's diverse habitats are home to an assortment of flora and fauna, such as the golden eagle, red deer and seal, and are recognised in a number of conservation areas. Lewis has a Presbyterian tradition and a rich history. It was once part of the Norse Kingdom of the Isles. Today, life is very different from elsewhere in Scotland, with Sabbath observance, the Scottish Gaelic language and peat cutting retainin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tong, Lewis
Tong (; gd, Tunga) is a village on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, northeast of the main town of Stornoway on the B895 road to Back and Tolsta. The population of the village is 527 ( 2001 census). Fishing forms part of the local economy. History Between 1919 and 1921, Tong, along with nearby Coll and Gress, was the scene of several land raids. (See the Coll, Lewis article for more). Facilities The village has a community centre with a football pitch and a primary school. Its religious establishments include a Free Church of Scotland mission house and a Scottish Episcopal Church meeting house. On 6 August 2014 The Tong Shop (Bùth Thunga) opened in the former Episcopal Church building. The shop is open from Monday to Saturday and it sells a range of essentials such as milk and bread, as well as local produce such as vegetables and Stornoway black pudding. Culture and sport Every July the Lewis Highland Games and Western Isles Strongest man are held at the community ce ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
B895 Road
The B895 road is a road of northeastern Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It connects the A857 road at Newmarket, just to the north of Laxdale Bridge, to Bail' Ùr Tholastaidh) to the east of Loch Diridean and is long. In August 2008, the 30 mph speed limit of the road was increased to 40 mph speed limit. The road passes the villages of Newmarket, Tong, Gearraidh Ghuirm, Back, Gress and North Tolsta North Tolsta ( gd, Tolastadh bho Thuath) is a village in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, on the east side of the Isle of Lewis. North Tolsta is within the parish of Stornoway. Tolsta is notable for its long sandy beach Traigh Mhor At the end of .... References Roads in Scotland Isle of Lewis {{Scotland-road-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
History Of The Outer Hebrides
The Hebrides were settled early on in the settlement of the British Isles, perhaps as early as the Mesolithic era, around 8500–8250 BC, after the climatic conditions improved enough to sustain human settlement. There are examples of structures possibly dating from up to 3000 BC, the finest example being the standing stones at Callanish, but some archaeologists date the site as Bronze Age. Little is known of the people who settled in the Hebrides but they were likely of the same Celtic stock that had settled in the rest of Scotland. Settlements at Northton, Harris, have both Beaker & Neolithic dwelling houses, the oldest in the Western Isles, attesting to the settlement. Celtic Era The earliest written mention of the Outer Hebrides was by the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus in 55 BC. He wrote that there was an island called Hyperborea (which means "Far to the North") where a round temple stood from which the moon appeared only a little distance above the earth every 19 year ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lewis And Harris
Lewis and Harris ( gd, Leòdhas agus na Hearadh, sco, Lewis an Harris), or Lewis with Harris, is a single Scottish island in the Outer Hebrides, divided by mountains. It is the largest island in Scotland and the third largest in the British Isles, after Great Britain and the island of Ireland, with an area of , which is approximately 1% of the area of Great Britain. The northern two-thirds is called Lewis and the southern third Harris; each is frequently referred to as if it were a separate island. Etymology The island does not have a one-word name in either English or Scottish Gaelic, and is referred to as "Lewis and Harris", "Lewis with Harris", "Harris with Lewis" etc. Rarely used is the collective name of "the Long Island" ( gd, an t-Eilean Fada), although that epithet is sometimes applied to the entire archipelago of the Outer Hebrides, including the Uist group of islands and Barra. Geography Lewis–Harris boundary The boundary between Lewis and Harris runs fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Garden Tiger Moth
The garden tiger moth or great tiger moth (''Arctia caja'') is a moth of the family Erebidae. ''Arctia caja'' is a northern species found in the US, Canada, and Europe. The moth prefers cold climates with temperate seasonality, as the larvae overwinter, and preferentially chooses host plants that produce pyrrolizidine alkaloids. However, garden tiger moths are generalists, and will pick many different plants to use as larval host plants. The conspicuous patterns on its wings serve as a warning to predators because the moth's body fluids are poisonous. Their effects are not yet fully known, but these toxins contain quantities of neurotoxic choline esters which act by interfering with the acetylcholine receptor. The colours are also ideal for frightening predators such as small birds—the moth normally hides its hindwings under the cryptic forewings when resting. Between stored toxins, conspicuous warning coloration, and sound cues that are generated mostly as a response to bats, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brant Goose
The brant or brent goose (''Branta bernicla'') is a small goose of the genus ''Branta''. There are three subspecies, all of which winter along temperate-zone sea-coasts and breed on the high-Arctic tundra. The Brent oilfield was named after the species. Description The brant is a small goose with a short, stubby bill. It measures long, across the wings and weighs . The under-tail is pure white, and the tail black and very short (the shortest of any goose). The species is divided into three subspecies: * Dark-bellied brant goose ''B. b. bernicla'' (Linnaeus, 1758) * Pale-bellied brant goose ''B. b. hrota'' ( Müller, 1776) (also known as light-bellied brent goose in Europe, and Atlantic brant in North America) * Black brant goose ''B. b. nigricans'' (Lawrence, 1846) (sometimes also known as the Pacific brant in North America) Some DNA evidence suggests that these forms are genetically distinct; while a split into three separate species has been proposed, it is not wide ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iceland Gull
The Iceland gull (''Larus glaucoides'') is a medium-sized gull that breeds in the Arctic regions of Canada and Greenland, but not in Iceland (as its name suggests), where it is only seen during winter. The genus name is from Latin ''larus'', which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird. The specific name ''glaucoides'' denotes its resemblance to ''Larus glaucus'', a synonym of ''Larus hyperboreus'', the glaucous gull; ''-oides'' is Ancient Greek and means "resembling". Description The Iceland gull is a medium-sized gull, although relatively slender and light in weight. In length, it can measure from , wingspan is from , and weight is from . Among standard measurements, the wing chord is , the bill is , and the tarsus is . It is smaller and thinner-billed than the very large glaucous gull, and is usually smaller than the herring gull. It takes four years to reach maturity. Call The call is a "laughing" cry like the herring gull, but higher pitched. Ecolog ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Great Skua
The great skua (''Stercorarius skua''), sometimes known by the name bonxie in Britain, is a large seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is roughly the size of a herring gull. It mainly eats fish caught at the sea surface or taken from other birds. Taxonomy The great skua was described from the Faroe Islands and Iceland by the Danish zoologist Morten Thrane Brünnich in 1764 under the binomial name ''Catharacta skua''. It is now placed in the genus '' Stercorarius'' that was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760. The English name and species name "skua" is believed to originate from the Faroese ''skúvur'' or ''skúgvur'' and is the only known bird name to originate from the Faroes that has come into regular use elsewhere. In Britain, it is sometimes known by the name bonxie, a Shetland name of Norse origin. The genus name ''Stercorarius'' is Latin and means "of dung"; the food disgorged by other birds when pursued by skuas was onc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Parasitic Jaeger
The parasitic jaeger (''Stercorarius parasiticus''), also known as the Arctic skua, Arctic jaeger or parasitic skua, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is a migratory species that breeds in Northern Scandinavia, Scotland, Iceland, Greenland, Northern Canada, Alaska, and Siberia and winters across the southern hemisphere. Kleptoparasitism is a major source of food for this species during migration and winter, and is where the name is derived from. Etymology The word "jaeger" is derived from the German word ''Jäger'', meaning "hunter". The English "skua" comes from the Faroese name ''skúgvur'' for the great skua, with the island of Skúvoy known for its colony of that bird. The general Faroese term for skuas is ''kjógvi'' . The genus name ''Stercorarius'' is Latin and means "of dung"; the food disgorged by other birds when pursued by skuas was once thought to be excrement. The specific ''parasiticus'' is from Latin and means "parasitic". Description Iden ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
