Saint Kilda

Alternate use: St Kilda, suburb of Melbourne.

The Saint Kilda archipelago in the North Atlantic is at the outermost limits of the British Isles. Situated 40 miles west of North Uist, only Rockall is further away. The entire archipelago is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is a World Heritage Site.

Boreray, Soay, Dun and Hirta are the largest islands in the group.

The name most likely comes from Old Norse sunt kelda meaning sweet wellwater. Other theories invoke a corruption of Hirta or Saint Hilda.

See the article on St Kilda for further discussion on the origin of the name.

The archipelago is a nature reserve recognised by UNESCO and a breeding ground for many important species including puffins and Leach's petrels. The small island of Dun is home to the largest colony of fulmar in Britain.

Saint Kilda

Links