Kettla Ness

Kettla Ness

Old Norse name	Ketlnes
Meaning of name	Kettle or cauldron island
Kettla Ness seen from the air, including Minn beach
Location
Kettla Ness Kettla Ness shown within Shetland
OS grid reference	HU425815
Coordinates	60°03′N1°21′W / 60.05°N 1.35°W / 60.05; -1.35
Physical geography
Island group	Scalloway Islands
Area	see West Burra
Highest elevation	48.8 metres (160 ft)
Administration
Council area	Shetland Islands
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Demographics
Population	0 [1]
References	[2] [3]

Kettla Ness, Kettlaness or just Kettla is a tied island and headland in Shetland. ^[4] It is connected by the tombolo Minn beach (Banna Minn), to the south end of West Burra, part of the Scalloway Islands. ^{[5] [6]} The headland itself is conspicuous and circa 160 feet high. ^{[7] [8]} The island is accessible to walkers via Minn beach and is now uninhabitated. ^[7] It is principally used for Sheep farming and pasture. ^[6]

History

Kettla Ness Triangulation Pillar

The former settlements of Minn, ^[9] Gossigarth ^[10] and Point of Guide ^[11] lie on the north-west part of the island. The ruined village was principally abandoned following the Highland Clearances in the 19th century although some occupation continued into the early 20th century. ^[7] There are several other instances of prehistoric activity on the island, primarily at Minn, including several 3rd-1st millennium BC house, cairns, burnt mounds, cists, crop marks and other structures. ^{[7] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]} Several of these are located in the Bight of the Sandy Geos, an area on the eastern side of Kettla Ness. ^{[7] [19] [20]} Iron-age pottery fragments have also been found around Sandy Geos. ^{[21] [22]}

On the south side of Kettla Ness is a stream flowing from the Outra Loch. Along the stream there are numerous examples of ruined historic horizontal watermills that extend down to Groot Ness on the south coast. ^{[23] [24] [25] [26] [27]}

In 1959, a triangulation pillar was erected on the island.

To the west of the island is the wreck of the boat 'Saint Kentigern' which ran aground in November 1979. ^[28]

Geology and Fauna

Inlet at Kettla Ness. Much of the rocky coast is formed from micaceous psammites of the Colla Firth Group - a suite of rocks which have been equated with the Dalradian succession of the Scottish Highlands

There are four small lochs on the island: Virda Vatn, Loch of Annyeruss, Outra Loch and Croo Loch.

Flora on Kettla Ness includes Armeria maritima which is extensive on the south-west coast opposite the Rod Skerries. ^[7]

Fugla Stack

To the west of Kettla Ness is Fugla Stack, a geological stack landform that consists of vertical columns of rock. There is a wreck, the MV Castor, dating to 1910, beside the stack. ^[29]

References

1. National Records of Scotland (15 August 2013). "Appendix 2: Population and households on Scotland's Inhabited Islands" (PDF). Statistical Bulletin: 2011 Census: First Results on Population and Household Estimates for Scotland Release 1C (Part Two) (PDF) (Report). SG/2013/126. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
2. Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN   978-1-84195-454-7.
3. Ordnance Survey. OS Maps Online (Map). 1:25,000. Leisure.
4. "Kettla Ness". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
5. "Minn Beach". Shetland.org. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
6. Fitton, Hansom and Rennie (2017). "Dynamic Coast - National Coastal Change Assessment: Cell 11 - Shetland CRW2014/2" (PDF). Dynamic Coast. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
7. Moore, Hazel; Wilson, Graeme (March 2001), Shetland Coastal Zone Assessment Survey, Historic Scotland and Shetland Amenity Trust, pp. 75–83
8. British Islands Pilot: Faroes, Shetlands, and Orkney Islands and north and east coasts of Scotland. US Government Hydrographic Office. 1915. p. 110.
9. Historic Environment Scotland. "Minn (Site no. HU33SE 142)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
10. Historic Environment Scotland. "Gossigarth (Site no. HU32NE 24)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
11. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Point Of Guide (Site no. HU32NE 19)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
12. Historic Environment Scotland. "Gossigarth (Site no. HU33SE 76)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
13. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Minn (Site no. HU33SE 42)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
14. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Minn 2 (Site no. HU33SE 49)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
15. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Minn 3, House (Site no. HU33SE 46)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
16. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Minn 4, House (Site no. HU33SE 48)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
17. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Minn 2, House (Site no. HU33SE 45)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
18. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Minn 1 (Site no. HU33SE 47)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
19. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Bight Of The Sandy Geos (Site no. HU32NE 10)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
20. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Bight Of The Sandy Geos, House (Site no. HU32NE 12)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
21. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Bight Of The Sandy Geos (Site no. HU32NE 9)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
22. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Bight Of The Sandy Geos (Site no. HU32NE 13)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
23. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Groot Ness (Site no. HU32NE 14)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
24. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Groot Ness, Horizontal Mill (Site no. HU32NE 4)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
25. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Groot Ness, Horizontal Mill (Site no. HU32NE 5)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
26. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Groot Ness, Horizontal Mill (Site no. HU32NE 6)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
27. Historic Environment Scotland. "West Burra, Groot Ness, Horizontal Mill (Site no. HU32NE 7)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
28. Historic Environment Scotland. "Saint Kentigern (Site no. HU32NW 8002)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
29. Historic Environment Scotland. "Castor: Fugla Stack, West Burra, Atlantic (Site no. HU33SE 8001)" . Retrieved 27 June 2025.