Otterswick

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Otterswick
East Yell Methodist Kirk, Otterswick - geograph.org.uk - 1058906.jpg
East Yell Methodist Kirk, Otterswick
Shetland UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Otterswick
Location within Shetland
OS grid reference HU516855
Civil parish
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town SHETLAND
Postcode district ZE2
Dialling code 01957
Police Scotland
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
60°33′04″N1°03′29″W / 60.551°N 1.058°W / 60.551; -1.058
The White Wife of Queyon Whitewife.jpg
The White Wife of Queyon

Otterswick is a hamlet on the island of Yell in the Shetland Islands, on the inlet of Otters Wick. It is on the east side of the island. There is also an "Otterswick" on Sanday in the Orkney Islands. [1]

Contents

History

The German ship Bohus was wrecked near here in 1924, [2] and its figurehead, known as the "White Wife of Otterswick", can be seen near the village. The original wooden one rotted away and was replaced by a fibreglass replica. [3] Despite being a German boat, the Bohus was built in Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth, and was originally known as the Bertha. [2]

Environment


The site forms part of the Otterswick and Graveland Important Bird Area (IBA), designated as such by BirdLife International. The land is dominated by blanket bogs with stretches of dry heath moorland. [4] It is a breeding ground of red-throated divers. [5] As the name suggests, there are many otters in the area.

References

  1. ↑ Hall, Adrian & Brown, John (September 2005). "Otterswick, Sanday". Edinburgh: Orkney Landscapes. Archived from the original on 10 January 2009. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
  2. 1 2 "White Wife of Otterswick". Shetlopedia. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
  3. ↑ Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN   978-1-84195-454-7.
  4. ↑ "Otterswick and Graveland". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  5. ↑ "SPA description: Otterswick and Graveland". JNCC. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
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