Cape Wrath
Encyclopedia : C : CA : CAP : Cape Wrath
Cape Wrath () is a cape in Sutherland, Highland, in northern Scotland. It is the most northwesterly point of the mainland of the island of Great Britain.
The name Cape Wrath, though perhaps apt when taken in context of its remote and foreboding landscape, is actually derived from the Old Norse for "turning point". Vikings would often turn their crafts for home at Cape Wrath.
The Cape can be reached only on foot from the south, or by taking a passenger ferry from Keoldale near Durness across the Kyle of Durness, and then walking, cycling or taking a minibus. The journey of around 11 miles to the lighthouse takes the visitor through one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain. The area is used as a military bombardment range; hence travel to the Cape is restricted at certain times of year. (call free 0800 833300 to check) There is a lighthouse at the cape, built in 1828 by Robert Stevenson which was manned until 1998. Overlooking the Cape are the ruins of the Lloyd's signal station which were used to monitor shipping as it passed by. There is also a hotel located approximately 11 miles from the lighthouse near Durness. The main building of this hotel was built about 200 years ago for the Duke of Sutherland. The building later became a private house before, in 1926, it was converted back into a hotel.
Four miles east of the cape, lie the Clò Mór cliffs, the highest sea cliffs of the British mainland.
Trivia
Cape Wrath is one of only two places prefixed with the name "Cape" in Great Britain, the other being Cape Cornwall in south-western England.See also
External links
- http://www.nlb.org.uk/ourlights/history/capewrath.htm History of Cape Wrath Lighthouse
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.