Inner Sound, Scotland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Inner Sound |
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The Inner Sound lies between the thin finger of Raasay Island and the Scottish mainland to the right of centre in this Landsat view.
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 Inner Sound
Location in Scotland
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| Coordinates | 57°25′00″N 05°55′59″W / 57.41667°N 5.93306°W |
| Type | Sound |
| Native name | An Lighe Rathairseach (Scottish Gaelic) |
| Max. depth | 324 metres (1,063 ft) |
| Frozen | No |
| Islands | South Rona; Rassay; Scalpay; Pabay; Longay; Crowlin. |
The Inner Sound (called An Lighe Rathairseach in Scottish Gaelic) is a narrow stretch of sea. It separates some of Scotland's beautiful islands from the mainland. These islands include Skye, Raasay, and South Rona. On the mainland side, it's next to the Applecross area. The Inner Sound is also home to BUTEC, a special area used by the Royal Navy. Here, they test equipment for submarines.
Contents
Exploring the Deepest Waters in the UK
The Inner Sound holds a secret: it has the deepest part of the UK's waters. At its deepest, it goes down 324 metres (1,063 feet). That's like stacking over 100 double-decker buses on top of each other!
There's a long, flat area at the bottom that's over 1+1⁄2 mi (2.4 km) long. It's about 1⁄4 mi (400 m) wide. Another deep crack, 828 ft (252 m) deep, is nearby. Scientists who explored the deepest trench found its bottom was soft mud. It also had a very steep slope on one side.
Islands of the Inner Sound
The Inner Sound is dotted with several islands. These islands are part of the Inner Hebrides. They add to the stunning scenery of the area.
- South Rona
- Raasay
- Scalpay
- Pabay
- Longay
- Crowlin
Amazing Wildlife Discoveries
The Inner Sound is a special place for marine life. In 2020, something exciting happened here. Over a hundred eggs of the critically endangered flapper skate were found. Flapper skates are huge, flat fish that live on the seabed. Finding so many eggs was a big deal!
This discovery led to calls for protecting the area. People wanted to stop fishing methods like trawling and dredging. These methods can harm the seabed and its creatures. In 2021, a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) was created. This MPA helps protect the flapper skate and its habitat. It means certain activities, like fishing and diving, are not allowed there. This helps the flapper skate population recover and thrive.
Uncovering Ancient History
Between 1999 and 2004, a big archaeological project took place. It was called "Scotland's First Settlers." The goal was to find and study sites from the Mesolithic period. This was a time long ago when people were hunter-gatherers.
Volunteers and archaeologists walked the entire coastline of the Inner Sound. They also explored its islands. In 2002, another project, the Sea Loch Survey, looked at nearby sea lochs. Together, these projects found 129 new archaeological sites! They dug small pits at many sites to learn more. One major dig happened at a place called Sand. Here, they found a shell midden. This was a pile of shells left by ancient people, dating back thousands of years. It showed how early settlers lived and ate.
Gallery
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An Cruinn-Leum, Applecross
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Inner Sound, Scotland
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View across Inner Sound from Applecross
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The Beach at Sand
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