Noss Head facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Noss Head MPA |
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IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
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Noss Head seen from the west
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 Noss Head MPA
Location in Caithness
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| Location | Caithness, Scotland |
| Area | 800 ha (2,000 acres) |
| Designation | Scottish Government |
| Established | 2014 |
| Operator | Marine Scotland |
Noss Head is a cool piece of land that sticks out into the sea in northern Scotland. It's like a natural lookout point! This headland is found in an area called Caithness, which is part of the Highland region of Scotland. From Noss Head, you can look out over a beautiful area of water called Sinclairs Bay. It's about 5 kilometers (3 miles) northeast of a town called Wick.
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Noss Head Lighthouse: A Guiding Light
The Noss Head Lighthouse is a tall, white tower that has helped ships for a very long time. It started working in 1849. The lighthouse is 18 meters (about 59 feet) high.
It has a special top part called a lantern room. This room was the first of its kind to have windows with diagonal panes. This was a new and clever design back then!
In 1987, the lighthouse became automatic. This means it no longer needed people to operate it all the time. The Northern Lighthouse Board still owns and runs this important lighthouse today.
Noss Head: A Special Underwater Park
A large area of the sea near Noss Head is very special. It has been named a Marine Protected Area (MPA) since 2014. This means it's like an underwater park, protected to keep its amazing sea life safe. The protected area covers about 800 hectares (around 3 square miles) of water.
Home to Horse Mussels
This MPA is home to the biggest group of horse mussels in all of Scotland. These mussels live on the seabed, about 35 to 45 meters (115 to 148 feet) below the surface. They create huge beds, which are like underwater cities for other creatures.
Amazing Sea Creatures
Many different kinds of animals live among these mussel beds. You can find soft corals, which look like colorful plants. There are also tubeworms, barnacles, and sea firs. Tiny creatures called sea mats also live here.
Other animals include brittlestars, which are related to starfish. You might also spot crabs, different types of worms, and many kinds of molluscs. Protecting this area helps all these creatures thrive.
The Noss Head MPA is a Category IV protected area. This category is given by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It means the area is managed to protect its important habitats and species.
