Scolpaig facts for kids
Scolpaig (which is Sgolpaig in Scottish Gaelic) is a special area. It's found on the northwest coast of an island called North Uist. This island is part of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland.
In 2018 and again in 2019, there was a plan to build a spaceport here. A spaceport is a place where rockets launch into space. The Scottish government supported this idea.
Scolpaig Tower is a unique building near Loch Scolpaig. It's known as a folly. A folly is a building made for decoration, not for living in. This tower was built around 1830. It was part of projects to help people during a time of food shortage.
Contents
Welcome to Scolpaig!
Scolpaig is a fascinating place in Scotland. It's known for its beautiful coastline and a recent idea to build a spaceport. This area has a rich history and amazing nature.
What is Scolpaig Tower?
Scolpaig Tower is a historic building. It was built about 200 years ago. It's called a folly because it wasn't made for people to live in. Instead, it was built to look interesting. It also helped provide jobs for people who needed work at the time.
Exploring Scolpaig's Coastline
The coast at Scolpaig is very different from other parts of Uist. Most of Uist has flat, sandy areas called machair. Machair is a special type of fertile grassland. But Scolpaig's coast is rocky and dramatic.
Amazing Rocks and Wildlife
You can see incredible rock formations at Scolpaig. These rocks are called Lewisian Gneiss. They are some of the oldest rocks in the world! The coastline has tall, steep cliffs.
These cliffs are home to many birds. You can often spot colonies of cormorants. You might also see black guillemots. These birds love to nest on the rocky ledges. It's a great place for wildlife spotting.
The Spaceport Idea
In 2019, there was a big plan for Scolpaig. The local council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, wanted to build a spaceport. They agreed to spend £1 million to buy land for it.
What is a Spaceport?
A spaceport is like an airport for rockets. It's a place where rockets can launch into space. The plan for Scolpaig was to launch rockets vertically. These rockets would carry small satellites. The satellites would go into special orbits. These include sun synchronous and polar orbits. This means they would fly over the Earth's poles. They would also pass over the same spot at the same time each day.
Why Was Scolpaig Chosen?
The council worked with other groups on this project. These included Highlands and Islands Enterprise and a company called QinetiQ. They hoped the spaceport would create many jobs. They thought it could bring 50 to 70 new jobs to the area.
People's Concerns About the Spaceport
Not everyone was happy about the spaceport plan. Some local people and environmental groups had worries.
Local Group Concerns
A group called Friends of Scolpaig was formed. They did not want a spaceport in this area. Scolpaig is part of a National Scenic Area. This means it's a very beautiful and protected place.
The group had several concerns. They felt the council didn't ask the community first. They were worried the council would approve the plan too quickly. They also thought an Environmental Impact Assessment was needed. This is a study to see how a project might affect nature.
Wildlife Protection
The Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB) also objected. They said the spaceport area is very important for wildlife. Many protected species live there. These animals are sensitive to human activity. They have special legal protection.
The RSPB stated that an Environmental Impact Assessment was required. They believed the council needed to do this study. It would show if the spaceport would harm the wildlife.
