The Drongs facts for kids
| Norse name | Drangr |
|---|---|
| Meaning of name | Free standing pillar of rock |
.jpg) The Drongs as seen from Braewick |
|
| OS grid reference | HU 26019 75467 |
| Coordinates | 60°27′44″N 1°31′44″W / 60.46222°N 1.52889°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Shetland |
| Highest elevation | 60 metres (200 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
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The Drongs are amazing rock formations found off the coast of Shetland, Scotland. They are like tall, thin towers of rock standing in the sea. These towers are called sea stacks. You can find them near Hillswick Ness in an area called Northmavine.
The Drongs are located west of the Isle of Westerhouse in St Magnus Bay. Many people think they are a very important symbol of the Eshaness area. They are often seen with another famous rock, the Dore Holm.
What's in a Name?
The name the Drongs comes from an old language called Old Norse. In Old Norse, the word drangr means "free standing pillar of rock." This is exactly what the Drongs are!
Another Old Norse word, stakkr, also means something similar. This word later became "stack" in English. That's why many sea stacks in Shetland have "stack" in their names today.
How the Drongs Formed
The Drongs are made of strong, hard rock called granite. There are four main rock towers. Climbers have given them unofficial names: the Main Drong, the Slender Drong, the Slim Drong, and the Stumpy Drong.
These sea stacks have a very unusual shape. They formed over a long, long time because of erosion. Erosion is when wind and water slowly wear away rock. The area used to be a bigger piece of land. It was made of different types of rock, including granite and softer rocks called schists and gneiss.
The softer rocks wore away much faster than the hard granite. This left behind only the tall, strong granite pillars we see today.
From some angles, the Drongs look like different things. Some people think they look like a ship sailing on the water. Others say they look like a group of castle towers. Some even think they look like a monk wearing a hooded robe! These unique rocks have been featured in artwork and on postcards since at least 1903.
Climbing the Drongs
In May 1992, a team of climbers achieved something amazing. Four climbers named Mick Fowler, Andy Nisbet, Jon Lincoln, and Craig Jones climbed all four main Drongs. They did this within just seven days!
They found signs that suggested other people might have climbed the stacks before them. Climbing these sea stacks is very difficult. The climbs for all four Drongs are given a difficulty rating between "Severe" and "Hard Very Severe." This means they are only for very experienced climbers.
Images for kids
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The Drongs as seen from Braewick
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The Drongs as seen from Hillswick Ness
