Switha

Switha is an uninhabited island towards the south of Orkney, Scotland, approximately 41 hectares in area.

Key facts

Scottish island.Image: 'Hells Gate' and Switha - geograph.org.uk - 1532198.jpg
Scottish island.ImageCaption: Cantick Sound, from South Walls, with Switha beyond
Scottish island.location_map: Scotland Orkney
Scottish island.GridReference: ND365905
Scottish island.caption: Switha shown within Orkney
Scottish island.area rank: 217=
Scottish island.Population: 0
Scottish island.island group: Orkney
Scottish island.local authority: Orkney Islands

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Population: 0
Area: 41
Elevation: 28
Image: 'Hells Gate' and Switha - geograph.org.uk - 1532198.jpg
Width: 0.56
Length: 1.34

Show 1 more fact

Commons category: Switha

Sources (3)

via Wikidata · CC0

~4 min read

Article

9 sections

Contents

Geography and geology
Flora
Wildlife
History
Pre-history
Agricultural use
See also
Notes
References

Switha is an uninhabited island towards the south of Orkney, Scotland, approximately 41 hectares in area.

==Geography and geology== Switha lies 2 km to the south of the island of Flotta and 2 km east of the South Walls area of Hoy. South Ronaldsay lies about 5 km further east. The island is roughly rectangular in shape, about 1 km by 0.5 km in size and is aligned in a NE to SW direction. The maximum elevation is 28 m, found on the small cliff on the south coast, to the west of which is the only appreciable beach at The Pool. Geologically, the island is wholly of Old Red Sandstone, from the Devonian period, specifically Rousay Flagstones, dating from about 375 MYA, laid down by a cyclical series of lakes and containing many fish fossils.