South Lewis, Harris and North Uist NSA
Encyclopedia
South Lewis, Harris and North Uist NSA is a large National Scenic Area
in the Western Isles of Scotland
.
, all of Harris
, the Sound of Harris
and the northern part of North Uist
.
(799m), the highest peak in the Outer Hebrides. Steep-sided glens, with precipitous crags, have a mountainous character. Exposure and grazing prevent tree growth. Deep sea lochs in the east penetrate far into the hills. The east coast of Harris has many bays and islets. The west coast has wide, sandy beaches with machair. Rocky headlands, separating the bays, have been sculptured into geos
and stacks
. Scattered islands lies in the Sound of Harris
between South Harris and North Uist
.
On North Uist the spectacular deep peat
land supports a wide variety of vegetation and birds. Loch Maddy (Loch nam Madadh) is a unique fjardic
sea loch. This network is one of the most extensive and diverse systems in Europe, combining both salt and fresh water. Loch nam Madadh supports an unusual combination of intertidal plants and animals. In some of the lagoons, fresh water organisms grow in a layer just above salt water organisms. Loch nam Madadh is a ferry terminal, a harbour for the creel fishing and is used for salmon farms
.
National Scenic Area
National Scenic Area is a designation for areas of natural beauty used by more than one nation.* National Scenic Area * National Scenic Area * National scenic areas in Taiwan* National Scenic Area...
in the Western Isles of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Location
The designated area covers 109,600 hectares, including the mountainous south west of LewisLewis
Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The total area of Lewis is ....
, all of Harris
Harris
Harris is the southern and more mountainous part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Although not an island itself, Harris is often referred to as the Isle of Harris, which is the former postal county and the current post town for Royal Mail postcodes starting...
, the Sound of Harris
Sound of Harris
The Sound of Harris is a channel between the islands of Harris and North Uist in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:Approximately in width, the Sound of Harris provides the main sea passage through the Hebridean archipelago, from the Atlantic Ocean to The Minch. There are many islands and...
and the northern part of North Uist
North Uist
North Uist is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:North Uist is the tenth largest Scottish island and the thirteenth largest island surrounding Great Britain. It has an area of , slightly smaller than South Uist. North Uist is connected by causeways to Benbecula...
.
Description
North Harris contains ClishamClisham
The Clisham is a mountain on the island of Harris in the Western Isles of Scotland. At it is the highest mountain in the Outer Hebrides and the archipelago's only Corbett....
(799m), the highest peak in the Outer Hebrides. Steep-sided glens, with precipitous crags, have a mountainous character. Exposure and grazing prevent tree growth. Deep sea lochs in the east penetrate far into the hills. The east coast of Harris has many bays and islets. The west coast has wide, sandy beaches with machair. Rocky headlands, separating the bays, have been sculptured into geos
Geo (landscape)
A geo or gio is an inlet, a gully or a narrow and deep cleft in the face of a cliff. Geos are common on the coastline of the Shetland and Orkney islands. They are created by the wave driven erosion of cliffs along faults and bedding planes in the rock. Geos may have sea caves at their heads...
and stacks
Stack (geology)
A stack is a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast, isolated by erosion. Stacks are formed through processes of coastal geomorphology, which are entirely natural. Time, wind and water are the only factors involved in the...
. Scattered islands lies in the Sound of Harris
Sound of Harris
The Sound of Harris is a channel between the islands of Harris and North Uist in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:Approximately in width, the Sound of Harris provides the main sea passage through the Hebridean archipelago, from the Atlantic Ocean to The Minch. There are many islands and...
between South Harris and North Uist
North Uist
North Uist is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:North Uist is the tenth largest Scottish island and the thirteenth largest island surrounding Great Britain. It has an area of , slightly smaller than South Uist. North Uist is connected by causeways to Benbecula...
.
On North Uist the spectacular deep peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
land supports a wide variety of vegetation and birds. Loch Maddy (Loch nam Madadh) is a unique fjardic
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
sea loch. This network is one of the most extensive and diverse systems in Europe, combining both salt and fresh water. Loch nam Madadh supports an unusual combination of intertidal plants and animals. In some of the lagoons, fresh water organisms grow in a layer just above salt water organisms. Loch nam Madadh is a ferry terminal, a harbour for the creel fishing and is used for salmon farms
Aquaculture of salmon
Salmon, along with carp, are the two most important fish groups in aquaculture. In 2007, the aquaculture of salmon and salmon trout was worth US$10.7 billion. The most commonly farmed salmon is the Atlantic salmon. Other commonly farmed fish groups include tilapia, catfish, sea bass, bream and...
.