Linga is one of the Shetland Islands, near Vaila and Walls on Mainland, Shetland. Its highest elevation is 28 metres (91 ft).

Linga, viewed from the northwest

Geography and geology

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Linga is made up of sandstone, subjected to ancient glacial erosion.[1]

Linga is to the north east of the island of Vaila, in Vaila Sound surrounded by Mainland, Shetland on three sides. The Holm of Breibister is to the west, the Baa of Linga to the south (baa is a Shetland word for a sunken rock) and the village of Walls is in the North, on the mainland.[2] The surface area is about 65 acres (20 hectares) and there are two derelict cottages on Linga.[2]

The local council granted planning permission in 2011 to an oil industry engineer to develop the island[3] but by 2018 these plans had not come to fruition.[2] In 2014 and 2018 it was reported that the island was for sale for £250,000.[4][2]

History

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In 2018 it was reported that nobody had lived on Linga since 1934.[2] There were two inhabitants in 1931,[1] 13 in 1881 and nine in 1841.[1][5]

A dead killer whale was found on a beach on Linga in 2017.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
  2. ^ a b c d e Pritchard, Emma-Louise (26 January 2018). "An entire West Shetland island is up for sale for the same price as a two-bed flat in London". Country Living Magazine UK. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  3. ^ Thomason, Louise (20 April 2011). "Councillors give go-ahead to £500,000 eco-tourism project in Linga". The Shetland Times. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Lonely Scottish island set for new inhabitants". The Scotsman. 13 November 2014.
  5. ^ Wilson, Rev. John The Gazetteer of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1882) Published by W. & A.K. Johnstone
  6. ^ "Post mortem carried out after orca strands in Shetland". WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation. 20 January 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2018.

60°12′55″N 1°34′11″W / 60.21528°N 1.56972°W / 60.21528; -1.56972