ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 20:27 Page 334

EAST MAINLAND - COPINSAY EAST MAINLAND

During the 1930s the Commissioners were doing their annual rounds. One of them deigned to speak with some of the natives, who were some of the Groat fami- ly. Several peedie boys were at the top of the cliff with a horsehair rope at the end of which one brother was col- lecting birds’ eggs. The visi- tor was astonished and asked Copinsay from the east what they would do if the Aerial view of Copinsay from the north island to visit, especially in The HORSE OF COPIN- rope broke and the little boy early summer when the birds SAY has a large colony of COPINSAY (ON Kolbeinsey, many Fulmars and a few The cultivated area has been fell. The answer was “Ah are nesting and the wild flow- Great Black-backed Gulls, Kolbein's island) is a small Ravens. In the past, reseeded with special mix- weel there’s plenty more ers are at their best. The and immature Gannets roost. wedge-shaped island off the Peregrines also bred here. tures designed to attract birds. o’wis”. Another version is lighthouse pier below the Cormorants have also bred east side of Deerness with a Corncrakes still may be heard For a time Copinsay was “there’s plenty more rope”. mile-long 70m-high cliff on in the long grass below the ungrazed, but this was not a farmhouse is a convenient here. Hard to reach because landing, but the approach of the strong tides around it, its east side which is a major cliffs. The small loch at the success as the grass became The island used to support a through the skerries of the the Horse is a must for all breeding ground for sea birds. south end is attractive to rank and tussocky. Despite large family and had its own North Ebb requires care and “island-baggers”. This large Copinsay and its holms now wildfowl and waders. the exposure the island has school in one of the rooms of knowledge of the leading rock, 28m high, has a Blaster form an RSPB Reserve. The lush pasture, well-suited to the house. Below the farm- marks. It also ebbs dry. The Hole at the north end, which east-facing cliff is dark and Grey Seals come ashore to cattle and sheep. house, midden and old walls Bight of Hamnavo on the is very spectacular in rough brooding, but with deep water pup on Copinsay in the are exposed on the low bank west side of Corn Holm is a weather, if visible in the close-to can be visited by autumn and are present here Lighthouse The lighthouse facing the sea and are eroding better anchorage. spray. boat. all year. This small colony was completed in 1915, but away, showing that this fertile became established in 1992 only permanently lit in 1919, island was occupied in Seabird city is noisy, smelly and has grown very substan- after World War I, and com- ancient times. There used to and very busy in early sum- tially since then. The seals lie pleted the lighting on the east be excellent Haddock fishing mer. Although lower than up on the skerries near the side of Orkney for shipping. in the South Bay, and the Marwick Head, this cliff is in jetty. It was automated in 1991. many creel buoys show that many ways just as spectacu- Originally there was a large the area is still good for crabs lar. About 35,000 pairs of The islands have good exam- foghorn which was operated and lobsters. Guillemots, Razorbills and ples of unimproved sub-mar- by compressed air. It was Kittiwakes breed on the con- itime and coastal inundation replaced by a much smaller Copinsay is about 5.5km (3.5 venient ledges of the cliffs, as grasslands with a number of device but this was in turn miles) from Sandside in well as Shags, Rock Doves, distinct vegetation zones. discontinued. Deerness and a delightful Copinsay cliffs and lighthouse from the north South Bay and Isle Rough at low tide Looking north towards North View and The Horse Copinsay lighthouse

334 335 ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 20:27 Page 336

EAST MAINLAND - COPINSAY EAST MAINLAND

The Copinsay Brownie Long ago Copinsay was inhabited by an unmarried farmer. One winter’s night he had an unusual visitor who was naked and extremely ugly. It had an odd-shaped bald head, a beard which looked like seaweed and gave off a faint iridescence.

Thinking that the visitor was Horse of Copinsay from the east supernatural, the farmer December sunrise over Copinsay from Newark Bay grabbed his psalm book and made a circle in the air with CORN or KIRK HOLM is Hamnavo, on the west side, is December 1962, having mis- his steel razor, but this did not very good for Puffins, and has an excellent place to observe taken Copinsay for Auskerry. scare the visitor, which calmly the remains of an ancient Puffins, Black Guillemots The bow is now lying high watched him and made chapel. It can be reached at and seals up close, while the and dry on the east of Corn strange noises.. low tide from Copinsay by shingle of Scarf Skerry is Holm. Most of the vessel Isle Rough, a well-named home to perhaps the largest was salvaged. Attempts to scare off the ayre, or storm beach, of large colony of Oyster Plant i strange creature with the stones, which ebbs dry. Orkney. BLACK HOLM is made of poker and his shepherd’s crook had no effect. There is a colony of Great black volcanic rock and is Eventually the two became Black-backed Gulls, as well The Belgian trawler Prince joined to Corn Holm by a friends and the Brownie as he as many Eiders and De Liege, ran aground on the shingle storm beach. A Copinsay lighthouse became know explained that Oystercatchers. The Bight of eastern tip of Corn Holm in Bronze Age cist was discov- he was called “Hughbo”. He ered here. WARD HOLM had spent his whole life in the has two prominent cairns, one sea living off the bones of of which is probably on top of drowned seamen, but dearly a Neolithic chambered cairn wished to stay ashore. and is accessible at low tide.. The Brownie agreed to grind The whole little island group corn for the farmer every is in a way Orkney in minia- night in return for a bowl of ture and well worth the effort milk and a handful of burstin - required to get there. Boat toasted barley. All went well trips are sometimes arranged until the farmer married and from Sandside in Deerness. There is now a substantial colony of Grey Seals on Copinsay took his new bride to live on Copinsay. The wife took pity Wreck of the “Prince De Liege” on Corn Holm Gannets roosting on the Horse of Copinsay on the naked Brownie and Oysterplant grows abundantly on the shingle Puffins breed on Copinsay and the holms made him a warm coat with a hood, which she left for him on the quernstone.

When Hughbo saw the coat he immediately began crying bit- terly and said over and over, “Hughbo’s gotten coat and hood, So Hughbo can do no more good”, whereupon he shot outside, never to reap- pear.

336 337