Stroma, oblique aerial view, taken from the W, centred on Bught o' Camm promotory fort and, showing Nethertown township in the centre right of the photograph.

Description Stroma, oblique aerial view, taken from the W, centred on Bught o' Camm promotory fort and, showing Nethertown township in the centre right of the photograph.

Date 13/6/1995

Collection RCAHMS Aerial Photography

Catalogue Number SC 875513

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of C 46131

Scope and Content Lighthouse, Nethertown and Bucht O'Camm fort from west, Stroma, Highland Stroma, meaning 'island in the stream', lies about 2km from the mainland of Scotland, close to John O' Groats. The island has always served as a place of refuge, due to its position amongst the treacherous waters of the Pentland Firth. The two main settlements, Uppertown and Nethertown, were once thriving communities, but the island gradually became de-populated in the 20th century, as people sought better paid jobs and a higher standard of living on the mainland. The last residents left in 1962. This shows the lighthouse (left) which was built in 1896 and was once manned by keepers and their families until its automation in 1994. The houses around the road (centre) are part of 'Nethertown'. The remains of an earth and stone rampart, part of a later prehistoric promontory fort named 'Bught O Camm', have been found on the rocky cliff (centre). The prominent blowhole which cuts through the island (right) is known as 'the Gloup'. Caves run from the coast of the island into the Gloup and boat trips now take adventurous tourists to this impressive site. These caves became known as 'The Malt barn' after being used by islanders to house an illicit whisky still. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/875513

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap