View source for Grimsay

{{short description|Tidal island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland}}
{{Other places}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Scottish island
|coordinates = {{coord|57.49|-7.24|display=inline}}
|location_map=Scotland Outer Hebrides
|caption=Grimsay shown within the Outer Hebrides
|GridReference=NF855572
|celtic name=Griomasaigh
|norse name=Grímsey
|meaning of name=ON: ''Grim's Island''
|area= {{cvt|833|ha|sqmi|frac=8}}
|area rank=  58
|highest elevation= {{cvt|22|m}}
|Population=149<ref name=RESAS>{{RESAS}}</ref>
|population rank= 40
|population density ={{cvt|18|PD/km2}}<ref name=RESAS/><ref name=Smith/>
|main settlement= Bàgh Mòr and Ceallan
|island group=[[Uist]] and [[Barra]]
|local authority=[[Outer Hebrides]]
|references=<ref name=Smith>{{Haswell-Smith}}</ref><ref name=OS22>{{cite map|title=Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 22 ''Benbecula & South Uist''|ISBN= 9780319226223 |publisher=Ordnance Survey|date=2008}}</ref>
<ref>{{Gaelic Placenames}}</ref>
}}

'''Grimsay''' ({{langx|gd|Griomasaigh}}) is a [[tidal island]] in the [[Outer Hebrides]] of Scotland.

==Geography==
Grimsay is the largest of the low-lying stepping-stones which convey the Oitir Mhòr (North Ford) causeway, a {{convert|5|mi|km|0|abbr=off|adj=on}} arc of single track road linking [[North Uist]] and [[Benbecula]] via the western tip of Grimsay.<ref name="geo">{{cite web |title=Overview of Grimsay |publisher=Gazetteer for Scotland |url=http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst1998.html |access-date=22 July 2007}}</ref> Until it opened in 1960,<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OvExCEpSNJoC&pg=PA142 |title=The Outer Hebrides: Sea Kayaking Around the Isles & St Kilda |isbn=9781906095093 |last1=Sullivan |first1=Mike |last3=Pickering |first3=Timothy |first2=Mike |last2=Sullivan |year=2010|publisher=Pesda Press }}</ref> a ferry linked [[Carinish]] (on North Uist) with Gramsdale (on Benbecula), but could only operate at high tide.<ref name=damp/> There was also a ford which could only be crossed close to low water, usually only with a guide.<ref name=damp/> For significant parts of each day the North Ford was too wet to ford and not wet enough to cross by ferry.<ref name=damp>{{cite web |url=http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/grimsay/grimsay/ |title=Feature Page: Grimsay |publisher=Undiscovered Scotland |access-date=22 July 2007}}</ref> East of Grimsay lie several smaller islands including [[Ronay]] which was inhabited until 1931.<ref name="Smith"/>

==Inhabitants==
The island's population was 169 as recorded by the [[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 census]]<ref name=NRS>{{NRS1C}}</ref> a drop of over 15% since 2001 when there were 201 usual residents.<ref>{{GRO10}}</ref> During the same period [[List of Scottish islands|Scottish island]] populations as a whole grew by 4% to 103,702.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-23711202 |title=Scotland's 2011 census: Island living on the rise |work=BBC News |access-date=18 August 2013}}</ref> By 2022 the population was recorded as 149.<ref name=RESAS/>{{efn|In 2001 and 2011 the nreaby island of [[Seana Bhaile]]'s population was included in the totals for Grimsay. In 2022 the census recorded this figure separately, which at that time totalled 15. The net decrease in Grimsay's population from 2011 to 2022 was thus only about 5.<ref name=RESAS/><ref name=NRS/>}} The main settlements are Baymore (''Bàgh Mòr'') and Kallin (''Ceallan'') at the eastern end of the island. Grimsay has a harbour at Kallin, which is the base to a sizeable shellfish industry,<ref name="geo"/> the island's main industry, mostly for [[Homarus gammarus|lobster]], prawns and scallops. Also in Kallin is The Boatshed, a marine repair facility which promotes traditional skills, and employs a full-time boatbuilder and trainee.<ref name=boat>{{cite web |url=http://www.acrosstheminch.org/grimsay.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217232537/http://www.acrosstheminch.org/grimsay.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 December 2013 |title=The Grimsay Boatshed |publisher=acrosstheminch.org |access-date=17 December 2013 }}</ref> Three generations of Stewart family built as many as 1,000 boats from three sheds on Grimsay.<ref name=boat/> Grimsay is encircled by a single-track road that links most of the island's small croft and fishing settlements together.

==History==
There is a fine example of an [[Iron-Age]] [[wheelhouse (archaeology)|wheelhouse]] on the northeast coast of the island at Bàgh nam Feadag.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://grimsaywheelhouse.weebly.com/ |title=Grimsay Wheelhouse |publisher=Alasdair McKenzie |access-date=30 November 2009}}</ref> It is one of the best examples of a wheelhouse in the North Uist area but does not appear on [[Ordnance Survey]] maps.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk/see-and-do/grimsay-wheelhouse-p522591 |title=Grimsay Wheelhouse |publisher=Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association |access-date=17 December 2013}}</ref>
[[Image:Grimsay Wheelhouse (Bagh nam Feadag) Uist, Scotland.jpg|right|thumb|A near infrared view of Grimsay Wheelhouse.]]

<gallery mode=packed>
File:Baghmor.jpg|Bagh Mòr on Grimsay, with Ronay in distance
File:Grimsaywheelhouse.jpg|A wheelhouse on Grimsay
</gallery>

=== Notes ===
{{notelist|notes=}}
{{Portal|Scottish islands}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist}}

{{Islands of Scotland}}
{{coord|57|29|31|N|7|14|39|W|display=title|region:GB_type:isle}}

[[Category:Uist islands]]
[[Category:Tidal islands of Scotland]]