Stac Lee
Encyclopedia
Stac Lee is a sea stack in the St Kilda
group, Scotland
. An island
Marilyn
, it is home to part of the world's largest colony of Northern Gannet
.
Martin Martin
called the island "Stac-Ly"; other sources call it "Stac Lii."
Stac Lee is located in the North Atlantic and forms part of the St Kilda
archipelago of the Outer Hebrides
. Lying in the north east of the St Kilda group, Stac Lee is around 7.5 km (5 mi) north west of Hirta
, the main island, and 550 m (600 yards) west of the west cape of the island of Boreray
.
Administratively, Stac Lee is part of the Na h-Eileanan Siar.
, i.e. a detached escarpment, 172 metres (564 ft) high. Other sources give an altitude of 165 metres (541 ft), or 220 metres (722 ft) above the sea bed. Having a prominence
greater than 150 metres (492 ft), it is a Marilyn
.
The nearby Stac an Armin
reaches 196 metres (643 ft), making them the highest sea stacks in Britain.
Seen from the south, the rock appears as an imposing cliff as broad as high, while from the west it has the aspect of a thin needle with a top bevelled at an angle of 45°. The most impressive view is that obtained from the south-east, from where, Stac Lee looks like a giant hook.
, with an estimated 60,000 breeding pairs on Boreray, Stac an Armin and Stac Lee. An estimated six thousand pairs nest on Stac Lee, their droppings turning the island white.
A small bothy
on Stac Lee was formerly used by St Kildan fowlers. It is big enough to accommodate two people and is dry inside. The St Kildans would land here by lassoing an iron peg, and then jumping when the swell rose up.
St Kilda, Scotland
St Kilda is an isolated archipelago west-northwest of North Uist in the North Atlantic Ocean. It contains the westernmost islands of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The largest island is Hirta, whose sea cliffs are the highest in the United Kingdom and three other islands , were also used for...
group, 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...
. An island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
Marilyn
Marilyn (hill)
A Marilyn is a mountain or hill in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland or Isle of Man with a relative height of at least 150 metres , regardless of absolute height or other merit...
, it is home to part of the world's largest colony of Northern Gannet
Northern Gannet
The Northern Gannet is a seabird and is the largest member of the gannet family, Sulidae.- Description :Young birds are dark brown in their first year, and gradually acquire more white in subsequent seasons until they reach maturity after five years.Adults are long, weigh and have a wingspan...
.
Geography and geology
Martin Martin
Martin Martin was a Scottish writer best known for his work A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland . This book is particularly noted for its information on the St Kilda archipelago...
called the island "Stac-Ly"; other sources call it "Stac Lii."
Stac Lee is located in the North Atlantic and forms part of the St Kilda
St Kilda, Scotland
St Kilda is an isolated archipelago west-northwest of North Uist in the North Atlantic Ocean. It contains the westernmost islands of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The largest island is Hirta, whose sea cliffs are the highest in the United Kingdom and three other islands , were also used for...
archipelago of the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
. Lying in the north east of the St Kilda group, Stac Lee is around 7.5 km (5 mi) north west of Hirta
Hirta
Hirta is the largest island in the St Kilda archipelago, on the western edge of Scotland. The name "Hiort" and "Hirta" have also been applied to the entire archipelago.-Geography:...
, the main island, and 550 m (600 yards) west of the west cape of the island of Boreray
Boreray, St Kilda
Boreray is an uninhabited island in the St Kilda archipelago in the North Atlantic.-Geography:Boreray lies about 66 km west-north-west of North Uist. It covers about , and reaches a height of at Mullach an Eilein....
.
Administratively, Stac Lee is part of the Na h-Eileanan Siar.
Topography
Stac Lee is a precipitous sea stackStack (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...
, i.e. a detached escarpment, 172 metres (564 ft) high. Other sources give an altitude of 165 metres (541 ft), or 220 metres (722 ft) above the sea bed. Having a prominence
Topographic prominence
In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop , or prime factor , categorizes the height of the mountain's or hill's summit by the elevation between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit...
greater than 150 metres (492 ft), it is a Marilyn
Marilyn (hill)
A Marilyn is a mountain or hill in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland or Isle of Man with a relative height of at least 150 metres , regardless of absolute height or other merit...
.
The nearby Stac an Armin
Stac an Armin
Stac an Armin , based on the proper Scottish Gaelic spelling , is a sea stack in the St Kilda archipelago. It is 196 metres tall, qualifying it as a Marilyn...
reaches 196 metres (643 ft), making them the highest sea stacks in Britain.
Seen from the south, the rock appears as an imposing cliff as broad as high, while from the west it has the aspect of a thin needle with a top bevelled at an angle of 45°. The most impressive view is that obtained from the south-east, from where, Stac Lee looks like a giant hook.
Wildlife
St Kilda has the world's largest colony of Northern GannetNorthern Gannet
The Northern Gannet is a seabird and is the largest member of the gannet family, Sulidae.- Description :Young birds are dark brown in their first year, and gradually acquire more white in subsequent seasons until they reach maturity after five years.Adults are long, weigh and have a wingspan...
, with an estimated 60,000 breeding pairs on Boreray, Stac an Armin and Stac Lee. An estimated six thousand pairs nest on Stac Lee, their droppings turning the island white.
A small bothy
Bothy
A bothy is a basic shelter, usually left unlocked and available for anyone to use free of charge. It was also a term for basic accommodation, usually for gardeners or other workers on an estate. Bothies are to be found in remote, mountainous areas of Scotland, northern England, Ireland, and Wales....
on Stac Lee was formerly used by St Kildan fowlers. It is big enough to accommodate two people and is dry inside. The St Kildans would land here by lassoing an iron peg, and then jumping when the swell rose up.