Scalpay
(Scalpaigh)

A small island in the Outer Hebrides, Scalpay (Gael: Scalpaigh) lies off the east coast of Harris, 6 miles (10 km) southeast of Tarbert. It rises to 104m (341 feet) at Beinn Scorabhaig and since 1997 has been linked to Harris by the 300m (328 yard)-long Scalpay Bridge. The population was 470 (1961), 483 (1971), 455 (1981), 382 (1991) declining to just 322 in 2001. A lighthouse was erected in 1789 at Eilean Glas at the eastern end of the island. A former haven for herring fishers, the island's economy is centred on knitwear, prawn fishing and salmon farming. There is a modern harbour owned by the Western Isles Council and a fish-processing centre opened in 2000.

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©2012 The Editors of The Gazetteer for Scotland
Supported by: The Robertson Trust,  The Royal Scottish Geographical Society,
  School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh.