Staple Island is a small rocky island, or

skerry A skerry is a small rocky island, or islet, usually too small for human habitation. It may simply be a rocky reef. A skerry can also be called a low sea stack. A skerry may have vegetative life such as moss and small, hardy grasses. They ar ...

, that is one of the Outer Group of the

Farne Islands The Farne Islands are a group of islands off the coast of Northumberland, England. The group has between 15 and 20 islands depending on the level of the tide.

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. The Farne Islands are a designated National Nature Reserve. Staple Island is an important wildlife habitat known for its prolific breeding colonies of

Atlantic puffin The Atlantic puffin ('), also known as the common puffin, is a species of seabird in the auk family. It is the only puffin native to the Atlantic Ocean; two related species, the tufted puffin and the horned puffin is found in the northeastern ...

razorbill The razorbill, razor-billed auk, or lesser auk (''Alca torda'') is a colonial seabird and the only extant member of the genus '' Alca'' of the family Alcidae, the auks. It is the closest living relative of the extinct great auk (''Pinguinis im ...

s and kittiwakes. A notable colony of

grey seal The grey seal (''Halichoerus grypus'') is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. In Latin Halichoerus grypus means "hook-nosed sea pig". It is a large seal of the family Phocidae, which are commonly referred to as "true seals" o ...

s breeds on the island with pups born every year in September–November. Staple Island is the southwesternmost of the Outer Group of Farne Islands, which are separated from the Inner Group by Staple Sound. The sound is about wide and is subject to very strong currents, especially during

spring tide Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another. Tide tabl ...

s. The island has vertical cliffs on its southern side, and some detached rocks looking like broken pillars, known as "The Pinnacles". From the southwestern point, a dangerous ridge of rocks known as "Gun Reef" extends to the northwest. They begin to be uncovered when the tide is halfway through its ebb cycle. The island has no permanent population but local boats are licensed to land passengers. The

National Trust The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...

owns and manages the island and has bird wardens on site during part of the year. Although now uninhabited, the island has a history associated with the early monastic settlement of nearby

Lindisfarne Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England, which constitutes the civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. Holy Island has a recorded history from the 6th century AD; it was an important ...

.Monument No. 8298
''

English Heritage English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, medieval castles, Roman forts and country houses. The charity states that i ...

: PastScape'' It does however provide breeding ground for large populations of seabirds. A lighthouse was built on Staple Island in 1778 and blown down in 1784; a replacement, built either in the same place or on nearby Brownsman's Island, was knocked down by heavy seas in 1800.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Information on the Farne Islands, North Sunderland and Seahouses.

Farne Islands information at the National Trust

Farne Islands access and information (commercial)

Northumberland Coast — Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
—

Northumberland Coast The Northumberland Coast is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) covering of coastline from Berwick-Upon-Tweed to the River Coquet estuary in the Northeast of England. Features include: Alnmouth, Bamburgh, Beadnell, Budle Bay ...

AONB Site Environment of Northumberland Islands of Northumberland Uninhabited islands of Northumberland Skerries

See also

References

External links