- Alternate use: St Kilda, suburb of Melbourne.
The Saint Kilda archipelago, in the North Atlantic
is at the outermost limits of the British Isles. Situated 40 miles west
of North Uist, only Rockall is
further away. The entire archipelago is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is a World Heritage Site.
Boreray, Soay, Dun and Hirta are the largest islands in the group.
The name most likely comes from Old Norse sunt kelda meaning sweet wellwater. Other theories invoke a corruption of
Hirta or Saint Hilda. See the article on St Kilda for further discussion on the origin of the name.
The islands are also known as the West Isles, but the name is easily confused with the Western Isles, a larger grouping including Saint Kilda.
The archipelago is a nature reserve recognised by UNESCO and a breeding ground for
many important species including Puffins and Leach's Petrels. The small island of Dun is home to the largest colony of
Fulmars in Britain.
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