The Calf of Eday is famous for its Neolithic monuments, salt pans and is renowned as the place where Pirate John Gow’s ship ran aground in 1725. Carrick House, Eday’s grandest residence, stands on the opposite shore, as well as the diminutive Stevenson lighthouse, helping ships steer a safe passage through the Sound.
John Gow - Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Calf of Eday is a haven for seabirds. It supports around 30,000 breeding birds from a dozen different species, including Britain’s largest colony of great black-backed gulls. For this reason, it is designated a Special Protection Area to safeguard its birdlife. From the ferry, you might see seabirds such as cormorant, guillemot, kittiwake, razorbill and black guillemot.
Cormorant by Zeynel Cebeci © Creative Commons, Calf Sound © K4 Graphics
Earl Sigurd in Calf Sound
Earl Sigurd in Calf Sound © Robbie Thomson
