The cliffs are a mighty 70m tall. Behind them you’ll see the ‘Grey Head’ of the Calf of Eday jutting out, where the cliffs reach a height of 45m. During the First World War a coastguard station (a corrugated iron hut) was erected on the Red Head as a submarine lookout.
Red Head Coastguard watch hut from First World War - courtesy of Stewart Miller; Eday Geology - Ordnance Survey Geology 1932 - Reproduced with permission from National Library of Scotland
Geologically speaking the rocks are different colours because they come from different periods within the Devonian era. The rocks at the Red Head are Upper Eday Sandstone Formation and the rocks on the Grey Head are Middle Eday Sandstone Formation. The Grey Head of the Calf of Eday, supports one of Orkney’s most important seabird colonies. Puffins, Kittwakes, Guillemots and Razorbills all breed here and can be seen feeding in the waters around the cliffs.
Red Head and Grey Head ©K4 Graphics, Red Head with Calf of Eday in Foreground ©Anne Bignall
