Haaf Gruney
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
| OS Name: | Haaf Gruney |
|---|---|
| Shetland Name: | Haaf Gruney |
 | |
| UK Grid Reference: | HU635983 |
| Area (ha): | |
| Population: | None |
| Community Council: | |
| Ferry Services: | none |
| Notes: | |
Haaf Gruney is a small island approximately 1km south east of the Ness of Ramnageo, at the south east corner of Unst. The island rises to a maximum height of 19m, and it's name is derived from the old norse, Hafgröney; 'Haf' meaning 'deep sea' and 'gröney' meaning 'green island'.
In the past the island was used for grazing cattle and sheep, and on the 4th of August 1745 two girls, servants of the Laird of Uyea, who had rowed to the island to milk cows, were caught in a storm and blown out to sea. They eventually made land at Karmøy in Norway, where they settled, and their descendants still live there. Various versions of this story are told, both in Unst and in Norway, and various texts on the subject have appeared over the years, including a section in the book "Drifting alone to Norway" (The amazing adventure of Betty Mouat), by T.M.Y. Manson.
