Kettla Ness

60°03′N 1°21′W / 60.05°N 1.35°W / 60.05; -1.35Physical geographyIsland groupScalloway IslandsAreasee West BurraHighest elevation48.8 metres (160 ft)AdministrationCouncil areaShetland IslandsCountryScotlandSovereign stateUnited KingdomDemographicsPopulation0^[1]References^[2][3]

Kettla Ness, Kettlaness or just Kettla is a tied island and headland in Shetland.^[4] It is connected by the tombolo Minn beach (Banna Minn), to the south end of West Burra, part of the Scalloway Islands.^[5][6] The headland itself is conspicuous and circa 160 feet high.^[7][8] The island is accessible to walkers via Minn beach and is now uninhabitated.^[7] It is principally used for Sheep farming and pasture.^[6]

The former settlements of Minn,^[9] Gossigarth^[10] and Point of Guide^[11] lie on the north-west part of the island. The ruined village was principally abandoned following the Highland Clearances in the 19th century although some occupation continued into the early 20th century.^[7] There are several other instances of prehistoric activity on the island, primarily at Minn, including several 3rd-1st millennium BC house, cairns, burnt mounds, cists, crop marks and other structures.^{[7][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]} Several of these are located in the Bight of the Sandy Geos, an area on the eastern side of Kettla Ness.^[7][19][20] Iron-age pottery fragments have also been found around Sandy Geos.^[21][22]

On the south side of Kettla Ness is a stream flowing from the Outra Loch. Along the stream there are numerous examples of ruined historic horizontal watermills that extend down to Groot Ness on the south coast.^{[23][24][25][26][27]}

In 1959, a triangulation pillar was erected on the island.

To the west of the island is the wreck of the boat 'Saint Kentigern' which ran aground in November 1979.^[28]

There are four small lochs on the island: Virda Vatn, Loch of Annyeruss, Outra Loch and Croo Loch.

Flora on Kettla Ness includes Armeria maritima which is extensive on the south-west coast opposite the Rod Skerries.^[7]

To the west of Kettla Ness is Fugla Stack, a geological stack landform that consists of vertical columns of rock. There is a wreck, the MV Castor, dating to 1910, beside the stack.^[29]