Wings Over The Forth

Thousands of northern gannets return to Bass Rock year after year, transforming it into one of Europe's greatest wildlife spectacles

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WHEN it comes to landmarks in the Lothians, one that is hard to trump in its majestic ambience is Bass Rock, an island in the Firth of Forth. Throughout centuries, it has been a local landmark with different purposes.

Bass Rock is said to have once been home to a hermit settler centuries ago and was also home to a castle that was later turned into a prison.

Today, a lighthouse built in the early 20th century is more recent evidence of people's influence on the island, which for many years has been uninhabited.

But while no humans live on Bass Rock, the landmark is a seasonal home to many other species, including seabirds - and especially the northern gannet.

These marvellous creatures are particularly known for their distinct black wingtips and yellow head, and for being able to dive into the water head first at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Thousands make their home there every spring, forming the largest colony of northern gannets on the planet.