To visit all 350 holms in freshwater lochs known to me, regardless of the size of the loch. All but two have been achieved, both in the island of Vementry, and indicated by a double asterisk. To qualify, a holm includes vegetated islands with a rocky or stony base (the typical holm), as well as small barish rocks. All must be capable of comfortably supporting two or more persons, and be surrounded by water deep enough to prevent access from the shore in shoes, even in dry summers. Where a loch contains a number of small rocks, only the larger are enumerated. Holms which are connected to other holms and are accessible from each other in shoes, but where none is connected to the shore, are treated as one holm. The presence of an artificial causeway connecting a holm to the shore, whether below or above water, does not exclude that holm from this project. Excluded are the following: holms incapable of comfortably supporting two or more persons: holms with a permanent and natural connection to the shore: pieces of detached moorland without an obvious stony or rocky base; and man-made holms. Early on, during my plant-hunting travels, I soon discovered that the vegetation on some holms differed markedly from that of the usually peaty surroundings of the loch. Several have been visited more than once, while others have also been examined by Richard Palmer.
The number at the end of each line is the number of holms in that particular loch. Names like ‘Loch of Tingwall’ appear as ‘Tingwall, Loch of’. An asterisk signifies where an unnamed loch is referred to a nearby named loch or house. Holms in salt-water lochs are treated under 1. Salt-water islands.
Bardister, near Walls (HU2350) 2
Benston, South Nesting (HU4653) 1
Birka Water, SW of, North Roe (HU310870) 1
Brandi Water, NW of Gunnister (HU3174) 4
Breibister, near Walls (HU2249) 1
Brindister, S of Lerwick (HU4336) 1
Brow, Dunrossness (HU3815) 2
Burga Water, Sandness (HU2354) 4
Burga Water, Vidlin (HU4864) 2
Burki Waters, Muckle Roe (HU3164) 3
Burraland, NW of Sullom (HU3474) 5
Catherine’s Water, SW of Fogrigarth (HU2758) 3
Clickimin, Lerwick (HU4640) 2
Cliff, near Baltasound, Unst (HP6011) 2
Clings Water, near Clousta (HU3055) 4
Clousta, West Mainland (HU3158) 20
Clubbi Shuns, North Roe (HU3386) 3
Collaster, Sandness (HU2057) 1
*Craagles Water, SW of, Tingon (HU2481) 1
Cro Water, Yell (HU4684) 1
Crookna Water, above Heylor (HU2881) 1
Cure Water, S of Hamar (HU3175) 8
Dallican Water, near Lunning (HU4967) 1
Daney’s Loch, SSE of Snarraness (HU2454) 1
Djuba Water, near West Burrafirth (HU2757) 1
Eela Water, E of Urafirth (HU3378) 3
Eela Water, Little, E of Urafirth (HU3278) 1
Flangnafield Water, near Mangaster (HU3271) 1
Flatpunds, NW of Bridge of Walls (HU2452) 10
Freester, South Nesting (HU4553) 1
Fugla Water, Lunna Ness (HU5171) 9
Galta Water, near Fogrigarth (HU2454) 3
Garth, N of Scalloway (HU4042) 1
Girlsta, Central Mainland (HU4351) 1
Gonfirth, near Voe (HU3862) 1
Gossa Water, North Nesting (HU4360) 8
Gossa Waters, Tingon (HU257835) 2
Gossa Waters, Tingon (HU257837) 1
Grass Water, NE of Bridge of Walls (HU2853) 4
Grunnavoe, Walls (HU2549) 3
Grutness, near, Sumburgh (HU4010) 1
Grutwick, Lunna Ness (HU5070) 3
Hadd, Loch of the, North Roe (HU3185) 2
Hamari Water, West Burrafirth (HU2555) 2
Heilia Water, N of Bridge of Walls (HU2753) 1
Hog-holm, Loch of the, North Roe (HU3087) 1
*Hog-holm, Loch of the, SE of (HU3187) 1
Hostigates, north, near Vementry (HU3159) 1
Hostigates, south, near Vementry (HU3159) 3
Houlland, Esha Ness (HU2179) 1
Houlls Water, near Mavis Grind (HU3367) 9
Houlls Water, Yell (HU4595) 1
Houlma Water, near West Burrafirth (HU2657) 5
Housa Water, Wester Skeld (HU2844) 3
Hulma Water, near Effirth (HU2952) 17
Huxter, Whalsay (HU5562) 2
Inniscord Loch, North Roe (HU3289) 1
Isbister, Loch, Whalsay (HU5764) 1
Kettlester, Yell (HU5180) 1
Kilka Water, Muckle Roe (HU3365) 1
Kussa Waters, Yell (HP5102) 1
Lamba Water, E of Aith (HU3855) 4
Laxo Water, N of Laxo (HU4465) 1
Lumbister, Yell (HU4896) 7
Lunga Water, near Walls (HU2352) 3
Maa Loch, Vementry (HU3060) 3
Maa Water, E of Aith (HU3755) 3
Maadle Swankie, North Roe (HU3286) 1
Many Crooks, central, North Roe (HU3186) 2
Many Crooks, w’most, North Roe (HU3186) 1
Marrofield Water, East Burrafirth (HU3859) 1
Mill Loch of Nibon, Nibon (HU3173) 3
Mill Loch, Lunna Ness (HU5070) 2
Mill Loch, near Brindister (HU2756) 1
Mill Loch, near Lunning (HU5066) 1
Mill Loch, near Newton (HU2854) 1
Mill Loch, Uyea, North Roe (HU3390) 2
Moora Waters, s’most, Mangaster (HU3272) 2
Moosa Water, North Roe (HU3389) 3
Moshella Lochs, ne’most, North Roe (HU3187) 1
Mousa Water, NE of Walls (HU2551) 5
Mousavord Loch, Sandness (HU2255) 2
*Mousavord Loch, SE of, Sandness (HU2254) 2
Muckle Lunga Water, North Roe (HU3288) 7
Murraster, near Bridge of Walls (HU2752) 2
*Newton, behind, SE of West Burrafirth (HU2755) 2
North-house, N of Twatt (HU3255) 1
Nuckro Water, Whalsay (HU5663) 1
Pettadale Water, North Roe (HU3489) 1
Punds Water, near Hamar (HU3275) 6
Punds Water, NW of Mangaster (HU3271) 1
Quassawall Loch, near Newton (HU2754) 1
Robie Glen’s Loch, WSW of Unifirth (HU2655) 1
Roer Water, North Roe (HU3386) 4
Round Loch, Lunna Ness (HU5070) 2
Sand Water, NW of Effirth (HU2953) 7
Sandvoe, Mill Lochs of, w’most (HU3388) 4
Sandy Lochs, North Roe (HU3387) 3
Sandy Water, North Roe (HU3086) 7
Scarf Water, Wester Skeld (HU2843) 1
Scarvie Loch, S of Nibon (HU3070) 1
Setter, Clousta (HU3056) 5
Skellister, South Nesting (HU4556) 2
Sma Lochs, central, by Lunga Water (HU2252) 3
Small Waters, Uyeasound, Unst (HP5802) 5
*Snapa Water, SE of, Ness of Hamar (HU3074) 2
Soolmisvird Water, near, Nibon (HU3173) 1
Stanes Water, N of Mangaster (HU3372) 1
Starns Water, W of Lunning (HU4966) 3
Sulma Water, S of West Burrafirth (HU2555) 5
**Swaba Stacks, E of, Vementry (HU2861) 1
**Swaba Stacks, E of, Vementry (HU2861) 1
Tarra Water, Sandness (HU2157) 1
Tingwall, N of Scalloway (HU4142) 2
Tonga Water, North Roe (HU3387) 3
Vaara, NW of Aith (HU3256) 6
Vats-houll, Loch, Whalsay (HU5765) 1
Vatsetter, Vatsetter, Yell (HU5389) 1
Voe, near Voe (HU4162) 2
Voxterby, above Bridge of Walls (HU2553) 5
Watlee, N of Uyeasound, Unst (HP5905) 1
West Loch, Hildasay, off Scalloway (HU3540) 11
Wester Water, SW of South Gluss (HU3376) 1
Whitebrigs, SE of Burga Water (HU2453) 1
*Whitebrigs, W of, SE of Burga Water (HU2353) 1