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Archipelago

    Burhou

    49°44′N 2°15′W

    3 km) northwest of Alderney that is part of the Channel Islands. It has no permanent residents, and is a bird sanctuary, so landing there is banned from March 15 to August 1. The island's wildlife includes a colony of puffins (declining in numbers) and many rabbits.

    An aerial shot of the islands of Alderney (centre) and Burhou (upper right) in the Channel Islands.
    An aerial shot of the islands of Alderney (centre) and Burhou (upper right) in the Channel Islands.

    Smb1001 / CC BY-SA 3.0

    Terrain

    49°44′N 2°15′W

    Terrain exaggerated for relief. Drag to look around.

    Overview

    Burhou is a small island about 1.4 miles (2.3 km) northwest of Alderney that is part of the Channel Islands. It has no permanent residents, and is a bird sanctuary, so landing there is banned from March 15 to August 1. The island's wildlife includes a colony of puffins (declining in numbers) and many rabbits. The island has no landing stage as such, but visitors use a small inlet. In rough weather it may be impossible to land. The Guernsey botanist E. D. Marquand called it, "the most desolate and lonely of all the islands in our archipelago." He once had to spend the night there, as his return journey was delayed by fog. The 1906 book, The Channel Pilot states –

    Between Ortac, Verte Tête and Burhou Island, are scattered many dangerous rocks, and ledges among which the streams run with great velocity.

    From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Chart

    Nearest islands

    Also in Channel Islands

    • Jersey

      120 km²▲ 143 m

      Major islands

    • Guernsey

      63.6 km²▲ 110 m

      Major islands

    • Alderney

      8.2 km²▲ 90 m

      Minor islands

    • Sark

      5.3 km²▲ 114 m

      Minor islands

    • Herm

      1.3 km²▲ 73 m

      Minor islands

    • Brecqhou

      0.33 km²▲ 68 m

      Minor islands

    • Jethou

      0.19 km²▲ 77 m

      Minor islands

    • Lihou

      0.16 km²▲ 19 m

      Minor islands

    Also in British Isles

    Sources

    Facts

    • Geometry, areas and high points: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Copernicus GLO-30, via Talus.
    • Talus
    • Wikidata
    • Wikipedia

    Photographs