The Isles of Britain Quiz | Europe - Regions

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1. This island is linked to the mainland by Chesil beach and a road bridge to Weymouth. It is famous for the quarries that supplied material to build Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and the United Nations building in New York. What is the name of this isle off the south west coast of England?

Answer: Isle of Portland

Portland is part of the county of Dorset in south west England. It is right in the heart of the Jurassic coastline and limestone has been quarried there for hundreds of years. Portland Bay is one of the largest man made bays in the world and the Royal Navy featured prominently there during the first and second world wars.

2. This island, which is part of the Orkney Islands in Scotland, has only got an area of 55 square miles. What is the name of this island which the Norse called 'H�ey', meaning 'high island'?

Answer: Hoy

The 2001 consensus recorded a population of only 272 people living on the small island of Hoy. It has a dramatic coastline with some of the highest cliffs in the British Isle, the most famous being a 350 metre high sea stack called the 'Old Man of Hoy'.

The northern part of the island is protected by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and is home in particular to great skuas and red-throated divers.

3. Which of these islands off the county of Essex lies below sea level, is prone to flooding and is now protected by 15 miles of high sea defence?

Answer: Canvey Island

Canvey Island is seven square miles long and just off the Thames estuary in Essex. It became a popular seaside resort from the early to mid 20th century with people flocking from central London for a break by the sea. In 1953, 58 islanders lost their lives due to sea flooding in from the North Sea. The island motto is 'Ex Mare Dei Gratia' which means 'From the sea by the Grace of God'

4. Which island in the south of England was the first home of the Boy Scout movement in 1907?

Answer: Brownsea Island

Brownsea Island lies in Poole Harbour just off the Dorset coast. The island was formerly owned by Charles van Raalte, who agreed that a Lieutenant-General Baden-Powell could use part of his land for a scouting event. A permanent scout camp was opened in 1963 when ownership of the island transferred to the National Trust.

5. Which uninhabited island is most northernmost of the British Isles and is fondly referred to as 'the full stop at the end of Britain'?

Answer: Out Stack

Out Stack or 'Oosta' is a rocky outcrop and part of the Shetland Isles off the north coast of Scotland. If you travelled northwards from Out Stack, you would not encounter any other land mass until you reached the North Pole.

6. Which island, made famous by a song, was the haven for Bonnie Prince Charlie when he escaped after his defeat at the battle of Culloden in 1746?

Answer: Isle of Skye

The plight of the Bonnie Prince Charlie was told in the famous song written by Sir Harold Boulton:

"Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye."

The Isle of Skye today is a haven for walkers and climbers over the Cuillin Hills and Red Hills, the tallest peak which stands at 992 meters high. It is a haven for wildlife including the Black Guillemot, Golden Eagle and Kittiwake.

7. In which group of islands off the British Isles would you find Tresco?

Answer: Isles of Scilly

Tresco is the second largest island of the Scilly Isles, just off the coast of Cornwall in south west England. Helicopters take passengers 30 miles from mainland England to the island and once there, people board a trailer towed by farm tractor as no cars are allowed on the island. The climate is sub tropical and the island has an array of sandy beaches, heathland and granite outcrops.

8. On which of these British islands would hear the familiar terms 'triskelion', 'Tynwald' and 'cammag'?

Answer: Isle of Man

The triskelion or 'Three Legs of Man' is the national symbol and can be found on the coat of arms, currency and flags. Tynwold, or the 'High Court of Tynwald', is the name of the parliament. Cammag is a popular sport on the Isle of Man, similar to Irish hurling and Scottish shinty.

9. Anglesey is an island off mainland Wales which has another smaller island on the western side. What is the name of this smaller isle?

Answer: Holy Island

Holy Island is connected to Anglesey by road and rail bridges. The main town is the port of Holyhead which has links to D�n Laoghaire and Dublin in Ireland by ferry. The island has many religious sites including burial chambers and standing stones, hence why the island was named 'holy'.

10. Fair Isle, Unst and Whalsay are part of which island group off the coast of Scotland?

Answer: Shetland Islands

The Shetland's is a group of around 300 islands off the north coast of Scotland, the majority of which are inhabited. The islands are surrounded by the North and Norwegian Seas. Lerwick is capital of the mainland and has a population of over 7,000 people.

Source: Author Plodd

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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The Isles of Britain Trivia Quiz

Not only does the British Isles include England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but also over six thousand smaller islands. Let us take a look at some of these little gems.

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