St Ninian's Isle
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St Ninian's isle is a small island connected by a tombolo, a kind of sand bar, to the south-western coast of the Shetland Mainland. Except at extremely high tides, the sand is above sea level and accessible to walkers. However, St. Ninian's is still technically an island, not a peninsula as the tombolo does not form part of the island. The nearest settlement is Bigton on South Mainland.
The island is believed to be holy and dedicated to Shetland's unofficial patron saint, the ambiguous and enigmatic Saint Ninian, who is widely venerated on the nearby Orkney Islands. On the high ground of the island, facing the mainland, are the ruins of a small chapel, and within its walls (formerly beneath its floor) several Neolithic graves were found. In 1958, a hoard of silver treasure was found in the chapel grounds, which caused a renewed archaeological interest in the island.
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