h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's not really the most north-easterly point, whatever the locals may say.

One feature of a most north-easterly point is that if you go North-West from it, you reach the open sea. But from Flamborough Head, you plough into England around Northumberland somewhere.

There's no point north of Flamborough that is further east. Which does kind of make it the most North Easterly Point.

No, that just means you can go due north from it without reaching land. There are lots of places on the east coast where you can do that.

Yes, but their not as far east... Hence, most north eastern point.

Yes, but they're not as far east... Hence, most north eastern point.

Nah!

I'm with Gnomon on this. There are places further east where you can go north without hitting land, they're just also further south. And don't say "they're further sout, so this is the furthest north-east" because there's nothing to distinguish Flamborough Head from any of these other points; it's north of some and east of others - so what?

It's North East!

There is actually one point on the North Sea coast of England which is the most North-Easterly, but it is not Flamsborough Head. It is Braidcarr Point near Seahouses and North Sunderland. I don't know what county that is in.

Checking the Ordnance Survey map, a line drawn norwest from Braidcarr Point appears to meet the English coast a mile or so north of Berwick. Now I'll admit that grid north and true north are not the same, but by the looks of things the difference is the wrong way to help. Sorry to pester you, but where did you hear that claim, Gnomon?

Oh, and it's in Northumberland.

Actually, I made that claim up myself. I haven't got a very accurate map of England, but it is good enough to show that the claim about Flamborough is wrong.

Ah, well if you want my opinion the most north-easterly point in mainland England must be within a few hundred yards of the Scottish border. If you allow islands as well, then it must be on Knivestone in the Farne Islands.

I might give you Kiveston on the Farne Islands as more north easterly than Flamborough... but are they strictly speaking England?

They're British Isles... Now, where is the most North Easterly point in the British Isles?

And how about the most South Easterly? That must in Anglia somewhere.

These things are very hard to determine. Even something as apparently simple as "the most westerly point on the island of Great Britain" is hard to find out. Most people would think it is Land's End in Cornwall, and it is if you go by the National Grid reference. But the National Grid is skewed slightly because of the curvature of the Earth. Going by true north, south, east and west, the westernmost point is Ardnamurchan Point in mainland Scotland near the isle of Skye.

The southeasternmost point appears to be between Dover and Deal in Kent. The Northeasternmost point in the British Isles is without a doubt on the island of Unst in Shetland.

BlindLemonLarry - If you'll allow Knivestone, then why not Berwick, for example? Seriously Flamborough Head is a fairly poor candidate, beaten by most of the Northumberland coast.

Gnomon - The Point of Ardnamurchan is near Mull, not Skye.

You're right. I should know that, because I've been to Mull but never to Skye. I don't know why my fingers typed Skye.

Ah, don't worry, it's easy to make mistakes like that.