# Most Westerly Place In Europe



## oldtimer (24 Sep 2007)

To settle a heated argument where is the most westerly place in Europe?


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## Caveat (25 Sep 2007)

The term 'place' might be controversial. Have heard it said many times that the most westerly 'town' is Dingle...sorry...An Daingean 

If you are talking about actual 'point', somewhere in the Azores is usually mentioned. If islands are excluded, then it's usually somewhere in Iceland.


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## efm (25 Sep 2007)

Is it Cabo da Roca in Portugal? or possibly Flores Island in the Azores?


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## A.Partridge (25 Sep 2007)

Not only is the term 'Place' controversial but also the term 'Europe'. 

(If one listens to our colleagues in the BBC they never tire of using outdated terms such as 'on the Continent' or 'Continental Europeans' to describe citizens from France, Spain, Portugal etc. When I last looked I noticed that Britain and Ireland were also part of the continent of Europe just as much as the islands of Malta, Sardinia etc.)

Anyway...the most westerly point of 'mainland' Europe is reputed to be Cabo De Roca in Portugal. Lovely spot I was there for a week in the nearby village of Azoia last April.

The most westerly point of the continent of Europe???....probably west coast of Iceland.


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## purpeller (25 Sep 2007)

Caveat said:


> If islands are excluded, then it's usually somewhere in Iceland.



Can I point out the obvious here?

And you also need to take into consideration political geography.  Denmark retains some link to Greenland so does that make it part of Europe too?


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## efm (25 Sep 2007)

purpeller said:


> And you also need to take into consideration political geography.


 
Well if that is the case what about the french overseas department of French Guiana?  French Guiana is politically a part of France and is part of the European Union and its currency is the euro!


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## Caveat (25 Sep 2007)

purpeller said:


> Can I point out the obvious here?


 
Ok, *small* islands, that are not independent countries. Thought that was understood.


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## Markjbloggs (25 Sep 2007)

I may be wrong here but is there also not an island in Canada that has the same status?  I think it is in the Gulf of St Lawrence...



efm said:


> Well if that is the case what about the french overseas department of French Guiana?  French Guiana is politically a part of France and is part of the European Union and its currency is the euro!


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## oldtimer (25 Sep 2007)

Cabo de Loca in Portugal is claiming the honour, and they are very proud of it. I thought we were always saying we were the nearest parish to America. It must be a close call - will get out a ruler to-night and measure on my map.


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## Marathon Man (26 Sep 2007)

Just checked on Googlemaps. 

Taking the most westerly part of the mainland:
Portugal; Cabo da Roca; longitude -9.498830
Ireland; Head northwest of Slea Head (doesn't give a name on google); longitude -10.453550

And..... St. Brendan was touring long before Henry the Navigator!

Must get out more often!


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## Guest127 (26 Sep 2007)

I thought it was cape st vincent in portugal. windy and wild and a wee bit like connemara, right up to selling aran sweaters from vans near the lighthouse.


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## GeneralZod (26 Sep 2007)

A.Partridge said:


> (If one listens to our colleagues in the BBC they never tire of using outdated terms such as 'on the Continent' or 'Continental Europeans' to describe citizens from France, Spain, Portugal etc. When I last looked I noticed that Britain and Ireland were also part of the continent of Europe just as much as the islands of Malta, Sardinia etc.)



This isn't a uniquely British usage of the term "the Continent". I've always understood it to exclude the British Isles. 
The Scandinavians extend the definition to exclude themselves from "the Continent" also.


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## Marathon Man (26 Sep 2007)

GeneralZod said:


> I've always understood it to exclude the British Isles.



British Isles??  Surely you mean The Northwest European Archipelligo! 

And of course, Britain is separated from France by La Manche.

Don't you love it when our Eastern neighbours tell us about life on the mainland.  My usual response is to ask if they're living in Brussels, Paris, Madrid or Berlin - gets them going...... Then add "Oh, you mean the other island off the continent!"


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## GeneralZod (26 Sep 2007)

Marathon Man said:


> British Isles??  Surely you mean The Northwest European Archipelligo!



Nope, I've no objection to naming the Archipelago after the biggest Island.
As for it being called the mainland that never causes me any confusion as the real mainland is called "the Continent". 
I wouldn't refer to it as the mainland myself though. 



Marathon Man said:


> And of course, Britain is separated from France by La Manche.



If Wikipedia can be believed Italian sea maps from the fifteenth century called it "canalites Anglie" and Dutch 16th century sea maps called it Engelse Kanaal. The French only started calling it La Manche in the 17th century and that might be derived from a Celtic word for channel. The Romans called it the Oceanus Britannicus.

Also perhaps the Irish Sea should be renamed the Welsh Sea.


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## almo (30 Sep 2007)

Redland, or St. Pierre and Miquelon Islands, if ever you want to test your sea legs, take the ferry from Cape Breton, truly worrying.



Markjbloggs said:


> I may be wrong here but is there also not an island in Canada that has the same status? I think it is in the Gulf of St Lawrence...


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## Guest127 (1 Oct 2007)

Marathon Man said:


> Don't you love it when our Eastern neighbours tell us about life on the mainland. !"


 
over half the pop of norn iron refer to GB as 'the mainland '


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## efm (1 Oct 2007)

cuchulainn said:


> over half the pop of norn iron refer to GB as 'the mainland '


 
Over half the pop of norn iron have been wrong before !


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