Barrel of Butter lighthouse

Barrel of Butter is a small automated lighthouse on a rocky skerry in Scapa Flow, the large sheltered bay in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. It stands at roughly 58.89° N, 3.13° W, between the Mainland and the island of Cava, north of Flotta and south of the parish of Orphir. Visitors cannot go out to it, but it makes a distinctive landmark on the water and a small piece of Orkney maritime history.

What is Barrel of Butter?

The light sits on a low rock that barely breaks the surface. The structure is a round masonry tower topped with a grey metal platform that carries the lamp. It was first lit in 1980, runs automatically on solar power and has no resident keepers. The Northern Lighthouse Board, the authority responsible for lighthouses and navigation marks around Scotland and the Isle of Man, looks after it.

The lamp shows a white light in a pattern of two flashes every ten seconds, visible for up to seven nautical miles. For boats, it marks hazardous rocks in the middle of Scapa Flow, one of the great natural anchorages of the British Isles.

Why is it called Barrel of Butter?

The rock was once known as Carlin Skerry. The current name is said to come from a yearly rent: people from Orphir handed over a barrel of butter each year to the local laird and in return could hunt seals on the skerry. The story reflects how Orkney communities once lived off the sea and the land in equal measure.

Can you visit it?

No. There is no public access, no landing arrangement and no road to the light. The best chance to see it is from the water on a boat trip across Scapa Flow, or from the Mainland shore with binoculars. Do not expect a car park, a path or a visitor point.

When is the best time to see it?

Summer days in Orkney are very long, so daylight views are easy from May to August. The flashing light itself shows only after dark, which means autumn and winter evenings are the better time to watch it from the shore. Orphir lies a short drive from Kirkwall, the main town of Orkney, and local operators run boat trips on the bay.

Frequently asked questions

Is Barrel of Butter on Hoy? No. It lies in Scapa Flow between the Mainland and Cava, north of Flotta.

Can I go inside the lighthouse? No. It is automated and closed to visitors.

When was it built? The light was established in 1980 and is managed by the Northern Lighthouse Board.

What light does it show? A white light with two flashes every ten seconds, with a range of seven nautical miles.