Copinsay Lighthouse

Copinsay Lighthouse stands on the uninhabited island of Copinsay, a short sea crossing off the east coast of Mainland Orkney, Scotland. The island is an RSPB nature reserve, and the lighthouse itself is a Category B listed building on the Historic Environment Scotland register.

What is the lighthouse?

The light was first shown in November 1915. The structure is a two-stage circular brick tower, with a separate fog-signal building beside it and a flat-roofed keepers' house to the west. The listing record notes that the building contractor went bankrupt part way through, yet the Commissioners kept him on as a foreman. The Northern Lighthouse Board owns and runs the light. It was automated in 1991 and is monitored remotely from Edinburgh, so nobody is stationed here.

How do you get to Copinsay?

There is no scheduled ferry. Visitors cross by small boat, usually from the Skaill area in Deerness on east Mainland, and the trip takes roughly 40 minutes. Landing depends on tides and weather, so confirm with the boatman shortly before you travel. The island has no shop or cafe, so bring water, food and windproof clothing.

What will you see?

Copinsay and the three nearby islets (Corn Holm, Ward Holm and Black Holm) form a Special Protection Area for birds. On the cliffs you can find:

• common guillemots, numbering in the tens of thousands in summer,
• razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars and shags,
• puffins, black guillemots and terns on the neighbouring islets.

In autumn grey seals haul out to pup. You can walk close to the lighthouse across the island's fields, though the building is not open inside. Abandoned farm buildings are a reminder that the last residents left in 1958.

When should you go?

Spring and summer give the fullest seabird colonies. Autumn is the time for seals. Boat trips run seasonally and only when conditions allow.

How did it become a reserve?

The RSPB bought the island in 1972 in memory of the ornithologist James Fisher. Since then the reserve has protected its seabird colonies and supported research on them.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Copinsay Lighthouse?

No. The light is automatic and belongs to the Northern Lighthouse Board. You view it from outside while walking round the island.

Does anyone live on Copinsay?

No. The island has been empty since 1958 and is looked after by the RSPB.

How long is the boat trip?

About 40 minutes from the Skaill area in Deerness. Trips can be cancelled in poor weather or unsuitable tides.

Are there facilities for visitors?

There is no shop, cafe or regular transport. Plan your own supplies and clothing for changeable weather.