Point Lynas Lighthouse

Point Lynas Lighthouse sits on the northeast tip of Anglesey in Wales, about 2 km east of the village of Llaneilian and close to Amlwch. The headland is known in Welsh as Trwyn y Balog. The site is a 19th-century group of lighthouse, former telegraph station, accommodation blocks and enclosure walls, protected as a Grade II listed building by Cadw.

Why was it built here?

By the mid-1700s, ships bound for Liverpool needed a spot on Anglesey where they could pick up a pilot. The Liverpool pilotage service weighed up several places and settled on Point Lynas. Pilots first kept watch from a farmhouse, and by 1779 purpose-built accommodation and a tower with oil lamps stood on the headland. The point lies on the approach to the Mersey, which made it a natural place to meet incoming vessels.

What will you see?

The present lighthouse dates from 1834-35 and was built by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board to a design by its engineer Jesse Hartley, the man behind Liverpool's great docks. According to Coflein, the national record for Wales, it is a two-storey dwelling topped by a square tower roughly 11 m high. A telegraph station followed in 1879, relaying news of arriving ships to Liverpool. The south wall and gates came later, designed by Hartley's successor George Lyster.

It is a plain, sturdy complex of local stone on an open, exposed cape, with wide views across the Irish Sea and, in clear weather, ships heading for the Liverpool approaches.

How has it changed?

• 1952: the light was electrified.
• 2 April 1973: Trinity House, the UK lighthouse authority, took over.
• By 2001: full automation removed the need for resident keepers (some sources give an earlier date of 1989).

Today the light is monitored remotely from the Trinity House planning centre in Harwich. The former keepers' cottages are privately owned and let as holiday accommodation.

How do you get there?

Drive from Amlwch towards Llaneilian, then follow the narrow lanes out to the point. Llaneilian lies about 2 km west of the lighthouse. Check with Trinity House or the accommodation owners before you go, as parts of the site are private and close access may be limited.

When should you visit?

The cape is open to the wind, so pick a day with good visibility, ideally late spring or summer. Bring a windproof layer even when it is warm inland.

Frequently asked questions

Who built Point Lynas Lighthouse? The Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, in 1834-35, to a design by Jesse Hartley.

Is it still working? Yes. It is automated and managed by Trinity House.

Is it a listed building? Yes, Grade II with Cadw (listed in 1970, amended in 2001), and it is recorded in Coflein.

Can I stay there? The former keepers' accommodation is let as holiday cottages. Ask the owners about availability.