New Kinnaird Head Lighthouse

New Kinnaird Head Lighthouse is the working, automated lighthouse on Kinnaird Head in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, on Scotland's north-east coast. It went into service in 1991 and replaced the older lighthouse next door, which now houses a museum.

What is the new Kinnaird Head lighthouse?

It is a short, modern tower about 10 metres tall, built with fibreglass. The light sits roughly 25 metres above sea level, helped by the headland itself. No keeper lives here: the light is controlled remotely and still belongs to the Northern Lighthouse Board, the body responsible for navigation aids around Scotland's coast.

How is it different from the old lighthouse?

Two lighthouses stand on Kinnaird Head, and they are often confused. The older one, first lit in 1787, was the Northern Lighthouse Board's first light and is built into a 16th-century castle. It was retired in 1991 and is now part of the Scottish Lighthouse Museum. That building, known as Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse, is a Category A listed building with Historic Environment Scotland (listed in 1971, revised in 2017), together with its outbuildings and an 1902 fog horn. The new light is a separate, contemporary structure and is not itself the listed building.

What can you see nearby?

The new tower is a plain piece of working infrastructure, but its setting shows how lighthouse technology changed. Next to it you can visit the museum in the castle lighthouse, with lenses and exhibits from across Scotland, and look at the old fog horn at the cliff edge. The headland looks out over the North Sea and Fraserburgh harbour.

How do you get there?

Kinnaird Head sits at the edge of Fraserburgh town, in north-east Aberdeenshire. You can reach the town by car or by bus from Aberdeen. From the centre, walk to the headland and follow the museum buildings on Stevenson Road.

When should you visit?

You can view the lighthouse from outside all year round. The museum keeps its own opening hours, so check its website before you go. Summer is the most comfortable season for a walk around the headland, but the coast is windy in every season, so bring a warm jacket.

Frequently asked questions

Is the new Kinnaird Head lighthouse still in use?

Yes. It is active, automated and operated remotely by the Northern Lighthouse Board.

When was it built?

In 1991, the same year the older 1787 lighthouse was retired.

Can you go inside the new lighthouse?

No, it is an unmanned technical structure. The neighbouring museum in the old lighthouse and castle is the part open to visitors.

Is the new lighthouse a listed building?

No. The Category A listing from Historic Environment Scotland covers the old Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse with its outbuildings and fog horn.