Coast in the United Kingdom

The Maidens lighthouses

The Maidens lighthouses are a pair of 1829 sea towers standing on rocky reefs in the North Channel, a few miles off the County Antrim coast in Northern Ireland. Only the east tower still shines; the west one survives as an unlit tower on its rock. Where are The Maidens, and what are they? The Maidens are two clusters of volcanic rocks separated by a navigable gap. They lie roughly four nautical miles north-east of Ballygalley Head, off the Antrim coast near Larne and the Islandmagee peninsula. The surrounding water is rough, and the reefs long posed a danger to ships crossing between Ireland and Scotland. Who built the lighthouses, and when? Merchants and a Royal Navy officer pressed for a light here. Lighthouse inspector George Halpin surveyed the rocks in 1819, plans were approved in 1824, and Halpin designed both towers and oversaw construction. The lights were first lit in January 1829. The towers stand about 800 yards apart, the west one on the northern rock and the east one on the southern rock. What is their status today? East Maiden is still active. It was automated in 1977 and is run by the Commissioners of Irish Lights. The white tower with a black band has a light range of around 23 nautical miles. West Maiden went out of service in the early 1900s (sources give 1903 or 1906). The tower remains as a daymark without its lantern, and many of its buildings are largely intact. Local stories tell of keepers' families living on separate rocks, and the East Tower is the setting of the 1976 film Maidens in Distress. How can you see The Maidens? There is no landing from the shore, so a boat trip is the best option. Carnlough Bay Boat Tours, leaving from Carnlough harbour, runs a longer four-hour trip that includes The Maidens, subject to tides and weather. Trips have also run from Ballylumford harbour on Islandmagee. Check current operators and dates before you plan. From stretches of the Antrim coast, such as near Ballygalley, the towers show up as tiny shapes on the horizon, and binoculars help. When should you go? Trips depend on sea conditions, so calm, clear weather is best, usually late spring and summer. At dusk you can pick out the beam of the east light. Frequently asked questions Can you go inside the lighthouses? No. One is a working light and the other a disused tower, both on offshore rocks. They are viewed from a boat. Which lighthouse still works? The East Maiden, automated in 1977 and managed by the Commissioners of Irish Lights. Where do boat trips depart from? Carnlough Bay Boat Tours offers a trip including The Maidens from Carnlough harbour; earlier trips also left from Ballylumford on Islandmagee. Can you see them from land? Yes, from parts of the Antrim coast as small towers far out at sea, best in good visibility and with binoculars.

Prince of Wales Pier light

Dover

Prince of Wales Pier light is the small lighthouse marking the seaward end of Prince of Wales Pier in Dover Harbour, Kent. A slim white tower on the English Channel, it has shown a green signal to ships for over a century. The pier itself is a Grade II listed structure on the National Heritage List for England. What is the lighthouse like? The tower is a tapering granite structure, painted white. It stands on a moulded plinth, carries a moulded cornice with a handrail, and is topped by a cylindrical lantern with a metal weathervane. Lighthouse databases list it as active, showing a very quick flashing green light, and name Dover Harbour Board as its operator. The date given for the present tower and the light is 1902. Who built the pier, and when? Sir John Coode, one of the leading harbour engineers of Victorian Britain, designed the pier in 1890-92. He died before it was finished, and the work was completed by Coode, Son and Mathews. The foundation stone went in during 1893 (some sources say 1892) and the pier was finished in 1902. It was built to shelter the eastern side of the harbour and to provide berths for cross-Channel steamers and transatlantic liners. The listing cites it as the only Dover harbour structure designed by Coode, which is a main reason for its protected status. Why is part of it hidden today? When the Hoverport Terminal was built in 1978, a section of the pier was covered over and the original railings were replaced with concrete panels. The lighthouse has had its own mishap: an impact twisted the upper part of the tower about a foot out of line with its base. The lantern was refurbished and painted at the pier head, then craned back into place. The harbour board turned out to have an original spare glass lens in its stores. How do you get there and what is nearby? The pier lies in Dover's Western Docks, beside the old hoverport site. Dover is a major ferry port, so expect ships coming and going, and on a clear day the French coast shows across the Channel. The listing places the pier below Western Heights, so the light fits easily into a walk that also takes in Dover Castle and the town's other fortifications. Frequently asked questions Is the Prince of Wales Pier light still working? Yes. Lighthouse databases list it as operational, with a very quick flashing green light, run by Dover Harbour Board. When was it built? The pier was designed in 1890-92, its foundation stone was laid in 1893 and it was completed in 1902, the year the light is recorded as established. Is it a listed building? Yes. Prince of Wales Pier is Grade II listed, with the entry dated 1 December 1975. What is the tower made of? Granite, painted white, with a tapering form, a moulded plinth and cornice, and a cylindrical lantern topped by a weathervane.

Chalk Tower

Flamborough

Chalk Tower in Flamborough (East Riding of Yorkshire, England) is a chalk-built lighthouse tower dating from 1674, regarded as one of the oldest surviving complete lighthouse towers in the country. It stands on the cliff-top of Flamborough Head, a short walk from the modern lighthouse, and is a protected monument on the National Heritage List for England. What is the Chalk Tower? The tower went up between about 1669 and 1674, promoted by Sir John Clayton, who held a royal licence to build lighthouses, with George Blake as financial partner. It was a commercial gamble: ship owners were supposed to pay dues scaled to the weight of their cargo. Most masters refused, and Clayton went bankrupt. Historic England records that it never operated as a working light, and some accounts say a fire was never lit in it at all. That failure is why so much survives. Historic England calls it a unique survival of a 17th-century monument lighthouse in England in an unaltered state. It is both a listed building and a scheduled monument. Sources disagree on the grade (II or II*), so check the National Heritage List entry (no. 1014241) if you need the exact figure. What can you see? From outside you see a sturdy tower of chalk blocks, quite unlike the whitewashed 19th-century lighthouse nearer the tip of the headland. That newer light came into service in 1806 and took over the job of guiding shipping. Around the tower are sea cliffs, seabird colonies and coastal footpaths. Interior access is limited: only the ground floor opens to visitors. A volunteer group, the Friends of the Chalk Tower, holds a licence from the council and opens it on special dates, including Heritage Open Days with no booking needed. A major restoration took place in 1996 with help from the council and English Heritage. How do you get there? Drive to Flamborough Head and use the council car park, then walk the short path to the tower. Flamborough sits on the coast between Bridlington and Scarborough. When should you visit? Dry days from spring to autumn make the cliff walk most pleasant. To see inside, check the open-day dates, which often fall in September. Frequently asked questions Is the Chalk Tower the same as Flamborough Head Lighthouse? No. They are separate buildings: the 1674 chalk tower and the working lighthouse built in 1806. Did the tower ever guide ships? According to Historic England it was never used as a working light, because shipowners would not pay the dues. Can you go inside? Only the ground floor, and only on dates when the Friends of the Chalk Tower open it. Is there an entry fee, and where do you park? Park at the council car park at Flamborough Head; viewing the tower from outside needs no ticket.

Chanonry Point Lighthouse

Rosemarkie

Chanonry Point Lighthouse stands at the tip of Chanonry Ness, a shingle spit jutting into the Moray Firth on the Black Isle, Highland, close to Rosemarkie. The spit runs between the towns of Fortrose and Rosemarkie, and the shoreline here is one of the best places in Scotland to watch dolphins from land. Who built the lighthouse, and when? It was first lit in 1846 to a design by Alan Stevenson, engineer to the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB), the body that looks after navigation lights around Scotland. It has been fully automated since 1984 and remains under NLB management, so nobody lives on duty in it. The heritage protection applies to the surrounding complex: the keeper's cottage, boundary wall and gate piers are a Category A listed building, listed on 25 March 1971. The tower itself is not part of that entry. You can view the cottage and wall from outside, but there is no interior visit. What is there to see? The draw is the bottlenose dolphins that hunt in the narrow channel off the point, where the tidal flow pushes fish close to shore. You stand only a few metres from the water, so no binoculars are needed. Seals and seabirds are regular sights too. The white tower behind you and the far side of the firth make for strong photos. When should you come for the dolphins? Aim for roughly an hour after low tide, on the rising water. Check tide tables for Rosemarkie before you set off. May to August is the main season, but nothing is guaranteed with wild animals. Go midweek and early in the morning for fewer crowds. How do you get there and where do you park? The road to the point starts from Fortrose or Rosemarkie, both a few minutes away. The car park is small and fills fast. Vehicles over 6 metres are not allowed, and in summer there may be parking charges and a shuttle bus linking the point with Fortrose and Rosemarkie, so check current arrangements locally. Alternatively, leave your car in Fortrose and walk, about 30 minutes. The viewing area is wheelchair accessible. What should you bring? The spit is exposed and windy even in summer. Pack a warm, windproof layer and shoes that cope with shingle. Frequently asked questions Can you go inside the lighthouse? No. It is an operating NLB light, and the keeper's cottage is seen from outside only. What is the best time to see dolphins? About an hour after low tide, on the rising tide, mostly from May to August. Is there an entry fee? Access to the point is free. Summer parking may be charged. How long should you plan? One to two hours covers a walk and some watching, longer if you wait for the dolphins.

Buchan Ness Lighthouse

Boddam

Buchan Ness Lighthouse sits on a rocky headland beside the village of Boddam, a few miles south of Peterhead in Aberdeenshire. The point is the easternmost tip of mainland Scotland, and the white tower with its red bands is a landmark of the Buchan coast, easy to spot from the road and from nearby cliffs. Why was Buchan Ness built? Peterhead's authorities petitioned the Northern Lighthouse Board for a light on this stretch of coast in 1819. Robert Stevenson, the Board's engineer and grandfather of the author Robert Louis Stevenson, picked the site. The granite tower went up between 1824 and 1827, with the contractor John Gibb carrying out the work, and the light was first shown in 1827. It was given a flashing character, which was an innovation in Scotland at the time. How has it changed since? The red bands were painted on in 1907, although some sources give 1910. Around 1910 the optic was replaced with a dioptric lens. The station was electrified in 1978 and automated in 1988, so no keepers live here now; it is monitored remotely from the Board's headquarters in Edinburgh. In 2012 the old lamp and lens gave way to fixed flashing LED lanterns. During the Second World War, drifting mines washed ashore and exploded, damaging the buildings, though nobody was killed. Is it a protected building? Yes. The lighthouse has been a Category A listed building, the top tier of Scottish heritage protection, since 1971 (reference LB16367). It also appears in the RCAHMS record as NK14SW 73. How do you get to Buchan Ness? Boddam lies off the A982 south of Peterhead, so a car is the simplest option: it is a short drive from Peterhead and roughly an hour north of Aberdeen. From the village you walk out to the headland. The coordinates are about 57.470° N, 1.775° W. What can you see there? The tower is normally admired from outside. The rocky shelves and grassy edge of the headland give the best viewpoints. Bring a windproof layer, as the coast is fully exposed to the North Sea. Seabirds are common, and on clear days ships pass along the coast. Morning and late afternoon give the most flattering light for photography. Frequently asked questions Can you go up the tower? It is a working aid to navigation, so visitors usually view it from outside. Check access rules before you travel. Who designed it? Robert Stevenson, engineer to the Northern Lighthouse Board, who designed many of Scotland's lighthouses. When was it built? Construction ran from 1824 to 1827, and the light was first lit in 1827. Is the light still in use? Yes. It has been automated since 1988 and has used an LED source since 2012. What is the nearest village? Boddam, a few miles from Peterhead.

Belle Tout lighthouse

Eastbourne

Belle Tout Lighthouse in Eastbourne sits on the clifftop of Beachy Head in East Sussex, and it has not guided a ship for more than a century. The stout white tower, built in the 1830s, is one of the best-known landmarks on England's south coast, and in 1999 it became famous for one of the most remarkable building relocations in the country. Why was Belle Tout built, and why did it close? Petitions for a light on the summit of Beachy Head reached Trinity House as early as the 1690s, but were turned down for a long time. The lighthouse was finally lit on 11 October 1834. The coast here is prone to thick sea fog that often hid a light set high on the cliff, and the chalk edge kept crumbling. By 1896 the tower stood about 30 feet (9 m) closer to the edge than when it was built. The answer was a new lighthouse at the foot of the cliff, out in the water. When the Beachy Head Lighthouse first shone in 1902, Belle Tout was decommissioned. Do not confuse the two: the red-and-white tower in the sea is a different building. Why was the building moved in 1999? After closing, the tower served as a private home, a tea shop and a film location. Erosion carried on, though, and by the 1990s the building was dangerously close to the drop. In 1999 the entire structure, weighing around 850 tons, was slid inland in one piece. Engineers used hydraulic jacks and rails, shifting it back from the edge by a few tens of feet and buying it several more decades. Can you go inside? Belle Tout is a Grade II listed building. It is not a museum. After a renovation that cost close to a million pounds, it reopened in 2010 as a luxury bed and breakfast. Guests stay a minimum of two nights, the minimum age is 16, and dogs are not accepted. Prices and rules change, so check with the owners before booking. If you are not staying, you can admire the tower from outside and from the path. How do you get there, and what will you see? The lighthouse stands on the South Downs Way, between the Beachy Head cliff and the hamlet of Birling Gap. Grassy downland rolls down to the English Channel, and from the cliff you look over white chalk faces, open sea and the Beachy Head Lighthouse far below. From central Eastbourne you can walk the clifftop path to the spot, passing viewpoints on the way. Morning and late-afternoon light are best for photos. Expect wind on the cliff and keep well back from the edge. Frequently asked questions Is Belle Tout still a working lighthouse? No. Its light went out in 1902, when the Beachy Head Lighthouse at the base of the cliff took over. When and why was it moved? In 1999, in one piece, because cliff erosion threatened the tower. The roughly 850-ton move was carried out on hydraulic jacks. Can I stay overnight? Yes. A B&B has operated here since 2010, with a two-night minimum and a minimum guest age of 16. Confirm details and prices with the owners. How is Belle Tout different from the Beachy Head Lighthouse? Belle Tout stands on top of the cliff and has been out of service since 1902. The Beachy Head Lighthouse is the red-and-white tower from 1902 standing in the sea at the cliff's foot.

Skervuile Lighthouse

Skervuile Lighthouse sits on a lone rock in the Sound of Jura, off the coast of Argyll and Bute in western Scotland. The tower stands about 4 km out from the east shore of the Isle of Jura, at the mouth of Lowlandman's Bay and not far from the village of Craighouse. It is a working navigation light. Visitors cannot land or go inside, but it can be seen from the shore. What is Skervuile Lighthouse? It is a rock lighthouse, built directly on a reef rising from the sea. Its job is to warn ships off dangerous stacks in the southern part of the Sound of Jura. The white tower is roughly 25 m tall and shows a single white flash every 15 seconds. Who built it, and when? The design is credited to the Stevenson family of lighthouse engineers, David and Thomas Stevenson. Thomas was the father of the writer Robert Louis Stevenson. The light was first lit in 1865, although the structure had been finished earlier. For about five years it stayed dark because of a dispute between the Northern Lighthouse Board and the Board of Trade. Some listings give 1860 as the year of establishment. The light was automated in 1945 and downgraded to a minor light that year. No keepers have lived there since. Can you visit the lighthouse? No. It stands on an exposed rock in open water and is not open to the public. Even in the 19th century access was hard: in November 1881 a gale sank the lighthouse relief boat at her moorings in Lowlandman's Bay. Landing on the rock today would need the operator's permission, and the tides and weather in the sound can be demanding. How can you see it? Head for Jura's east coast. The area around Craighouse and Lowlandman's Bay offers good shoreline walks with views over the sound. The lighthouse shows as a small white mark on the horizon, so binoculars or a telephoto lens help. To reach Craighouse, take the ferry from Islay (Port Askaig to Feolin) and follow the island's single main road. Check ferry times before you travel. When is the best time to go? Visibility is best on calm, clear days, typically from late spring to early autumn. After dark the flashing light is visible from the coast, which makes an evening walk by the water worthwhile. Frequently asked questions Can I go inside Skervuile Lighthouse? No. It stands on a rock in the sea and is not set up for visitors. Where exactly is it? In the Sound of Jura, about 4 km off the east coast of Jura, at the entrance to Lowlandman's Bay. Is the lighthouse still active? Yes. It has been automatic since 1945 and remains an aid to navigation. Who designed it? The Stevenson engineering family. Sources name David and Thomas Stevenson.

Egypt Point light

Cowes

Egypt Point Light is a retired lighthouse marking the northernmost tip of the Isle of Wight, on the Egypt Esplanade between Cowes and Gurnard. It no longer guides ships, but the small tower still serves as a landmark for sailors and a favourite stop on a seafront walk overlooking the Solent. What is Egypt Point Light? Trinity House, the body responsible for navigation aids around England, first lit the beacon at Egypt Point in 1897. For close to a century it helped vessels find their way through the Solent, showing a white flash every ten seconds with a range of ten nautical miles. The way it was lit changed over the decades. It began on paraffin, switched to automatic acetylene operation in 1925, and was converted to electricity in 1969. In 1989 the light was switched off because shipping needs had moved on. Its original lantern now sits at Hurst Castle, in the museum of the Association of Lighthouse Keepers. The structure later passed into the hands of the Isle of Wight Council, though published accounts disagree on exactly when. Why is it called Egypt? The name has nothing to do with the country. A plaque at the lighthouse explains that it probably comes from a community of Romani people, known at the time as "Egyptians", who camped in the area during the 1500s. What will you see? The lighthouse is small and cannot be entered, but it photographs well against the water. Along the Egypt Esplanade runs a flat, easy promenade with benches, giving views of yachts and ferries crossing the Solent and of the mainland shore beyond. The point is also a good place to watch the Round the Island Race. The event starts and finishes at Cowes, so on race day the esplanade looks out over hundreds of sails. Queen Victoria also counted this stretch of coast among her preferred spots during her stays on the island. How do you get there? Egypt Point lies on the northern edge of Cowes, along the Egypt Esplanade. From the town centre it is a walk of roughly fifteen minutes along the shore. Cowes is reached by Red Funnel car ferry or the Red Jet passenger service from Southampton, and local buses connect it with Newport. Parking is available near the promenade, but spaces fill up in summer and during Cowes Week. When should you visit? Summer is the best time, when the Solent is busiest and the evenings are long. For racing, check the dates of Cowes Week (early August) and the Round the Island Race (usually June or July). Outside the season the esplanade is quiet and good for a sunset walk beside the water. Frequently asked questions Is the Egypt Point light still working? No. It was decommissioned in 1989 and now stands as a landmark. Can I go inside? No. It is a small structure viewed from outside, so a visit means a stroll along the promenade. How long does a visit take? Twenty to thirty minutes is enough; allow about an hour if you walk further along the Egypt Esplanade. Where can I see the original lantern? It is on display at Hurst Castle, in the Association of Lighthouse Keepers museum.

Lynmouth Foreland Lighthouse

North Devon

Lynmouth Foreland Lighthouse stands on the North Devon coast of England, on Foreland Point inside Exmoor National Park. The point is among the northernmost stretches of land in Devon, and the light has watched over the Bristol Channel since 1900. What is this lighthouse? Trinity House, the body that looks after navigation marks around England, built the tower, and its first light shone on 28 September 1900. It was meant to guide shipping through the Bristol Channel, where strong currents and a huge tidal range have long troubled sailors. You will also see it called Foreland Point Lighthouse or Countisbury Foreland; all three names mean the same place. The tower is round, white and roughly 15 metres tall. It sits lower on the slope than the old keepers' houses, so walking down to it means more steps going down than coming back up. The optical equipment in the lantern was supplied by Chance Brothers of Smethwick. Mains electricity arrived in 1975, the station was automated in the 1990s, and today Trinity House monitors it remotely from Harwich. The tower and its adjoining retaining walls are Grade II listed. Where is it and how do you get there? The lighthouse lies about 5 km north-east of Lynmouth, close to the village of Countisbury on the A39. The easiest starting point is Barna Barrow car park, on the north side of the A39 about a kilometre east of Countisbury (postcode EX35 6NE). You can also park in Lynmouth, but the walk is longer and the approach roads are steep. From Barna Barrow, the South West Coast Path leads the way. The gentler option drops to the lighthouse access road in Coddow Combe, from where you can walk out onto the point. A more adventurous path loops around the very tip of Foreland Point along a narrow goat track; the National Trust recommends it only in good weather and for walkers comfortable with heights. Popular circuits from Barna Barrow run about 8 km, while a longer National Trust loop from Cloud Farm covers around 17.6 km. What will you see? The reward is the scenery: cliffs dropping straight into the sea, wooded Exmoor valleys and, on a clear day, the Welsh coast across the channel. The tower looks best from the path below, framed by open water. The former keepers' accommodation belongs to the National Trust and is let as a holiday cottage, so treat the area as a coastal walk rather than a museum. When should you go? Dry days from spring to early autumn are the most pleasant. Slopes are steep and paths can turn slippery after rain, so wear sturdy boots. In strong wind or fog, choose the easier route through Coddow Combe. Frequently asked questions Who runs the lighthouse? Trinity House, remotely from its centre in Harwich. The station has been automated since the 1990s. Can you go inside? The old keepers' houses are a holiday let owned by the National Trust. Most visitors admire the site from the coast path rather than from inside. Where do you park? Usually at Barna Barrow car park on the A39, about a kilometre from Countisbury. Lynmouth is the alternative. Is the walk difficult? The Coddow Combe route is the easier one. The path around the tip of the point is narrow and needs steady footing and fair weather.

Esha Ness Lighthouse

Esha Ness Lighthouse sits at the western tip of the Northmavine peninsula on Shetland's Mainland, in the far north of Scotland. It stands above the Eshaness cliffs, fully open to the Atlantic, beside the narrow sea inlet of Calder's Geo. It is one of Shetland's most popular sights and takes about an hour to reach by car from Lerwick. What is the story behind the lighthouse? The current tower was built between 1925 and 1929 to a design by David Alan Stevenson, from the Stevenson family of lighthouse engineers, for the Northern Lighthouse Board. It is a tapering square tower about 12 metres tall, made of concrete because local stone was unsuitable. It is regarded as the last Northern Lighthouse Board light designed by a Stevenson. Before it, a temporary acetylene light operated here from 1915, installed at the Admiralty's request. Its job was to warn shipping about the Ve Skerries reef, where around fifteen vessels were lost in the 18th and 19th centuries. The light was automated in 1974 and the keeper's house passed into private hands. The lighthouse is now owned by the Shetland Amenity Trust. Visitors normally view it from outside, and the car park beside it is the best vantage point. What can you see nearby? Eshaness is the remains of a volcano roughly 360 to 400 million years old. The cliffs expose bands of lava and ash, which is why the area belongs to the Shetland UNESCO Global Geopark and is protected as an SSSI. Highlights include: Holes of Scraada – collapsed sea caves about 100 metres inland, where the sea surges in over a stony beach. Dore Holm – a large natural rock arch just offshore between Tangwick and Stenness, often compared to a pony drinking. Grind o da Navir – a cliff fissure where waves pound in, most impressively in a storm. Tangwick Haa Museum – a late 17th-century laird's house, now a museum of Northmavine's history. How do you get there? Drive north from Lerwick, then take the B9078 west from Hillswick to the road end by the lighthouse. Public transport is very limited, so a car or a tour with a local guide is the practical choice. What is the best walk? The Eshaness Circular covers about 6 km and takes around 3 hours, though it is easy to cut short. It starts at the lighthouse car park and follows the cliff tops north. Wear sturdy boots, as wet grass is slippery, and keep well back from the edge in wind. When should you visit? Summer brings very long daylight and the mildest weather. Autumn and winter offer the most dramatic waves, but the wind can be fierce and daylight short. Pack a windproof layer in any season. Frequently asked questions Can you go inside Esha Ness Lighthouse? The light is automatic and the interior is not a standard visitor attraction. You can view it freely from outside and from the surrounding cliffs. How long should you allow? Allow 30 to 45 minutes for the lighthouse itself. The full Eshaness Circular walk takes about 3 hours. Is there a bus? Public transport is very limited. Driving or booking a guided tour works best. Who owns the lighthouse? The Shetland Amenity Trust owns it, and the light has been automatic since 1974.

Buckie North Pier Lighthouse

Buckie

Buckie North Pier Lighthouse stands at the end of the north pier in the harbour of Buckie, on the Moray Firth coast of north-east Scotland. It is a Category C listed structure and part of a harbour that still works for a living. What kind of lighthouse is it? This is no slender stone tower of the kind found around much of the Scottish coast. The lighthouse is a low, circular, painted concrete tower of six storeys that tapers towards the top. A projecting concrete balcony crowns it, and a small light in a metal frame sits above that. It is a practical harbour structure rather than a grand landmark, and its plain shape suits the working waterfront around it. Historic Environment Scotland listed it on 25 April 1989 (Category C, reference LB22724). Sources disagree on when it was built. The listing gives 1878, while Canmore dates the light to 1874–80. The 1878 date most likely refers to the harbour itself, so the safest summary is that the lighthouse dates from the 1870s. How does it fit into Buckie's harbour story? Buckie harbour was built in 1878 to a design by engineer William Dyce Cay and extended between 1910 and 1932 by Charles Brand and Sons of Glasgow. It took in the older, smaller Cluny Harbour. It is regarded as the first large concrete harbour in Scotland, which is why a concrete lighthouse feels so at home here. The north-west and north piers carry their own Category B listing (LB22725). Why do some records call it East Pier? Canmore files the light as Buckie Harbour, East Pier, Lighthouse, because an earlier assignment to the North Pier was recorded as an error. If you are researching the building, search under both names. What can you see there? The best way to take it in is from around the harbour, together with the piers, fishing boats and quaysides. The harbour is active, so watch for vehicles and vessels and follow any signs. This is a stop for anyone who enjoys harbour architecture, photography or a quiet walk by the water, not a ticketed attraction with guided tours. What else is worth doing in Buckie? To learn how the town lived by the sea, visit the Buckie & District Fishing Heritage Centre. A museum visit pairs well with a walk around the harbour, where the working boats still show what the herring-era town was built on. When should you visit? The lighthouse is visible all year. Clear days from late spring to summer are best for photos and walks, and the low light around sunrise and sunset flatters the concrete. Autumn and winter can be windy, so bring a warm windproof jacket. Frequently Asked Questions Is the lighthouse a listed building? Yes. It has been Category C listed since 25 April 1989. What is it built from? Concrete. The tower is circular, has six storeys and narrows towards the balcony beneath a small light. When was it built? The listing says 1878 and Canmore says 1874–80. What is certain is that it dates from the 1870s, during the building of the harbour. Why do some sources call it the East Pier lighthouse? Canmore corrected an earlier assignment of the record to the North Pier. It is the same Buckie harbour, so use both names when searching.

Sule Skerry Lighthouse

Sule Skerry Lighthouse stands on a lonely rock in the North Atlantic, roughly 60 km west of Mainland, the main island of Orkney, Scotland. From its opening until automation, it was the most remote manned lighthouse in Great Britain. Today it runs itself and is not a place you can simply turn up at. It is still worth knowing about, as it combines Scottish lighthouse engineering with one of the country's key seabird colonies. How do you get to Sule Skerry? There is no scheduled transport and no visitor infrastructure. The Northern Lighthouse Board operates the light, and the skerry is a protected nature site, so landing without permission is not an option. Open-ocean sea conditions are often rough. The nearest mainland base is Stromness, where the keepers' families lived from 1895. The lighthouse cannot be seen from land, so most people meet it through stories, photographs and local reporting. Who built the lighthouse, and when? Plans were drawn up in 1891 by David and Charles Stevenson of the famous Scottish lighthouse-engineering family. Construction began in May 1892 and the light was first shown in 1895. Records such as Canmore differ on completion details, but agree on the lighting date. The lantern originally held a large hyper-radial optic, later replaced by a fourth-order lens. It used a prism arrangement invented by Charles Stevenson. What was life like for the keepers? Keepers lived on the rock and were supplied by the vessel Pole Star on monthly runs. In 1973 helicopters took over, with visits every two weeks. The station was automated in December 1982. It has been unwatched since then, and its equipment is monitored from the Northern Lighthouse Board headquarters in Edinburgh. What wildlife lives on Sule Skerry? The skerry and neighbouring Sule Stack form a Special Protection Area designated for seabirds. NatureScot's citation lists about 46,900 pairs of Atlantic puffin, about 5,900 pairs of northern gannet and 500 to 5,000 pairs of European storm petrel. Common guillemot (around 6,300 birds) and shag (about 874 pairs) are also nationally important. Altogether the site regularly supports more than 20,000 seabirds. The Sule Skerry Ringing Group has monitored the colonies since 1975. When is the best time to learn about this place? Breeding seabirds occupy the skerry in spring and summer, and puffins leave the colonies in late summer. Visitors to Orkney in that season can combine the story of Sule Skerry with boat trips and visits to other lighthouses in the region. Frequently asked questions Can you visit Sule Skerry Lighthouse? There are no regular visits. The skerry is remote, hard to reach and protected for its birds, and the lighthouse remains an operational site. Does anyone still live at the lighthouse? No. It has been automatic since December 1982 and is monitored from Edinburgh. Where is Sule Skerry? About 60 km west of Orkney Mainland, off the north-west coast of Scotland, in the open Atlantic. Which birds nest there? Puffins and gannets are the most numerous. Storm petrels, guillemots and shags also nest there.

Southsea Castle lighthouse

Portsmouth

Southsea Castle lighthouse in Portsmouth is a short white-and-red tower rising from the north face of Henry VIII's coastal fort on Portsea Island, Hampshire. You cannot climb it, but it is one of the best-known sights on the Southsea seafront and a good reason to explore the castle behind it. Where does the lighthouse come from? The castle dates from 1544 and was built to guard the Solent against French invasion. When the fort was refurbished in the 1820s, the Admiralty asked for a navigation light, and the tower went up in 1828 on the western gun platform. Historic England lists it at Grade II under its own entry, separate from the castle. The lamp worked as a sector light, steering vessels into the harbour between Spitsand and Horse Sand forts. One source says the tower was raised in 1854 and its sectors changed from red and white to red and green. It stands about 10 m tall, but because it sits on top of the castle walls, the light shone from a good deal higher above the sea. Is it still in use? No. The light was switched off in 2017 and replaced by a new structure at the harbour mouth, a change linked to reworking the approach for the Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers. The old fourth-order lens is displayed inside the castle. How do you get there? The castle sits on Clarence Esplanade on Portsmouth's south shore, right beside the seafront promenade and shingle beach. It is an easy walk from central Southsea, and there is pay-and-display parking along the front. The lighthouse is visible from the castle grounds and from the promenade. What else is nearby? Southsea Castle – a 16th-century artillery fort with a square keep and angled bastions, run by Portsmouth City Council as a museum covering Solent defences and Henry VIII's 1545 visit. Southsea seafront – a long walk with views of ships entering the harbour and across to the Isle of Wight. Spitsand and Horse Sand forts – visible offshore in clear weather, they marked the edges of the old light sectors. When should you visit? A clear afternoon between April and October works best, when the castle museum keeps its summer schedule, generally Tuesday to Sunday, with shorter opening outside the season. Check the castle's website for current hours before you go. Stay on for sunset over the Solent. Frequently asked questions Can you go inside the lighthouse? No, the tower is not open to visitors. You see it from outside, and the former lens is on show in the castle. When was it built? In 1828, more than 280 years after the castle itself, at the Admiralty's request. Does the lighthouse still work? No. It was decommissioned in 2017 and a new structure at the harbour took over. Are the castle and lighthouse the same listed building? No. The lighthouse stands on the castle's north face but has its own Grade II listing.

Cape Wrath Lighthouse

Cape Wrath Lighthouse marks the north-western tip of mainland Scotland, in the historic county of Sutherland (Highland council area), roughly 16 km from the village of Durness. It is among the most remote lighthouses in Britain, and getting there is part of the adventure. What is it? Robert Stevenson, grandfather of the author Robert Louis Stevenson, designed the tower, and it was completed in 1828 for the Northern Lighthouse Board, Scotland's lighthouse authority. The station was automated in the late 1990s, and the light is now monitored remotely from Edinburgh. The lighthouse holds Category A listed status (listing number 488, designated in 1971) and appears in the Canmore record as NC27SE 3. The former support buildings house the seasonal Ozone Café, which bills itself as the most remote café on the British mainland. How do you get to the lighthouse? No ordinary public road reaches the cape. The usual route is: Drive to the Keoldale landing, a few kilometres from Durness. Cross the Kyle of Durness on the small passenger ferry. Sailings depend on the tide and on enough passengers turning up. Board the minibus on the far shore for the bumpy ride of about 11 miles across open moorland. Both ferry and minibus run seasonally, roughly May to September. The other option is to walk: the long-distance Cape Wrath Trail ends at the lighthouse. Is access always open? No. The surrounding land is a military training area, and when red flags fly the cape is closed to visitors. Check the firing schedule and current ferry times before you set out, as both change through the season. What will you see? The lighthouse sits above tall sea cliffs that drop into the Atlantic. On a clear day you can see the north Scottish coast and, in good conditions, distant islands. Bring a windproof layer: the wind rarely stops and the weather turns quickly. A hot drink at the café is an easy reward. When should you go? Realistically in the season between late spring and early autumn, when the crossing operates. Choose a day with good visibility and no live firing. Set aside a full day, including waiting for the ferry and the return minibus. Frequently asked questions Can I drive to the lighthouse? No. Only the minibus runs beyond the Kyle of Durness, and private cars are not allowed on that road. Can I go inside the lighthouse? It is a working Northern Lighthouse Board station, so touring the interior is not a standard attraction. Most visitors admire it from outside and from the nearby cliffs. When is the crossing closed? Outside the season and during military exercises, when red flags are displayed at the cape. Tides can also affect sailings. How far is it from Durness? About 16 km to the cape as the crow flies, but with the ferry, the minibus and waiting times, the trip takes several hours.

Leasowe Lighthouse

Moreton

Leasowe Lighthouse is a seven-storey brick tower on the north coast of the Wirral peninsula, near Moreton in Merseyside. Completed in 1763, it is regarded as the oldest brick-built lighthouse in Britain. No ship has steered by its light for more than a century, yet it remains a rewarding stop for anyone interested in maritime history or coastal walks. What makes Leasowe Lighthouse special? The tower was commissioned by the Liverpool Docks Committee to mark the hazardous sandbanks at the mouth of the Mersey. It tapers upward as a round column of cavity-wall brickwork, and a datestone above the door records the year 1763. The light stayed in service until 1908, and no lamp machinery survives inside. The building is Grade II listed. The charity Friends of Leasowe Lighthouse looks after it, and Wirral Council supported the restoration carried out in the 1990s. What happened after the light went out? In 1930 the local corporation bought the property. The last keeper, Mrs Williams, lived there until her death in 1935, after which the tower was shut. It then decayed for decades until volunteers took up its rescue. What can you see here? The tower itself, a landmark visible across the flat, grassy shoreline The 1763 datestone over the entrance On open days, a view from the top across Liverpool Bay, the Mersey estuary and, in clear weather, the Welsh coast The surrounding grassland and dunes, part of the North Wirral Coastal Park When can you go inside? The interior opens only on selected days. Published schedules list the first and third Sunday of the month in summer and the first Sunday in winter, typically from 1pm to 4pm, with a voluntary donation at the door. Dates change from season to season, so check the Friends of Leasowe Lighthouse or Wirral Council calendar before you travel. The exterior can be admired at any time. How do you get there? The lighthouse stands on Leasowe Common close to Moreton. Drivers can reach it from Birkenhead and Wallasey, and a coastal path used by walkers and cyclists passes nearby. Merseyrail stations at Leasowe and Moreton are within walking distance or a short ride. Frequently asked questions Is Leasowe Lighthouse still working? No. It stopped operating in 1908 and now serves as a heritage site and visitor attraction. How old is it? It dates from 1763, so it has stood for more than 260 years, and it is the oldest brick lighthouse in Britain. Can you climb to the top? Yes, on open days run by the Friends of Leasowe Lighthouse. Dates vary by season, so confirm them ahead of your visit. Does it cost anything to visit? Entry works on a voluntary donation, which goes towards the upkeep of the tower.

Nash Point Lighthouse

Nash Point Lighthouse sits on a clifftop along the Glamorgan Heritage Coast in the Vale of Glamorgan, on the south Wales coast near the villages of Marcross and Monknash. Two white towers from the 1830s, both Grade II listed, make it one of the most recognisable landmarks on this stretch of shore. Why was a lighthouse built at Nash Point? The reason was the Nash Sands, a dangerous shoal at the mouth of the Bristol Channel. In 1831 the passenger steamer Frolic was wrecked on it, with the loss of roughly 78 lives. Trinity House, the body responsible for lighthouses in England and Wales, responded by building a station with two towers. It was lit on 1 September 1832. The towers worked as leading lights: a ship's crew saw one directly above the other only when the vessel was on a safe line past the shoal. What happened to the station afterwards? The lower, western tower (the Low Light) was taken out of use in the 1920s, around 1924 according to its listing. A siren fog signal was added in the early 20th century; sources give 1904 or 1906. Nash Point was the last manned lighthouse in Wales. The final keepers left on 5 August 1998, and the light has run automatically since. What is there to see? The taller eastern tower (High Light) and the lower western one, set among walls and former keepers' houses. Limestone cliffs with their characteristic flat layers, above a pebbly beach where wide rock platforms are exposed at low tide. The meadow around the lighthouse, protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Views across the Bristol Channel, with the English shore visible on a clear day. How do you get to Nash Point? By car is easiest. Narrow lanes lead in from Marcross and Monknash, and there is a car park by the beach. A path runs from the car park to the lighthouse and the cliff edge. A café where the beach path begins serves hot Welsh cakes and drinks. Public transport options are limited, so plan on a car or taxi. When should you visit? Pick a clear day for the long views, or an evening before sunset when the light brings out the white of the towers. Visit the beach and the lower cliff base only at low tide, and check a tide table first, because the water returns quickly. The cliffs are unstable, so keep away from the base of the rock face. Can you go inside the lighthouse? Sources disagree on access. Some say the interior is not open to the general public, while others mention guided tours. Check the current position with Trinity House or Visit The Vale before you travel. The grounds and the clifftop views can be enjoyed either way. Frequently asked questions Where is Nash Point Lighthouse? On the Glamorgan Heritage Coast in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, near Marcross and Monknash. When was it built? The station was lit on 1 September 1832, after the Frolic was wrecked on the Nash Sands in 1831. Why are there two towers? They formed a pair of leading lights that helped ships avoid the shoal. The lower tower was retired in the 1920s. Is the lighthouse still staffed? No. The last keepers left in 1998 and the station has been automatic since. Is there anywhere to eat nearby? Yes, a café at the Nash Point beach site sells drinks and Welsh cakes.

Lizard Lighthouse Heritage Centre

Lizard

Lizard Lighthouse Heritage Centre is a small museum beside the working lighthouse at Lizard Point, on the far southern tip of Cornwall, England. It tells the story of one of the most important navigation lights on the British coast and of the people who kept it burning. Where is the Lizard Lighthouse Heritage Centre? The centre sits on the Lizard peninsula, near Helston, in the grounds of Lizard Lighthouse. The peninsula is the southernmost part of mainland Britain, and its rocky coast has long been one of the most hazardous stretches of sea for passing ships. Coastal paths run past the lighthouse, so many visitors combine a museum stop with a clifftop walk. What is the history behind it? The lighthouse itself dates from 1752, when a light was established here to warn vessels away from the reefs below the cliffs. Since 1771 it has been managed by Trinity House, the authority responsible for lighthouses in England and Wales. In 1874 an engine room was added so that the light could be powered by electricity, an early step in the technical modernisation of lighthouses. The station was automated in 1998, and the keepers who had lived on site left. The heritage centre was created inside that former engine room. Trinity House carried out the conversion with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and the Princess Royal officially opened the centre on 13 July 2009. It was intended as a flagship visitor attraction for the station. What can you learn there? The displays focus on how a lighthouse works and what life at the station was like. Expect material on the light and its optics, the engine room machinery, the role of Trinity House, and the daily routine of keepers and their families. The setting is part of the appeal: you learn about the equipment in the very building where it once ran. Is it open? Be careful here. Some visitor information describes seasonal opening, roughly from spring to autumn, on most days of the week with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays. Other sources note that the centre had been closed for a period and that its reopening was uncertain. Opening arrangements can change, so check with Trinity House or recent visitor reports before you plan your trip around it. Tips for visiting Even if the museum is closed, the lighthouse and Lizard Point are worth the trip for sea views and dramatic cliffs. Wear sturdy shoes if you plan to walk the coast path, and bring a windproof layer, as the headland is exposed. Allow extra time to explore nearby Lizard Point and the village of Lizard. Frequently asked questions Is the Lizard Lighthouse Heritage Centre the same as the lighthouse? No. The lighthouse is an operating navigation aid, while the heritage centre is the museum in its former engine room. When did the centre open? It was officially opened on 13 July 2009. Who runs the lighthouse? Trinity House has been responsible for it since 1771. Is the lighthouse still staffed? No. It has been automated since 1998. Is it good for families? The compact exhibition and the dramatic coastal setting suit most ages, but confirm opening times before you go.