Scotland's most spectacular lighthouses - Daily Record

Publish date: 2024-06-21

With an incredible coastline and over 900 islands, it's no surprise that Scotland has its fair share of lighthouses.

Striking structures built to weather any storm as well as the attentions of the sea, there are currently over 200 to found across the country.

With 2020 being the year of Coasts and Waters, here are some of the most incredible.

Neist Point Lighthouse, Isle of Skye

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Easily one of the most recognisable lighthouses in Scotland due to its dramatic location perched at the edge of a cliff on the most westerly point of Skye.

Neist (pronounced Neest) Point Lighthouse has even appeared in some films, built in 1900 its light can be seen up to 16 nautical miles offshore.

Barns Ness Lighthouse near Dunbar

 

Located close to town of Dunbar on Scotland's south east coast, the picturesque Barns Ness Lighthouse was built between 1899-1901.

Constructed by the engineers and brothers David and Charles Stevenson, who were cousins of novelist Robert Louis Stevenson, it was deactivated in the early 00s and is now deluxe waterfront holiday cottages.

Stoer Lighthouse, Sutherland

Sitting on the most westerly point of Assynt in north-west Sutherland, the squat building that is the Stoer Lighthouse are only 14m high but thanks to its elevation it sits 54 metres above sea level.

Reportedly designed and built around 1870 by the Stevenson family it still functions but the cottages have been transformed into luxury holiday lets.

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Mull of Galloway Lighthouse, Stranraer

This pristine lighthouse lies on The Mull of Galloway, Scotland's most Southerly Point (it's further south than Newcastle) with the tower itself standing 26 metres high and the light 99 metres above sea level.

Serving as a visitor attraction it's the perfect place to learn more about this fascinating part of Scotland's coastal history.

Sumburgh Head Lighthouse, Shetland

Situated on the southern tip of the Mainland of Shetland, Sumburgh Head is the oldest on the island and its most famous.

Interestingly, it was built in the 1820s by Robert Stevenson and even featured a working foghorn, now a visitor attraction in its own right, it's well worth a visit if you're ever on the island.

Eilean Mòr Lighthouse, Eilean Mòr

The site of one of Scotland's most enduring island mysteries, Eilean Mor was where in December 1900, Captain James Harvey discovered the disappearance of the lighthouse's three resident keepers.

Replacement keeper Joseph Moore, who had travelled with Harvey found a deserted lighthouse with half eaten food and upturned chairs but no sign of the men he was sent to replace.

The three experienced lighthouse keepers were never found and the mystery remains to this day.

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