Activities Friday 5th June

There are more than 60 lighthouses dotted around the UK. The charity Trinty House looks after many of these lighthouses to help maintain the safety of seafarers.

Lizard Point This dual towered lighthouse off the Cornish coast stands at the most southerly point of mainland Britain. The light has stood here since 1619. According to Trinity House, a local man, Sir John Killigrew, applied for the first patent for a lighthouse on the site. It was granted, but with one condition. With the Cornish coast a hotbed of piracy and smuggling in those days, it was required that the light was extinguished when the enemy approached, for fear that it would guide the miscreants home.

The chalk tower lighthouse at Flamborough Head was built in 1669 and recent examination and restoration of the structure suggests that the beacon was never actually lit. However, having stood for more than 350 years, it is still the oldest complete lighthouse structure in the United Kingdom, and one of the oldest in the world.

Bell Rock Sitting on a dangerous rock off the coast of Dundee and Arbroath, another Stevenson creation – this time Robert’s, Bell Rock or Inchcape lighthouse is the oldest surviving lighthouse not on the mainland or a significant island.

Berry Head, Devon Rare plants surround this somewhat squat lighthouse in southern England. Pink thrift, white sea campion, autumn squill, wild rock rose, goldilocks and honewort can be found around this 5 metre tall lighthouse. Despite being such a miniature building, it also happens to be one of the highest lighthouses in the country, set on top of a 60 metre high headland.

Skerryvore, Hebrides, Scotland It seems that if there’s a lighthouse in Scotland it’s going to have been engineered by a Stevenson. Alan can boast to have constructed the tallest. Standing at almost 50 metres tall, Skerryvore stands guard over the treacherous rocks beneath the waves off the Hebridean coast, near the isle of Tiree. While it may not be festooned with the white and red of what is often seen to be the traditional lighthouse look, this granite giant is widely believed to be one of the most graceful lighthouses in the world. It is also slightly more westerly than Bishop Rock on the Scilly Isles.

First lighthouse built for electric light: Souter Lighthouse, Tyne & Wear Now owned by he National Trust, Souter lighthouse is situated on the North East coast between the Tyne and the Wear river mouths. Completed in 1871, the red and white hoops of the lighthouse echo those of Beachy Head and this was the first lighthouse in the world built for electric power. This lighthouse is also rumoured to be haunted.

Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Scottish Highlands In 1845, the 20 acres was bought for the princely total of £20 for the construction of this lighthouse, which now stands as the most westerly on the British mainland. To the west of Fort William, in the West Highlands, it is 36 metres tall and build of granite from the Island of Mull and is the only lighthouse in the world built in an Egyptian style. Another Stevenson family creation, it was erected by Alan Stevenson, brother of Thomas and David, also an uncle to Robert Louis.

The UK’s oldest lighthouse was built in 45-90AD at the behest of Roman Emperior Caligula. Wondering what it looked like? Well it’s still standing today in the grounds of Dover Castle. While Bell Rock might be one the oldest surviving lighthouses in the UK, Dover Castle is home to the oldest lighthouse building, although it hasn’t been functional for some time.

The Walney Lighthousewas the last lighthouse to be automated in 2003 Sat at the southern end of Walney Island, off Barrow in Furness, was Britain’s last lighthouse to be automated in 2003. Prior to this, the North Foreland lighthouse in Kent was automated in the UK, back in 1998, marking the end of the lighthouse keeper. This lighthouse structure has stood here in some shape or form since 1499.