The southern portion of the Lochaber area was historically in the county of Argyll; the area north of Ardnamurchan was in Inverness-shire.

[Rubha Cuil-Cheanna]

2021. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); flash every 2 s, white, red or green depending on direction; also a passing light, two green flashes every 8 s. 5.5 m (18 ft) square skeletal tower clad with white aluminum panels to provide a daymark. Google has a satellite view. Located on the east side of the south entrance to the Corran Narrows of Loch Linnhe. Site status unknown. Admiralty A4131.5.

* Corran Point (Ardgour)

1860 (Thomas and David Stevenson). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 13 m (42 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with buff trim; lantern painted black. The lighthouse guides ships through the Corran Narrows, a sharp constriction in Loch Linnhe. Mads Junget Madsen's 2023 photo is at right, Trabas has a 2007 closeup, Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, Wikimedia has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Google has a 2022 street view, and Bing has a satellite view. Located beside the A861 highway on the west side of the Narrows of Loch Linnhe in Corran. Accessible by road and easily viewed from the Corran Ferry, which crosses the loch just north of the Narrows. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. . ARLHS SCO-051; Admiralty A4132; NGA 4080.

[Ardtornish Point (2)]

2001 (station established 1927). Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. 5 m (16 ft) square skeletal tower clad with white aluminum panels to provide a daymark. Erik Hadley has a closeup 2024 photo, Spencer has photos, Trabas has a very distant view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This light replaced an octagonal cast iron lighthouse. Located on a promontory on the north side of the Sound of Mull, which separates the mainland from the Isle of Mull. Accessible only by boat (surrounded by private property. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SCO-008; Admiralty A4124; NGA 4040.

Corran Point Light, Fort William, June 2023
Instagram photo by Mads Junget Madsen

**** Ardnamurchan (Àird Nam Murchan)

1849 (Alan Stevenson). Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 35 m (115 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse unpainted stone, lantern painted black. Margo Reid's 2024 photo is at right, Iain Barker has a photo, the Undiscovered Scotland web site has an excellent page on the light station, NLB also has a page and Lighthouse Accommodations has a third page, C.W. Bash has a view from the sea, Trabas has a 2007 photo, Wikimedia has numerous photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Google has a street view, and Bing has a satellite view. This lighthouse stands on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, the westernmost point of the mainland of Great Britain. After it was automated in 1988 the station buildings, except for the tower, were leased to a charitable trust. The principal keeper's house is now a visitor center and museum; the original 1st order Fresnel lens is among the items displayed. The fog signal engine room is also open to visitors, and the two assistant keeper's houses are available for vacation rental. The tower was closed for maintenance in the fall of 2017 but it reopened for the 2018 season. Ownership of the station was transferred to the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse Trust in August 2020. Located at the end of the single-track B8007 secondary road about 11 km (7 mi) west of Kilchoan. Site open, buildings open daily April through October, tower open to guided tours every half hour 11 am to 4 pm. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. Owner/site manager: Ardnamurchan Lighthouse Trust . ARLHS SCO-005; Admiralty A4082; NGA 4016.

Sgeir Dhearg (Mallaig)

1901. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); two flashes every 8 s, white or green depending on direction. 7.5 m (25 ft) square masonry tower, painted white. Trabas has a closeup photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant street view and a distant satellite view. Located on a skerry on the east side of the entrance to Mallaig Harbour. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Mallaig Harbour Authority. Admiralty A3960; NGA 3780.

* [Mallaig Harbour]

1901. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 3 s; also a leading light at focal plane 6 m (20 ft), white, red or green depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off; also three red lights mounted vertically and shown when the harbor is closed. 11 m (36 ft) square skeletal signal mast. Spencer has a closeup photo, Trabas has a photo, and Bing has a satellite view. A statue of a fisherman and child stands behind the light. Mallaig is an important ferry port with departures to the Isle of Skye and the Small Isles. Located on the main pier at Mallaig. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Mallaig Harbour Authority. Admiralty A3956; NGA 3790.

Ardnamurchan Light, Ardnamurchan, May 2024
Instagrams photo by Margo Reid

The Small Isles (Na h-Eileanan Tarsainn) are an archipelago located northwest of Mull and west of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. The principal islands are Canna, Rùm (Rhum), Eigg and Muck. Historically Eigg was in Inverness-shire and the other islands were in Argyll.

Eigg

1906 (David A. and Charles Stevenson). Active; focal plane 24 m (80 ft); white flash every 6 s. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Cailean Macleod has a closeup, Chris Downer has a view from an arriving ferry, Trabas has a distant view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. The Isle of Eigg (pronounced "egg") is accessible by passenger ferry from Mallaig, but the lighthouse is located on a much smaller island, Eilean Chathastail, which shelters Glamisdale, Eigg's only safe harbor, at the southeastern tip of the larger island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. Site manager: Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust. ARLHS SCO-066; Admiralty A4080; NGA 4012.

Hyskeir (Òigh Sgeir)

1904 (David A. and Charles Stevenson). Active; focal plane 41 m (136 ft); three white flashes, separated by 3 s, every 30 s. 39 m (128 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with buff trim, lantern black. Ally Rae's 2019 photo is at right, Lighthouse Accommodations has a good page for the lighthouse, a fine 2005 photo is available, Dougie Beck has a view from the sea, Trabas has a 2014 view from the sea by Kees Aalbersberg, and Google has a satellite view. This isolated lighthouse marks an important hazard in the Sea of the Hebrides, the broad sound between the Inner and Outer Hebrides. Located on a rocky islet about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Canna. Accessible only by boat, in dangerous seas, or by helicopter. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: Northern Lighthouse Board. . ARLHS SCO-106; Admiralty A4076; NGA 3992.

Canna (Sanday)

1907 (David A. and Charles Stevenson). Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white flash every 6 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A 2021 photo is available, Trabas has a 2014 view from the sea by Kees Aalbersberg, Lightphotos.net also has a view from the sea, Patrick DeJode has a 1999 closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse guides ships through the Sound of Canna, the passage between Canna and Rùm. Located at the eastern tip of Sanday, an uninhabited island joined to Canna by a footbridge; Canna, westernmost of the Small Isles, is accessible by passenger ferry from Mallaig. The lighthouse is accessible by a hiking trail, but from the lack of photos it appears to be one of the least-visited Scottish lighthouses. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. Site manager: National Trust for Scotland (Canna Reserve). ARLHS SCO-037; Admiralty A4074; NGA 3988.

Hyskeir Light, Sea of the Hebrides, April 2019
Instagram photo by Ally Rae for Northern Lighthouse Board

* Eilean Bàn (Kyleakin)

1857 (David and Thomas Stevenson). Inactive since 1993 but maintained as a daybeacon. 21 m (70 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with buff trim, lantern black. Giusy Pezzini's 2023 photo is at right, Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, Stuart Tucker has a 2017 photo, Jonas Petrauskas has a 2022 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view and a street view from the Skye Bridge. This lighthouse guided ships through the Kyle Akin, the narrow strait separating the Isle of Skye from the mainland and connecting the Inner Sound on the northwest to Loch Alsh on the southeast. The lighthouse stands in the water off the southern tip of Eilean Bàn, a small island in the middle of the strait, connected to the island by a walkway. The keeper's house was purchased in 1963 by Gavin Maxwell, the naturalist and author of The Ring of Bright Water. He lived in the house for 20 months prior to his death in 1969, and it is now a museum to his memory. The Skye Bridge (A87), completed in 1995, now crosses Eilean Bàn lengthwise; the photo at right was taken from the bridge. In 1998 the government transferred management of the island and light station to the Eilean Bàn Trust and in 2011 the Trust received full ownership of the station. Ownership of the rest of the island was transferred to the Forestry Commission Scotland in 2012. Guided tours of the island and house are available from the Trust's Bright Water Centre in Kyleakin, near the Skye end of the bridge. Site open to tours, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Eilean Bàn Trust . ARLHS SCO-115.

[Eileanan Dubha]

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 5 m (16 ft) square skeletal tower clad with white aluminum panels to provide a daymark. Spencer has photos, Trabas has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on a skerry in Loch Alsh about 1.5 km (1 mi) east of the Eilean Bàn lighthouse. Accessible only by boat; there's a good view from a parking area on the A87 highway on the north (mainland) side of the loch. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. ARLHS SCO-072; Admiralty A3927; NGA 3772.

Eilean Bàn Light, Kyleakin, January 2023
ex-Instagram photo by Giusy Pezzini

Kyle Rhea

1892 (David A. and Charles Stevenson). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) square masonry tower with lantern, painted white. Most small Scottish lighthouses of this type have been replaced. Kyle Rhea is a narrow strait connecting Loch Alsh with the Sound of Sleat to the south, separating the Isle of Skye from the mainland. Steve Oliver has a 2024 photo, Trabas has Eckhard Meyer's 2013 photo, Stu Nathan has a view from the mainland shore, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on the west (Isle of Skye) side of the strait about 1 km (0.6 mi) north of the Kyle Rhea ferry terminal; clearly visible from the ferry, which operates only in the summer. Site status unknown. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. ARLHS SCO-116; Admiralty A3938; NGA 3812.

* Ornsay Beacon (Isleornsay North) (2)

2002 (station established 1908). Active; focal plane 8 m (27 ft); red flash every 6 s. 9 m (30 ft) square skeletal tower clad in white aluminum panels as a daymark, mounted on the square pyramidal stone base of the original lighthouse. Trabas has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the northeast point of the Isle of Ornsay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. ARLHS SCO-019; Admiralty A3942; NGA 3804.

* Ornsay (Isleornsay, Eilean Iarmain)

1857 (David and Thomas Stevenson). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white light occulting once every 8 s. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with buff trim, lantern black. The 1-story keeper's house was purchased by Gavin Maxwell, the owner of the Eilean Bàn lighthouse (see above), and it is now owned by the Eilean Bàn Trust. Kim Grant's 2020 photo is at right, Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, Kevin McKenzie has a photo, Trabas has a 2007 photo, James Rooney has a photo of the station, Finlay Oman has a 2007 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a satellite view. Overnight stays in the keeper's house are available through Airbnb UK. The Isle of Ornsay is on the west side of the Sound of Sleat (pronounced "slate"), sheltering the harbor of Isleornsay on Skye. The lighthouse is actually located on a tiny islet, Eilean Sionnach, off the south shore of the Isle of Ornsay. Generally accessible only by boat, but there are excellent views from the mainland. It is possible (with caution) to walk to the lighthouse during low tides. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. . ARLHS SCO-161; Admiralty A3944; NGA 3800.

* Armadale Bay

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); red light, 4 s on, 2 s off. Light mounted atop a pierhead building. Trabas has a photo and Bing has a satellite view. Located on the main pier at Armadale, the Skye terminal for the ferry from Mallaig. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Seafari Adventures Skye . Admiralty A3948; NGA 3792.

Ornsay Light, Isleornsay, February 2020
Instagram photo by Kim Grant

Ardtreck Point (2)

2002 (station established 1940). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white flash every 6 s. 7 m (23 ft) square skeletal tower clad with white aluminum panels to provide a daymark. Tom Corremans has a 2019 photo, John Stewart has a 2020 photo, Trabas has Eckhard Meyer's 2013 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Trabas has a postcard photo of the original lighthouse and ARLHS has a second photo. Located on a promontory on the south side of Loch Harport about 3 km (2 mi) northwest of Portnalong on the southwestern side of the Isle of Skye. Site open; it is possible to walk to the light from Portnalong. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. ARLHS SCO-009; Admiralty A4068; NGA 3984.

* Neist Point

1909 (David A. Stevenson). Active; focal plane 43 m (140 ft); white flash every 5 s. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical tower attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with buff trim; lantern painted black. A 2023 photo is at right, Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, David Ian Robert has a good photo, Trabas has a 2007 photo, John Allan has a closeup 2014 photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The lighthouse is probably endangered; the aerial photos and Google's satellite view show it at the very edge of a vertical cliff. For a number of years the three keeper's houses were available for vacation rental. In February 2004 the light station was for sale for £395,000. Apparently the property has been sold and the station itself is no longer open to the public. In June 2017 NLB announced plans for a major restoration of the lighthouse during the fall. Located on the westernmost point of the Isle of Skye about 5 km (3 mi) southwest of Milovaig. Accessible by road and a very popular, mildly strenuous walk of about 900 m (1/2 mi). Parking is available. Site and tower closed, but it should be possible to view the lighthouse from nearby. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. Site manager: private. . ARLHS SCO-147; Admiralty A4064; NGA 3980.

Neist Point Light, Milovaig, October 2023
ex-Instagram photo by aliceyuenwaikiu

Waternish (Vaternish) Point

1980 (station established 1924 (David A. and Charles Stevenson)). Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white flash every 20 s. 7 m (23 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower with lantern, painted white. Nigel Homer has a good photo, Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's 2015 photo, another closeup photo is available, Brian Bell has a 2022 photo, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the northwestern point of the Isle of Skye on the tip of the Waternish peninsula, about 7 km (4.5 mi) north of Trumpan. Accessible by hiking from the end of the road near Trumpan. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. . ARLHS SCO-252; Admiralty A4056; NGA 3964.

Eilean Trodday (2)

Date unknown (station established 1908). Active; focal plane 52 m (171 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) square skeletal tower clad with white aluminum panels to provide a daymark. Several photos are available, Trabas has Jim Smith's closeup 2020 photo, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on the highest point of an uninhabited island off the northern tip of the Isle of Skye. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SCO-071; Admiralty A4050; NGA 3960.

Rona (South Rona)

1857 (David and Thomas Stevenson). Active; focal plane 69 m (225 ft); white flash every 12 s. 13 m (42 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with buff trim, lantern black. 1-story stone duplex keeper's house enclosed by a stone wall. Adam Kotyrba's 2024 photo is at right, Andy Sphero has a 2023 photo, Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has Tom Chisholm's 2015 photo, Calum McRoberts has a 2007 closeup as well as a wider view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The Isle of Rona is often called South Rona to distinguish it from another Rona (which also has a lighthouse) at the northern end of the Outer Hebrides (see the Western Isles page). Located northeast of Skye and north of Raasay, the island has been uninhabited since the 1920s but is popular as a wilderness vacation destination. The lighthouse is at the northern tip of the island, marking the entrances to the Sound of Raasay to the west and the Inner Sound to the east. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. ARLHS SCO-185; Admiralty A3904; NGA 3660.

[Eyre Point (3)]

2001 (station established 1893). Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); flash every 3 s, white or red depending on direction. 5 m (16 ft) square skeletal tower clad with white aluminum panels to provide a daymark. Nigel Homer has a good photo, Trabas also has a photo, Allan Maciver has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a distant satellite view. The second (1938) lighthouse was a 5 m (16 ft) cylindrical tower with lantern attached to a small cottage. The original light was described as a "small masonry tower." Located near the south point of the Isle of Raasay, northeast of Skye. Site closed (the lighthouse is on private property), but the light can be seen from the beach. ARLHS SCO-077; Admiralty A3909.6; NGA 3708.

Rona Light, Isle of Rona, July 2024
Google Maps photo by Adam Kotyrba

Eilean a Chait

About 1880. Inactive since 1904. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern, attached to a small 1-story keeper's cottage. Lighthouse painted white. David Booth's 2021 photo is at right, Phil Ainsworth has a good photo, another photo is available, Jon Royle has a 1999 photo, and Google has a satellite view. A second keeper's house (built for the keeper's family) is on the neighboring island of Eilean-an-Duine; at low tides Eilean-an-Duine is joined to the mainland and one can wade from one island to the other. The lighthouse and keeper's house were sold separately, and both remain in private ownership. The lighthouse was used during the 1970s as a holiday rental but is not in any use today; the keeper's house is a private residence. Located on a small island at the entrance to Loch Carron just north of Plockton and about 10 km (6 mi) northeast of Kyle of Lochalsh. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS SCO-348.

[Eilean Beag (Crowlin Islands)]

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white flash every 6 s. 5 m (16 ft) square skeletal tower clad with white aluminum panels to provide a daymark. Trabas has a view from the sea, Conor Bolas has a distant view, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on the northernmost of the Crowlin Islands, a small group in the Minch between the Applecross peninsula and the Isle of Skye. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS SCO-057; Admiralty A3916; NGA 3704.

Rubh Reidh (Rua Reidh, Rubha Reidh, Rubh' Re)

1912 (David A. Stevenson). Active; focal plane 37 m (120 ft); four white flashes, separated by 2.1 s, every 15 s. 25 m (83 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 2-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with buff trim, lantern black. The original Fresnel lens, gears and foghorn mechanism from the lighthouse are on display at the Gairloch Heritage Museum in Gairloch. Andrea Hielscher's 2022 photo is at the top of this page, Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a 2008 closeup by Arno Siering, Andrea Hielscher has a 2022 photo, Wikipedia has an article with a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Rua Reidh is a prominent headland jutting into The Minch about halfway between Stoer Head and the Isle of Skye. Automated in 1986, the station was leased by Chris Barrett and Fran Cree, who have operated it as a vacation inn since 1989. In 2014 the station was approved as a wedding venue. In 2016 the owners blocked the road to the lighthouse, complaining about too many ill-mannered visitors. This led to an extended controversy and negotiations between the owners and the community council, with no resolution as of March 2017. In July 2019 the light station was sold to new owners. Overnight accommodations are available. Visitors can hike to the lighthouse on the access road (6 miles round trip) but may be challenged if they stray off the road onto private property. Located on the headland about 5 km (3 mi) north of Melvaig. Site open to polite hikers, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. Site manager: Rua Reidh Lighthouse . ARLHS SCO-191; Admiralty A3900; NGA 3640.

Eilean a Chait Light, Loch Carron, October 2021
ex-Google Maps photo by David Booth

Cailleach Head (1) (relocated to Scoraig)

1953. Inactive since 2001. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Nigel Hyde has a closeup 2024 photo, Chris Eilbeck also has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was relocated to the village of Scoraig, about 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of the original location, and restored by volunteer effort as a tiny exhibition and heritage center. This remote village is accessible by boat but can only be reached on land by a 5 km (3 mi) hike from Badralloch. Site open, tower open to visitors (inquire locally). Site manager: Scoraig Community Association.

[Cailleach Head (2)]

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 60 m (196 ft); two white flashes every 12 s. 5 m (16 ft) square skeletal tower clad with white aluminum panels to provide a daymark. A 2012 photo is available, Richard Webb has a distant view from the sea, M.J. Richardson has a similar distant view, Trabas has a very distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the tip of the peninsula separating Loch Broom and Little Loch Broom, about 16 km (10 mi) west of Ullapool. This site does not appear to be accessible by road. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. ARLHS SCO-028; Admiralty A3887; NGA 3624.

* Rubha Cadail (Rhue)

1952. Active; focal plane 11 m (35 ft); flash every 6 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. 9 m (29 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A 2023 photo is at right, Trabas has a 2007 photo, Scott Young has a closeup, Peter Davenport has a 2022 photo, Spencer has photos, Ian Capper has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is on the point separating Loch Kanaird and Loch Broom, marking the north side of the entrance to the upper portion of Loch Broom and the harbor of Ullapool. Accessible by a short walk from the village of Rhue, off the A835 highway about 5 km (3 mi) north of Ullapool. Also accessible by a shoreline hiking trail from Ullapool, a walk of about 10 km (6 mi), and there should be a good view from ferries between Ullapool and Stornaway on the Isle of Lewis. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Ullapool Harbour Trust. . ARLHS SCO-193; Admiralty A3885; NGA 3616.

Rubha Cadail Light, Ullapool, April 2023
Google Maps photo by Major Nova

* Stoer Head (Rubha Stòr)

1870 (David and Thomas Stevenson). Active; focal plane 59 m (194 ft); white flash every 15 s. 14 m (56 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 2-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with buff trim, lantern black. The upper floor of the keeper's house is available for vacation rental. Cornelius Ihssen's 2022 photo is at right, Trabas has Arno Siering's 2008 photo, Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, C.W. Bash has a view from the sea, Wikimedia has numerous photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. In 2013 the NLB put the keeper's houses on sale for £210,000. The buyers renovated the building and made two units available for vacation rental. In April 2017 they put the improved property back on the market for £367,500. Located on the westernmost point of the Stoer peninsula about 5 km (3 mi) west of Culkein. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. Site operator: Stoer Lighthouse . ARLHS SCO-226; Admiralty A3882; NGA 3600.

* Cape Wrath (Am Parbh)

1828 (Robert Stevenson). Active; focal plane 122 m (400 ft); four white flashes, separated by 2 s, every 30 s. 20 m (65 ft) round granite tower attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. Fog horn (3 blasts every 45 s). 1-story signal station (1930s) adjacent to the light station. A 2023 photo by Stefan Loose appears at the top of this page, NLB has a page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse Accommodations also has a page for the lighthouse, Anne Burgess has a good 2008 photo, Trabas has a closeup 2008 photo by Arno Siering, Simon Hudson has a 2022 photo, Wikimedia has numerous photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Jacques van der Merwe has a 2017 street view, and Google has a satellite view. This historic lighthouse marks the northwestern tip of the Scottish mainland. The name of the cape seems appropriate for such as exposed and stormy location, but it actually comes from the Norse hvarf meaning "turning point." Much of the surrounding area is set aside for military training and public access is tightly controlled. However, guided tours via minibus are available from Durness over a rough road 18 km (11 mi) long. The keeper's house is occupied by resident caretakers, who opened a café for visitors in 2009. Tours available daily May through September. Tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. . ARLHS SCO-039; Admiralty A3880; NGA 3576.

Stoer Head Light, Culkein, August 2022
Google Maps photo by Cornelius Ihssen

[Loch Eriboll (Whiten Head) (2)]

2003 (station established 1894). Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); flash every 10 s, white or red depending on direction. 5 m (16 ft) skeletal tower clad with white aluminum panels to provide a daymark. David Glass has a closeup photo, Trabas has Eckhard Meyer's 2013 photo, Spencer has a photo, Barry Gannon has a 2020 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a headland in the eastern entrance to the loch about 8 km (5 mi) north of Inverhope on the north coast of Scotland. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. ARLHS SCO-126; Admiralty A3874; NGA 3580.

Strathy Point

1958 (P.H. Hyslop). Inactive since 2012. 14 m (46 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower rising from a 1-story keeper's house complex. Buildings painted white with buff trim; lantern painted black. Kevin Newman's 2023 photo is at right, Karl Heinz has a good photo, Rog Frost has a view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Patrick Reinders has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. Last built of the traditional Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses, this light filled in a large gap in lighting the north coast of Scotland. It was deactivated in March 2012, to the dismay of local residents. In July the station was for sale for £75,000 (a bargain price). The property sold in April 2013 and the buyer has opened the principal keeper's house for vacation accommodations. In 2022 the north keeper's cottage was for sale for £140,000. Located at the end of a long promontory on the central north coast, about 6 km (4 mi) north of Strathy. Accessible by road off the A836 highway just west of Strathy. Site and tower closed (private property). Owner/site manager: private. . ARLHS SCO-227; ex-Admiralty A3590; ex-NGA 3048.

Strathy Point Light, Inverhope, February 2023
ex-Google Maps photo by Kevin Newman

* Holburn Head (Scrabster)

1862 (David and Thomas Stevenson). Inactive since 2003. 17 m (56 ft) octagonal cylindrical masonry tower rising from one end of a 2-story keeper's house. The lighthouse was deactivated in August 2003 after alterations to the port of Scrabster made its light misleading. A 2019 closeup is at right, Elisabeth Burton has a photo, Cailean Macleod has a 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Bing has a satellite view. When Ken Trethewey visited the station in March 2003 he found the principal keeper's house unoccupied and in poor condition. The lighthouse was sold as private residence, and the owners put it in good condition; it appears in excellent condition in the 2019 photo at right. In 2015 the light station was for sale for £190,000 and in 2025, following a renovation, it was back on sale for £450,000. The light is actually not on Holburn Head itself but is about 1 km (0.6 mi) south, on the north side of Scrabster. Accessible by car; also clearly visible from ferries between Scrabster and Stromness in Orkney. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. . ARLHS SCO-097; ex-Admiralty A3578.

* Dunnet Head

1831 (Robert Stevenson). Active; focal plane 105 m (344 ft); four white flashes every 30 s. 20 m (66 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. 1-story keeper's house and other light station buildings, including an inactive square fog signal tower still carrying its diaphone horn. Trabas has a closeup 2007 photo by Ian Wright, Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, a 2020 closeup is available, Jonathan Billinger has a good photo of the station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Patrick Bischoff has a street view, and Bing has a satellite view. This handsome lighthouse marks the northernmost point of the mainland of Great Britain and the western entrance to Pentland Firth, the strait beween Orkney and the mainland. World War II fortifications stand near the lighthouse. Located atop a vertical cliff at the northern point of the Dunnet Head peninsula, about 6 km (4 mi) north of Brough at the end of secondary road B855. Parking provided. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be viewed from outside the wall of the compound. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. . ARLHS SCO-063; Admiralty A3574; NGA 3040.

Stroma (Swilkie Point)

1896 (David A. and Charles Stevenson). Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); two white flashes, separated by 4 s, every 20 s. 23 m (75 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. 4th order Fresnel lens transferred from Sule Skerry in 1996. Fog horn (2 blasts every 60 s). Buildings painted white with buff trim; lantern painted black. Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, a 2017 photo and a 2007 helicopter view are available, Trabas has Capt. Peter Mosselberger's 2024 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Bing has a satellite view. Stroma is an uninhabited island in Pentland Firth about 5 km (3 mi) northwest of John-o'-Groats, and the Swilkie is a notorious whirlpool formed by conflicting tidal currents north of the island. The lighthouse was built to warn ships to stay clear of this very dangerous area. Located on the north point of the Isle of Stroma. Accessible only by boat; the owner of the island is said to offer tours from John-o'-Groats on summer weekends. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. . ARLHS SCO-228; Admiralty A3568; NGA 3032.

Holburn Head Light, Scrabster, October 2019
Google Maps photo by Following The Lights

* Duncansby Head (John-o'-Groats)

1924 (David Alan Stevenson). Active; focal plane 67 m (220 ft); white flash every 12 s. 11 m (36 ft) square concrete tower with lantern and castellated gallery, originally attached to a 2-story keeper's house. Buildings painted white with buff trim; lantern painted black. Wikimedia has many photos, Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a 2007 photo, a 2023 photo is available, Rutwik Chandorkar has a nice 2022 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. In the summer of 2005 extensive renovations replaced the keeper's house with a much smaller 1-story structure. Huelse has a historic postcard view showing the original appearance of the station. The light station marks the extreme northern end of Scotland's east coast and the southeastern entrance to Pentland Firth, which separates the mainland from the islands of Orkney. In the fall of 2018 NLB restored the lighthouse and replaced the Fresnel lens with an LED optic. Located atop a spectacular vertical cliff about 5 km (3 mi) east of the village of John-o'-Groats. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. . ARLHS SCO-062; Admiralty A3558; NGA 3016.

Noss Head

1849 (Alan Stevenson). Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); white or red flash, depending on direction, every 20 s. 18 m (59 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. A 2nd order Fresnel lens from this lighthouse (Scotland's oldest intact Fresnel lens) is on display with its working rotating mechanism at the Wick Heritage Centre in Wick. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. Tom Young's 2022 photo is at right, Trabas has a 2007 closeup, Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, a 2020 photo is available, Tom Young has a 2022 closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Google has a distant street view, and Bing has a satellite view. The light station buildings were bought in 2006 by the Clan Sinclair as a library and historical research center, with the principal keeper's house available for vacation rental. In 2016 the Clan put the principal keeper's house on sale for £85,000 and in 2018 it was sold to Benedicta Makin, an IT consultant from Edinburgh. An assistant keeper's cottage was for sale in 2022 for £119,000. The lighthouse may be endangered; the satellite view shows that it is perilously close to the edge of the cliff. Located about 4 km (2.5 mi) northeast of Wick, marking the southern entrance to Sinclair's Bay. Site and tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. Site manager: private. . ARLHS SCO-157; Admiralty A3544; NGA 3012.

* Wick North Pier

1910. Inactive. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) hexagonal iron skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern and upper half of the legs painted white, lower half of legs painted brown. A closeup photo is available, Simon Verheire has a 2022 street view, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This was originally the rear light of a range with the South Pier light as the front light. The town of Wick was formerly the county seat of Caithness. Located midway on the pier. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Wick Harbour Authority. ARLHS SCO-342.

Noss Head Light, Wick, August 2022
Google Maps photo by Tom Young

* Wick South Pier

1897. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); flash every 5 s: directional light, showing white over the entrance channel, red or green to the sides. 11 m (36 ft) octagonal masonry lighthouse with lantern and gallery, painted white. Fog bell (2 quick strokes every 10 s). Trabas has a closeup 2007 photo, David Martin has a photo, Stanley Howe has a photo of the lighthouse and harbor, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Simon Verheire has a 2022 street view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the pier sheltering Wick Harbour. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Wick Harbour Authority. . ARLHS SCO-313; Admiralty A3528; NGA 3000.

Clyth Ness (Clythness)

1916 (David Alan Stevenson). Inactive since 2010. 13 m (42 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with gallery, painted white with a single red horizontal band. The lantern was removed around 2015. 1-story keeper's house (private residence). Michael Beales has a 2013 photo, Devkanta Sharma has a 2022 photo, Angel Abalos has a view of the station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view. The light was built at the Royal Navy's request to guide its ships during World War I. The light was discontinued on 18 March 2010. Located atop a cliff about 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Lybster, just off the A99 coastal highway. Site and tower closed (the access road is gated but the gates are open in Google's 2022 street view). Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS SCO-048; ex-Admiralty A3524; ex-NGA 2996.

* Lybster (South Pier)

1884. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); red light occulting once every 6 s. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) octagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern painted red with a white dome. A 2022 photo is at right, Trabas has a 2008 photo of the tower by Arno Siering, Bryan Eveleigh has another fine photo, Google has a 2021 street view, and Bing has a satellite view. Formerly a major fishing port, Lybster now caters more to tourism and recreational boating; a visitor center has summer programs. Located at the foot of the pier sheltering Lybster Harbour. Accessible by car. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Lybster Harbour Trust. . ARLHS SCO-299; Admiralty A3522; NGA 2988.

Lybster Light, Lybster, August 2022
Google Maps photo by Gw2 Chief

Tarbat Ness

1830 (Robert Stevenson). Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); four white flashes, separated by 2.1 s, every 30 s. 41 m (135 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands; lantern painted black. 1-story keeper's houses and other light station buildings. The 3rd order Fresnel lens used from 1892 to 1984 is displayed at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. A 2023 photo is at right, Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a 2007 photo, Ewan MacLeod has a 2008 photo, Steven Brown has a good photo, Jeanne Rowantree has a 2020 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a 2021 street view and a satellite view. The lighthouse, the third tallest in Scotland, stands on the sharp point separating Dornoch Firth from Moray Firth. Located about 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Portmahomack. Site and tower closed; the lighthouse can be viewed from a distance. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. . ARLHS SCO-236; Admiralty A3506; NGA 2984.

Nigg Oil Terminal

Date unknown. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 31 m (102 ft); green light occulting once every 5 s. 27 m (89 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower. Trabas has Rainer Arndt's 2019 photo and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view across the firth. Located at the end of the terminal's jetty, which projects about 600 m (3/8 mi) into the north side of Cromarty Firth about 3 km (1.8 mi) west of the entrance. Site and tower closed, but there are views from the ferry between Cromarty and Nigg. Operator/site manager: Nigg Oil Terminal. Admiralty A3493; NGA 2952.

Dalmore Pier

Date unknown. Inactive since 2017. 5 m (17 ft) square cylindrical unpainted brick and concrete tower. Les Ross has a 2012 photo, Spencer has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at Dalmore on the north side of Cromarty Firth. Site status unknown. ex-Admiralty A3500.

** Cromarty (Crombagh)

1846 (Alan Stevenson). Inactive since 2006. 13 m (42 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from 1-story keeper's house. Building painted white with buff trim; lantern painted black. Sibling of Chanonry Light. Since 1990 the keeper's house and outbuildings have been occupied by an ecology field station of the University of Aberdeen. Jill Stevens has a 2022 photo, Tom Richardson has a good 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a 2023 street view and a satellite view. The light was discontinued on 28 February 2006. In April 2007 the lighthouse tower was offered for sale by the Northern Lighthouse Board and in August 2009 it was sold to the University. Located on George Street in Cromarty, a small town on the south side of the entrance to Cromarty Firth. Site open, field station open during business hours, tower closed. Owner/site manager: University of Aberdeen (Lighthouse Field Station). . ARLHS SCO-056; ex-Admiralty A3490; ex-NGA 2940.

Tarbat Ness Light, Portmahomack, July 2023
ex-Instagram photo by andys_clicks

* Chanonry (Cananaich)

1846 (Alan Stevenson). Active; focal plane 12 m (40 ft); white light, occulting once every 6 s. 13 m (42 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Building painted white with buff trim; lantern painted black. Maciej Olszewski's 2022 photo is at right, Lighthouse Accommodations has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a 2007 photo, Gonzalo Gonzalez has a 2017 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a 2023 street view and a satellite view. Chanonry Ness is a sharp point at the end of a sandy spit projecting southward into Moray Firth at the beginning of the approach to Inverness. Located at the end of Ness Road 2.5 km (1.5 mi) southeast of Fortrose; accessible by car. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Northern Lighthouse Board. . Admiralty A3440; NGA 2900.

Inverness Lighthouse

Located at the mouth of the River Ness, Inverness is a city of about 60,000 residents. As the administrative center for the Highland Council it is regarded unofficially as the capital of the Highlands.

* Craigton Point (2)

2002 (station established 1904). Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); flash every 4 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) octagonal 1-story building with a pyramidal roof; the light is mounted on a balcony. The building, a Royal National Lifesaving Institution lifesaving station, is painted white; roof is black. Trabas has a photo, another good closeup photo is available, and Google has a closeup 2021 street view and a good satellite view. This light guides vessels eastbound from Beauly Firth into Moray Firth. Located on a promontory at North Kessock, on the north side of the firth almost under the Kessock Bridge. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: RNLI Kessock Station. Admiralty A3446; NGA 2916.

Nairnshire Lighthouse

* Nairn East Pier

1932. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 3 s on, 1 s off. 5 m (17 ft) octagonal concrete tower; the light is mounted on the roof. Tower painted white. Trabas has a closeup, Vicky Brock has a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a 2021 street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the east (longer) breakwater at Nairn; accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty A3436; NGA 2892.

Chanonry Light, Fort George, June 2022
Google Maps photo by Maciej Olszewski

* Bona Narrows (Bona Ferry)

1919. Inactive. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) octagonal building, painted white, with an octagonal pyramidal roof; the light was shown through a square window of the upper story. Ian Beange has the closeup 2021 photo at right, Des Colhoun has a 2009 photo, Robert Dunn also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Trabas has a photo of the active light (focal plane 6 m (20 ft); two continuous white lights mounted one above the other on a 6 m (20 ft) steel mast). In 2006 plans were announced to restore the lighthouse and build a visitor center with a craft shop and restaurant on adjoining, privately owned land. These development plans were fiercely opposed by some residents of the area and the plans were abandoned. In September 2008 David Stewart, a member of the Scottish Parliament, called for action to save the deteriorating lighthouse. In March 2009 Scottish Canals announced a plan to restore the building and make it available for holiday accommodations. In August 2010 £380,000 in grants for restoration were announced and the reopening of the lighthouse was scheduled for 2012. This did not happen, and in July 2013 the BBC reported that an additional £30,000 was needed for the project. In September 2013 it was announced that the restoration and conversion would go forward as a £450,000 project. Craig Wallace's 2014 photo shows the restoration in progress. The renovation was finally completed in December 2014 at a total cost of £497,000, and the house is now available for vacation rental. Located at the northeastern end of Loch Ness in Lochend, marking the west side of the canal's northbound exit from Loch Ness to its smaller extension, Loch Dochfour, about 11 km (7 mi) southwest of Inverness. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Inverness Hotels (Bona Lighthouse). . ARLHS SCO-347. Active light: Admiralty A3470.

Bona Light, Lochend, June 2021
ex-Google Maps photo by Ian Beange

* Fort Augustus

1840. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); green flash every 3 s. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical tower, painted white, with a black conical roof. The light is shown from a square window near the top of the tower. Trabas has a photo, Tom Reed has another photo, and Google has a street view and a canal view, but overhanging trees block our view of the lighthouse in Google's satellite view. This lighthouse and the next two are called "pepperpots" and are claimed to be the smallest lighthouses in Britain (there are other claimants for this title). Located at the southwestern end of Loch Ness in Fort Augustus, marking the east side of the canal's southbound exit from Loch Ness to a series of five locks. Accessible by a walking path. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Scottish Canals. . ARLHS SCO-350; Admiralty A3472.

* Gairlochy

1932. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); flash every 3 s, white or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical tower, painted white, with a black conical roof. The light is shown from a square window near the top of the tower. Trabas has a photo, John Allan has a good photo, Royston Vasey also has a photo, Ron Hoebe has a 2022 photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the south side of the canal's southbound exit from Loch Lochy about 800 m (1/2 mi) northeast of the locks at Gairlochy; accessible by a short walking path. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Scottish Canals. . ARLHS SCO-322; Admiralty A3480.

* Corpach

1819. Active; focal plane 6 m (21 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 6 m (21 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower, painted white, with a black conical roof. The light is shown from a square window near the top of the tower. Axel Becker's 2023 photo is at right, Steve Fareham has a 2013 photo, Marian Jones has a sunset photo, Trabas has a 2006 closeup by Ian Wright, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the north side of the entrance to the Caledonian Canal from Loch Linnhe in Corpach, about 3 km (2 mi) north of Fort William. Accessible by a walking path. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Scottish Canals. . ARLHS SCO-320; Admiralty A4140; NGA 4092.

Corpach Light, Corpach, June 2023
Google Maps photo by Axel Becker