Scotland's coastline is a puzzle of headlands, sounds and skerries, and it has been lit for more than two centuries. The Northern Lighthouse Board, established in 1786, and the Stevenson family who served it across four generations, left a trail of towers stretching from the Solway to Unst. The difficulty for members is not finding lighthouses to visit. It is choosing a route that fits a long weekend or a week's leave without turning the trip into a motorway marathon.
Shaping a Route That Works
Scotland rewards clusters rather than straight lines. Distances that look modest on a map become half a day once single-track roads, ferries and weather are involved. Pick two or three groups of lights and accept that some will be seen from a distance, from the sea, or not at all.
- South west: Mull of Galloway, Corsewall, Killantringan, Sanda, Ailsa Craig.
- Forth and the east coast: Isle of May, Bass Rock, Fidra, Barns Ness, St Abb's Head.
- North east: Kinnaird Head, Buchan Ness, Rattray Head, Girdle Ness, Noss Head.
- Far north: Cape Wrath, Dunnet Head, Chanonry Point, Cromarty.
- West coast: Ardnamurchan, Neist Point, Rubha Reidh, Eilean Musdile, Skerryvore.
- Islands: Sumburgh Head and Eshaness in Shetland; Dennis Head and Start Point in Orkney; Butt of Lewis and Tiumpan Head in the Hebrides.
Build in slack
A day with one lighthouse and a good coastal walk beats a day with four and no time to look properly at any of them. Weather decides more of your itinerary than you would like, so plan the boat trips first and fit the driving around them.
The South West: Galloway, Ayrshire and the Solway
Start at the Mull of Galloway, the most southerly point of Scotland and the best introduction on the list. The tower dates from 1830, when Robert Stevenson was engineer to the Board, and the site is now an RSPB reserve with an exhibition in the old keeper's buildings and a café. The paths are steep in places, and the silent foghorn is worth a look on its own.
From there, follow the Ayrshire coast to Corsewall, where the former keeper's cottages operate as a hotel, making an overnight stay the simplest way to see the light up close. Killantringan, above Portpatrick, is a short walk from the road and outside viewing only. Sanda and Ailsa Craig both need a boat, and both depend on the sea state; landings are at the skipper's discretion and may not happen at all.
The Forth, Fife and the East Coast
This is the easiest cluster to reach without a car, which makes it a sensible first trip for members new to lighthouse touring. The Isle of May lies off Anstruther and is served by seasonal boats; landing is weather dependent, the island is a seabird colony in summer, and the light dates from 1816. Bass Rock is seen from the water, with sailings from North Berwick in season. Landing is not permitted, and the gannet colony is the reason.
Fidra is best viewed from Yellowcraig beach, a short walk from the car park near Dirleton; the island is often linked to Robert Louis Stevenson, whose family built so many of these towers. Further down the coast, Barns Ness is an easy walk from the road near Dunbar, while St Abb's Head, cared for by the National Trust for Scotland, offers clifftop paths and a working light above guillemots and razorbills.
Buchan, Moray and the North East
Put Kinnaird Head in Fraserburgh first. The original light of 1787 sits inside a later tower, and the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses next door holds the Board's collection of optics and equipment. It is the best single place in Scotland to understand how these lights worked, so book ahead in summer.
Buchan Ness is a walk from Boddam. Rattray Head is reached across dunes by a lane that floods at high tide, so check the tables. Girdle Ness sits on the edge of Aberdeen, and further north, Noss Head near Wick and Dunnet Head in Caithness set you up for the far north.
The Far North and West Highlands
Cape Wrath is the classic expedition: a minibus across the Kyle of Durness, then another along the track to the light, with timings that shift with the season and the weather. Confirm arrangements before you set out and check whether card payment is accepted at the crossing.
Ardnamurchan, the most westerly point of the mainland, has a seasonal visitor centre and tours at the 1849 tower built by Alan Stevenson. Neist Point on Skye is a dramatic cliff-top walk with steep steps and no facilities. Rubha Reidh, north of Gairloch, has had restrictions on its private approach road at times, so ask locally before driving up. Eilean Musdile, at the southern tip of Lismore, is best seen from the ferries running up the Sound of Mull. Skerryvore and Dubh Artach, both offshore, are for those who get out on the water.
Island Lights Worth the Ferry Fare
Shetland's Sumburgh Head has a visitor centre, a Stevenson tower of 1821 and puffins on the cliffs below. Eshaness, on the west side, is a shorter visit with a huge sea view. In Orkney, Dennis Head on North Ronaldsay is the oldest lighthouse in Scotland, while Start Point on Sanday and the two lights on Graemsay guard the approaches to Scapa Flow. In the Hebrides, the Butt of Lewis and Tiumpan Head are both straightforward by car, though neither is normally open inside.
The offshore three
Skerryvore, Dubh Artach and the Flannan Isles are the ones that stay with people. The Flannan Isles light was manned when its three keepers disappeared in December 1900, a story retold ever since. Landings there are rare and not something to build a holiday around.
Practical Notes Before You Travel
- Check opening arrangements on the day. Most lights are automated and unmanned, and only a handful have visitor centres or seasonal tours.
- Book boat trips well ahead. Sailings to the Isle of May, Bass Rock, Sanda and Ailsa Craig are weather dependent and cancelled at short notice. Keep a land-based alternative ready.
- Ask about access. Some approach roads are private or gated, and some paths cross farmland. Local shops, harbour offices and information points will know the current position.
- Take tides seriously. Causeways, dune lanes and landing spots are all affected. Carry a tide table for the right stretch of coast.
- Dress for four seasons. Windproof layers, sturdy boots, and midge repellent from June to August. Coastal paths erode, so stay back from cliff edges.
- Respect wildlife. Seabird colonies and seal haul-outs have seasonal restrictions, and some islands ban landings during the breeding season.
Members who keep a simple log — date, light, weather, anything that surprised them — get far more from the trail than those who tick and move on. A photograph of the optic, the door plate or the keeper's cottage often tells you more later than another shot of the tower against the sky.
Photo: Whitechappel79 / Pixabay
