Butt of Lewis Lighthouse — Attraction in Scotland

Butt Of Lewis built in 1862 by David and Thomas Stevenson. Made from red brick, which was unusual for Scottish lighthouses, it is 37 metres high and has 168 steps to the top. Spray flies over the top of it in winter storms. It was one of the last lighthouses to be automated in 1998.

The Butt of Lewis Lighthouse is situated on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. The station’s claim to fame, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is that it is the windiest spot in the UK.

History Little is known of the station’s early days, although the first light displayed was probably fixed rather than flashing, but this is not certain. A plaque in the lightroom indicates that the present equipment was installed in 1905, when the characteristics of the light was one flash every twenty seconds. In 1869, paraffin is known to have replaced the vegetable or fish oil formerly used as the light source. Paraffin was used until 1976, when it was replaced by electricity.

The Lighthouse was manned by three Keepers who lived at the station with their families. The station was the radio link for the Keepers on the isolated Flannan Islands in the early 1930’s. It continued to function as this until 1971, when the Flannans was demanned, and the light made automatic.

The fog signal was discontinued on 31 March 1995 and the light was automated on 30 March 1998. Today’s optic system is a Bi Form set up, consisting of a pair of 2 Tier high-powered LED marine lanterns flashing in synchronisation, giving reliability and efficiency.

From the mid-1990s to March 2022, the Butt of Lewis was one of the General Lighthouse Authorities transmitting stations for Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). Today, the site is the radio control station for the North Minch area.

The light is remotely monitored from our headquarters...

A scenic drive along narrow roads across a barren landscape of moorland and peat bogs, and through the little village of Ness, brought us to this red brick lighthouse. Built in 1862, it stands at the northernmost tip of the Isle of Lewis. But the main attraction here is the spectacular coastline. A short stony path leads from the lighthouse to a lookout point where we could view and take some great photos of jagged cliffs, sea stacks, and waves crashing against rocks. Sudden gusts of wind can knock you off balance, so it's best not to venture too close to the edge. The grassy clifftops were dotted with pools and slippy to walk on in some places after heavy rain. There's an info board about the animals and birds you can see here, and I spotted several cormorants perched on the rocks. There are also a few benches, a picnic area, a couple of toilets and a small car park next to the lighthouse. It's well worth the drive up here to see this breathtaking stretch of coast and...

A spectacular end to the Isle of Lewis, at The Butt of Lewis. A tall brick built lighthouse dominates the skyline, and there is also a marker which recognises the place as the end of the Hebridean Bike Trail, which starts way down, almost 250 miles away in Barra! We were there at the same time as a group of half a dozen cyclists were celebrating the completion of the challenge. We were told, and believed, that their average age was 75, and we spoke to one man who would Mark his 80th birthday next February. The fact that they used recycles takes nothing away from their achievements. We had passed them on our own travels by car, when weather conditions were far from favourable, and the hills long and unforgiving. Landscape and scenery...