Southerness Lighthouse — Attraction in Scotland

SOUTHERNESS LIGHTHOUSE IS LOCATED AT SOUTHERNESS POINT IN THE SMALL VILLAGE OF SOUTHERNESS IN SCOTLAND. IT IS AT PRESENT THE SECOND OLDEST LIGHTHOUSE IN SCOTLAND. THE LIGHTHOUSE WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF DUMFRIES IN 1748 TO ASSIST IN THE SAFE PASSAGE THOUGH THE SOLWAY FIRTH OF SHIPS HEADING TO THE NITH ESTUARY. AT THAT TIME ROADS IN SOUTH WEST SCOTLAND WERE QUITE SPARSE SO THE BULK OF TRADE EVEN BETWEEN LOCAL VILLAGES, WAS CARRIED OUT BY SEA. DUMFRIES WAS A MAJOR PORT AND THERE WERE REGULAR CONNECTIONS WITH LIVERPOOL AND, ESPECIALLY, IRELAND. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LIGHTHOUSE WAS COMPLETED IN 1749. THE LIGHTHOUSE WAS RAISED FROM ITS ORIGINAL STRUCTURE, MOST NOTABLY BETWEEN 1843 AND 1844 TO A DESIGN BY WALTER NEWALL, TAKING ON ITS CURRENT DISTINCTIVE SQUARE SHAPE AND STANDING 17 METERS TALL. THE LIGHT WAS EXTINGUISHED DUE TO FINANCIAL REASONS BETWEEN 1867 AND 1894. THE LIGHTHOUSE WAS DECOMMISSIONED IN 1936 AND THE LIGHTHOUSE IS...

This is an iconic old lighthouse (dating back to 1759) in good condition externally but, looking through the metal grille door last week, the area at the bottom of the stairs is full of rubbish. Clearly it needed to be closed during the pandemic, but hopefully some way can be found to make better use of it in the future.

Southerness is partly a picturesque old village and part holiday park; not an easy combination. Along the sea front, dominated by the lighthouse, you see only the old cottages, the wide, tidal beach and the fabulous views across the Solway to Cumbria. Great for photographers. And dogs.

The photo is taken from the conservatory of a cottage we...

Having already visited two of Scotland's most southerly points we decided to pop to Southerness on the way home from holiday. The lighthouse, nearby cottages and beach provided plenty of photographic opportunities. There was also an amusement arcade (there are not that many of them in the south west of Scotland), along with a bar, chip shop and ice cream parlour. I wish we had gone there earlier and spent a few hours there, rather than on a whistle stop tour. My only criticism would be the amount of litter in the disused lighthouse itself - it was unsightly and could do with a clean. Other than that, it was a very pleasant visit. Parking was free nearby...