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The Great Britain Guide

Lighthouses · Scottish Highlands

Ardnamurchan Lighthouse

Ardnamurchan Lighthouse — lighthouse in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, built in 1849.

Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, lighthouses in Scottish Highlands

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Plan your visit

Typical visit
30 min–1 h
  • Free entry
  • Family-friendly
  • Dog-friendly

About

Ardnamurchan Lighthouse is a working or historic lighthouse on the United Kingdom coast. Records date its origin to 1849. Constructed primarily of granite. Heritage designation: category A listed building. Managed by Northern Lighthouse Board. Wikidata describes it as: "lighthouse in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, built in 1849". Coordinates: 56.7271°, -6.2260°.

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Heritage listing

Ardnamurchan Lighthouse is a listed 19th century lighthouse, located on Ardnamurchan Point in Lochaber part of the Highland council area of Scotland. The lighthouse with its 36-metre-tall (118 ft), pink granite tower was completed in 1849 to a design by Alan Stevenson. It is the only lighthouse in the UK built in the Egyptian style. Mains electricity was installed in 1976, the light was automated in 1988 and is now operated remotely by the Northern Lighthouse Board from Edinburgh. The former keepers' cottages and outbuildings are owned by the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse Trust and operated as a visitor centre, with a museum called the 'Kingdom of Light' - Rioghachd na Sorcha.

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Ardnamurchan Lighthouse is a listed 19th century lighthouse, located on Ardnamurchan Point in Lochaber part of the Highland council area of Scotland. The lighthouse with its 36-metre-tall (118 ft), pink granite tower was completed in 1849 to a design by Alan Stevenson. It is the only lighthouse in the UK built in the Egyptian style. Mains electricity was installed in 1976, the light was automated in 1988 and is now operated remotely by the Northern Lighthouse Board from Edinburgh. The former keepers' cottages and outbuildings are owned by the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse Trust and operated as a visitor centre, with a museum called the 'Kingdom of Light' - Rioghachd na Sorcha. Exhibits detail the history and operations of the lighthouse, including access to the restored engine room and workshop with the original fog horn. Other displays include the geology and natural history of the area, and local social history and culture. A part-time light keeper is retained by the Northern Lighthouse Board who is based at Ardnamurchan and who also looks after Rubha nan Gall and Corran Point lighthouses. Less maintenance is required with the introduction of LED lights. At Ardnamurchan the power is only 48 watts although in 2019 it was increased to 72 watts. The last part of the computer game Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened takes place in this lighthouse. In 2021, the lighthouse was featured in an episode of British motoring television programme Top Gear, where the presenters raced three off-road vehicles to deliver and fit a new light bulb.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Coordinates
56.7271, -6.2260
Address
Lochaber<br>Scotland
Established
1849
Opening
Mo-Su 11:00-16:00

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Ardnamurchan Lighthouse?
Ardnamurchan Lighthouse is in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom.
When was Ardnamurchan Lighthouse built?
Built or established in 1849.
Who runs Ardnamurchan Lighthouse?
Ardnamurchan Lighthouse is operated by Northern Lighthouse Board.
Is Ardnamurchan Lighthouse a listed building?
Ardnamurchan Lighthouse is officially recognised as category A listed building listed.
Is Ardnamurchan Lighthouse free to visit?
Yes, Ardnamurchan Lighthouse is free to enter.