Ferris Point Lighthouse

Ferris Point Lighthouse stands on a narrow spit in Larne Lough, Antrim, facing the Chaine Memorial Lighthouse across the water. The site once held an 1839 light but the present white cylindrical tower, fifteen metres tall, dates from the 19th century. Its black glass lantern room crowns the shaft, giving the building a sharp, functional look. The lighthouse was run by the Commissioners of Irish Lights until it was decommissioned in 1974. Since then it has served as the port control tower for Larne Harbour. The lighthouse is worth the journey because it links two centuries of maritime safety work on the same stretch of coast. The original 1839 station was the first to guide ships into Larne Lough, replacing earlier unlit perils. The modern tower kept the light until automation ended manned service. Today an Irish Lights helicopter uses the helipad beside the tower for maintenance flights along the coast. Visitors find a small concrete platform at the base of the tower with railings along the water’s edge. The black lantern contrasts with the white cylinder, making the building easy to spot from ferries entering the port. Beyond the spit, Larne Lough stretches north to the open sea, while the Antrim Hills rise on the western horizon. The lighthouse remains a working control point, its glass room still filled with radar screens and radio equipment.