Gorleston Lighthouse

Gorleston Range Rear Lighthouse stands beside the mouth of the River Yare in Gorleston-on-Sea, part of the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. The 19th-century tower was built in 1887 to guide ships into the harbour entrance. It carries two separate lights: a white range light that flashes every six seconds from a height of 6.7 metres, and a fixed red light shown from the gallery at 20.1 metres. Trinity House owns and maintains the lighthouse. The rear range light works with a front light further inland to form a leading line for vessels. The white signal flashes four seconds on and two seconds off, giving mariners a clear range to steer by day or night. The red light warns of shallow water close to the tower’s base. Together they reduce the risk of grounding in the shifting sands at the river mouth. Visitors reach the lighthouse along the Gorleston seafront promenade, where the brick tower rises above the shingle beach. The gallery around the lantern offers views across the North Sea and up the Yare towards Great Yarmouth’s piers. The red sector light is clearly visible from the promenade, marking the safe channel for small boats. The white range light can be seen from the beach at low tide when the water is calm.