Cape Wrath Lighthouse

Cape Wrath Lighthouse stands at the most north-westerly point of the British mainland in the Highland region. The white-washed granite tower, built in 1828 by Robert Stevenson, rises 20 metres above the cliffs. Nearby are the ruins of a 19th-century Lloyd’s signal station, once used to monitor shipping. The lighthouse complex includes keepers’ cottages, store buildings and a perimeter wall. All are Category A listed structures, built with local granite from Clais Charnach. A slipway at Clais Charnach, 2.7 kilometres away, supplied materials during construction and still serves the lighthouse today. The lighthouse’s light, visible for 22 nautical miles, was originally powered by paraffin lamps. It was later upgraded to mercury vapour lamps in 1978 and fitted with an electrical beam in 1980. The current optic is a first-order Fresnel lens with a power of 200,000 candela. Four white flashes every 30 seconds mark its presence. The fog-horn was discontinued in 2001 when the station became automatic. The signal station, built between 1894 and 1903, is one of the few remaining Lloyd’s sites in the UK. Visitors find a stark granite tower against the wild Atlantic coast. The surrounding complex includes derelict signal and coastguard buildings from the 19th and 20th centuries. The slipway and access road, built in 1827 and 1828, show how supplies once reached this remote spot. The lighthouse marks the end of the 200-mile Cape Wrath Trail, a rugged walking route from Fort William. The cliffs and sea offer dramatic views, while the listed buildings tell the story of maritime safety and wartime observation.