Macduff Pier Lighthouse

Macduff Pier Lighthouse stands at the end of the harbour wall in the fishing town of Macduff on Scotland’s north-east coast. The pier itself began to take shape in the 1770s, and the lighthouse was added in 1905. It is a plain white round tower, eleven metres tall, with a lantern gallery at the top. The building sits on the outer breakwater that shelters the inner harbour basin. The whole structure is painted white so it can be seen clearly against the sky and sea. The light sends out two flashes every six seconds, the colour changing to white, red or green depending on the direction from which it is viewed. A foghorn blasts twice every twenty seconds when visibility falls. The lighthouse is run by the local Aberdeenshire port authority, which took over the harbour from the Duff family in 1898. Its official identifiers are ARLHS SCO-272, Admiralty A3348 and NGA 2812. Visitors walk out along the breakwater to reach the lighthouse at its far end. The harbour is busy with fishing boats and pleasure craft, and the view takes in the wide bay of Banff. The pier offers a clear line of sight across the Moray Firth on calm days. The white tower and the rhythmic flashes provide a reassuring guide for mariners entering the port.