Little Ross Lighthouse

Little Ross is a small island of twelve hectares on the Solway Coast south of Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway. It lies beside Meikle Ross, a headland on the mainland, with two rocks called Sugarloaf and Fox Craig close by. The only ways to reach the island are by private boat or helicopter. Solar panels and a small wind turbine provide all its electricity. The island is known for the 1960 murder of lighthouse keeper Hugh Clark. The lighthouse was built in 1843 by Alan Stevenson to fill a gap between other lights at the Mull of Galloway and Southerness. In the early 1900s sixteen people lived on the island, including families of the head keeper and underkeeper. They kept a small dairy and piggery to supply their food. The lighthouse was automated in 1961 after the murder and is now managed by the Commissioners for Northern Lighthouses. Visitors find a six-bedroom cottage on the island, along with three listed barns and a courtyard. The cottage and barns are in a ruinous state but remain standing. The Northern Lighthouse Board makes regular visits to maintain the property. The island offers quiet walks and views across Kirkcudbright Bay.