Name and Location

Auskerry Lighthouse, also known as "Auskerry", is located off the north-east coast of Scotland, marking the approach to Scapa Flow and the Pentland Firth shipping channels. The lighthouse's official address is 2CGH+93 Housebay, Auskerry Island, Orkney KW17 2AJ, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Construction and History

The Auskerry Lighthouse was built in 1865-66 by David and Thomas Stevenson, renowned architects of the Stevenson lighthouse-building dynasty. The tower's construction era is classified as Victorian. The lighthouse was first illuminated in 1866 to mark the increasing naval and merchant traffic through the Pentland Firth.

Architecture and Materials

The Auskerry Lighthouse has a cylindrical tower with a balcony and lantern, constructed using rubble-faced masonry clad with dressed granite, and features a cast-iron lantern room. The tower is approximately 34 meters (112 ft) tall from its base to the top of the lantern.

Light and Navigation

The lighthouse's focal plane is approximately 37 meters (121 ft) above mean high water, with a light range of 18 nautical miles. Its characteristic is one white flash every 20 seconds, with a sequence of 0.5 seconds of light followed by 19.5 seconds of eclipse.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse tower and keeper's houses are on private property (Auskerry Island is privately owned). There is no regular ferry service, and visitors can only access the island by private boat charter from mainland Orkney or with permission from the island owner.

Notable Views and Landscape

From the Auskerry Lighthouse, visitors can enjoy panoramic sea vistas across the Pentland Firth towards Hoy, Flotta, South Ronaldsay, and the Scottish mainland. The surrounding landscape features exposed North Sea islands with low grass moorland and rugged shoreline, as well as frequent seabird colonies nearby.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local tradition holds that early keepers reported sightings of porpoises and orcas passing close to the rocks – a common occurrence in local waters. The lighthouse was automated in 1977, ending more than a century of continuous on-site service by Stevenson-trained keepers.

Technical and Operational Details

The Auskerry Lighthouse is operated by the Northern Lighthouse Board and has been converted to automatic operation since 1977. Its power source is currently unknown but likely includes mains generator or backup systems like batteries and solar power. There is no radar installation on-site, and AIS transponders are only carried by vessels.

Further Information

For further reading, refer to the Northern Lighthouse Board's historical archives and other sources such as "The Stevenses: Lighthouse Engineers" by Charles McKean (2014) and UKHO Admiralty List of Lights and Fog Signals, Volume D._