Lighthouse Beacons from Scotland
Rinns of Islay (Orsay) Lighthouse
Photo by Thomas Keetley via Wikimedia
The Rinns of Islay lighthouse is located on the small island of Orsay at the end of the Rinns peninsula on the west of the island of Islay in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The graphic on the right by Ron Ireland, via Wikimedia Commons shows the lighthouse and the village of Portnahaven on Islay.
It is a beautiful station with views of the pastel village of Portnahaven across the water. The tower is 29 metres high and it was automated in 1998.
Rinns of Islay light was alternately stationary and revolving, producing a bright 'flash' of light every 12 seconds, which was a new way to distinguish one light from another, without those intervals of darkness which characterise other lights on the coast. It was built in 1825 by the engineer Robert Stevenson. John Gibb of Aberdeen was the contractor for the tower. (Graphic here is by Kurpfalzbilder via Wikimedia Commons)
The picture of the lighthouse on the right is from the 1998 Northern Lighthouse Board calendar.
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