Barra Head Lighthouse

Outer Hebrides, United Kingdom

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

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Barra Head Lighthouse, a 58-foot stone tower completed in 1833, stands on the western cliffs of Barra Head in the Outer Hebrides, marking the southern entrance to The Minch. Positioned atop a steep precipice at 208 metres above sea level, it holds the distinction of being the UK's highest lighthouse by focal plane, with a range of 18 nautical miles. The tower's commanding location exposes it to unobstructed Atlantic swells; in 1836, the geologist Sir Archibald Geikie documented a 42-ton block of gneiss displaced 5 feet across the cliff-top during a violent storm. The lighthouse is designated a category A listed building.

Built: 1833
Type: lighthouse
Heritage: category A listed building
Height: 18 m
Place: Outer Hebrides, United Kingdom

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Location

56.78540, -7.65355