Tuesday 21 July 2015

Arnish and Tiumpan Head Lighthouses



A couple of my friends are lighthouse enthusiasts and there are plenty to see around the Isle of Lewis.  


The light at Arnish is passed as boats enter Stornoway harbour.  It was built in 1853.  Thomas Stevenson used the light to test his latest invention – an ‘apparent light’.  This involved using a buoy with prisms to reflect the light so that ships saw not only the Arnish light but also the light reflected off the seamark. 
 

Tiumpan Head lighthouse was approved in 1879 – as much to keep an eye out for illegal fishing as to safeguard vessels from the rocks.  It was designed by the Stevenson brothers and became operational in 1900.  It is now automatic and the rest of its buildings have been converted to a kennels and cattery.

13 comments:

  1. Those are beautiful as well as the scenery! We have many lighthouses on lake Erie. It's a pretty popular tourist attraction. Thanks for sharing yours with us! I was stunned at how cold it is by you...everyone at work couldn't believe it when I read your comment today. Hope your week is good and you're feeling good too!

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  2. Off point but I am well used to the Prism Lights which guide one through Channels. They divide the light beam into White Green and Red so that if you drift off course the light changes colour and you then turn back until the White Light is Dead ahead again (Mind you I suppose they all use GPS nowadays and split light technology is probably vanishing fast.

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    1. I have trying to find out more about Thomas Stevenson's 'Apparent Light' method so really appreciate your comment. I am particularly interested in its original use at Arnish Lighthouse, Stornoway. Do you know if in its early use in 1851/2, they were technically at a stage where they were able to split the light beam into different colours, or did this come later? Thank you.

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  3. I find it difficult to imagine anyone not being attracted to a lighthouse. They have a wonderful symmetry. It could be me. I may have been a Moth in a previous life.

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  4. Lighthouses have something about them that I find very attractive without really knowing why (or what). Recently, I've read something about hotels in unusual places, and one was in a lighthouse. I think I'd like that.

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  5. I absolutely love lighthouses. These are gorgeous!

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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  6. Yes... I am one of these lighthouse enthusiasts! :D

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    1. Yes, indeed, Eva. It was. of course, you and Heleen I was thinking of. I will get postcards of these eventually.

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  7. Very pretty lighthouses, and i'm glad they are being kept up so well!

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  8. I'm like Librarian. I love lighthouses but have no idea why. Sometimes I think it might be just because they are in wild, isolated places but I think it is also their shape. The second one is quite lovely.

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  9. I agree with previous comments... I like them too even if I'm no expert :)

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