Bressay Lighthouse
Bressay Lighthouse is still an active lighthouse in the Shetland Islands, Scotland, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south-east of Lerwick. It is located on the island of Bressay at Kirkabister Ness overlooking Bressay Sound.
 Bressay Lighthouse | |
  Shetland | |
| |
| Location | Kirkabister Bressay Shetland Islands Scotland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 60.120012°N 1.121456°W |
| Year first constructed | 1858 |
| Year first lit | 1858 |
| Automated | 1989 |
| Deactivated | 2012 from Northern Lighthouse Board |
| Construction | masonry tower |
| Tower shape | cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | white tower, black lantern, ochre trim |
| Tower height | 16 metres (52 ft) |
| Focal height | 32 metres (105 ft) |
| Range | 23 nautical miles (43 km; 26 mi) 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) since 2012 |
| Characteristic | Fl (2) W 20s. |
| Fog signal | Disused 1987 |
| Admiralty number | A3776 |
| NGA number | 3340 |
| ARLHS number | SCO-021 |
| Managing agent | from 2012 Lerwick Port Authority [1] [2] |
| Heritage | category B listed building  |
History
Bressay Lighthouse was one of four lighthouses built in Shetland between 1854 and 1858 which were designed by brothers David Stevenson and Thomas Stevenson. David Stevenson initially maintained that building a lighthouse in Shetland waters was impossible, too dangerous and too expensive, and that any ship's captain who took this route was mad.
The shore station was purchased by the Shetland Amenity Trust in 1995 and has been converted into a Marine Heritage Centre. The fog signal was discontinued in the 1980s. The notable red horn was removed, however, the building that housed the siren is still in place and now houses a radar mast, and the five pressurised air tanks are still in place. The 16m lighthouse itself is inactive and closed to the public, its warning light was replaced in 2012 by an automatic 10-mile LED light which flashes twice, every 20 seconds.
The two assistant lighthouse keepers' cottages are available for short term rental, the principal keeper's cottage is let on a longer-term basis.
