Rua Reidh Lighthouse

Rua Reidh Lighthouse
Rua Reidh Lighthouse
Location	Melvaig 12 miles north of Gairloch, Wester Ross, Scotland
Coordinates	57°51′31″N 05°48′41″W / 57.85861°N 5.81139°W / 57.85861; -5.81139Coordinates: 57°51′31″N 05°48′41″W / 57.85861°N 5.81139°W / 57.85861; -5.81139
Year first constructed	1910
Year first lit	1912
Automated	1986
Construction	White, circular tower
Height	25 metres (82 ft)
Focal height	37 metres (121 ft)
Intensity	520,000 candlepower
Range	14 nautical miles
Characteristic	Gr Fl.(4) W 15 secs
Fog signal	Siren originally:none now

Rua Reidh Lighthouse stands close to the entrance to Loch Ewe in Wester Ross, Scotland.

Lighthouse

A lighthouse on Rubh'Re Point was first proposed by David Stevenson in 1853. Building was started by his son, David Alan Stevenson in 1908 and the light was first lit on 15 January 1912.^[1] The light came from a paraffin lamp, subsequently converted to electricity. The original Fresnel lens is now in the nearby Gairloch Heritage Museum. The fog siren gave 4 blasts every 90 seconds. The fog siren was discontinued in 1980 as well as all the fog sirens in Scotland. The red fog siren trumpet,along with its clockwork timing mechanism were removed and were donated to the Gairloch heritage center and put on display. The siren's tower and engine room were partially demolished. All that is left is the first floor of the siren's tower and the front facade of the engine room. The fog signal equipment was auctioned off and the pressurised air tanks were removed and sold for scrap.

To the north, a quay and ramp provided access from the sea at high tide. This was the only access for supplies until the road from Gairloch was built in 1962^[2] and can still be seen. Paraffin was pumped from the quay and other goods were transported on a small trolley on rails.

Guest Accommodation

Since automation of the light in 1986, the adjacent accommodation is no longer required for keepers. It is run as a guesthouse and self-catering apartment. Since 2004 the lighthouse has been protected as a category B listed building.^[3]

Wildlife

The sea around the point contains basking sharks and Atlantic seals. fulmars, European shags and kittiwakes nest on the steep cliffs.^[4]

Footnotes

↑ "Rubh Re". Northern Lighthouse Board. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
↑ "Rubha Reidh and Camas Mor, Melvaig". Walk Highlands. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
↑ "Rubha Reidh Lighthouse". Historic Scotland.
↑ "Rua Reidh Lighthouse" (pdf). Scottish Natural Heritage. Retrieved 15 January 2011.

Lighthouses of the Northern Lighthouse Board

Scotland (except principal island groups)	Ailsa Craig Ardnamurchan Bass rock Bell Rock Buchan Ness Cape Wrath Chanonry Corsewall Covesea Skerries Crammag Head Davaar Duncansby Head Dunnet Head Fidra Fife Ness Girdle Ness Holy Island (Outer) Inchkeith Isle of May Kinnaird Head Mull of Galloway Mull of Kintyre North Rona Noss Head Pladda Rattray Head Rubh Re St Abbs Head Sanda Scurdie Ness Stoer Head Strathy Point Stroma Sule Skerry Tarbat Ness Turnberry Minor lights

The Hebrides	Barra Head Butt of Lewis Dubh Artach Eilean Glas Flannan Islands Haskeir Hyskeir Lismore Monach Neist Point Ornsay Rinns of Islay Rona Ruvaal Scarinish Skerryvore Tiumpan Head Ushenish Minor lights

Orkney	Auskerry Brough of Birsay Cantick Head Copinsay Hoy Sound (High) Hoy Sound (Low) North Ronaldsay Noup Head Pentland Skerries Start Point Tor Ness Minor lights

Shetland	Bressay Eshaness Fair Isle North Fair Isle South Firths Voe Foula Hoo Stack Lighthouse Muckle Flugga Out Skerries Point of Fethaland Sumburgh Head Ve Skerries Minor lights

Isle of Man	Chicken Rock Douglas Head Langness (minor light) Maughold Head Point of Ayre Thousla Rock (minor light)

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