Girdle Ness Lighthouse

Standing on the rugged Girdle Ness peninsula at the entrance to Aberdeen Harbour, Girdle Ness Lighthouse is one of the most important maritime landmarks on Scotland’s east coast. Designed by the celebrated engineer Robert Stevenson and first lit in 1833, the lighthouse was constructed to improve safety for ships approaching Aberdeen after a series of maritime disasters highlighted the dangers of the coastline. The lighthouse is instantly recognisable thanks to its elegant white cylindrical tower, which rises 37 metres above the rocky headland. One of its most unusual features was its original lighting system, which displayed two separate fixed lights from the same tower, a rare arrangement in lighthouse design. The lower light was eventually discontinued in 1890, but the lighthouse continued to evolve with technological improvements over the following decades. An interesting fact about Girdle Ness is that it was built following public pressure after the wreck of the whaling ship Oscar near Greyhope Bay in 1813. Although the tragedy was not directly caused by the lack of a lighthouse, it strengthened demands for a navigational beacon to protect vessels entering Aberdeen’s busy harbour. During the Second World War, the station even survived a mine explosion nearby, suffering only minor damage.