Last year, we celebrated 250 years since the birth of Robert Stevenson, the civil engineer from Glasgow credited for building most Scottish lighthouses and the grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson; the novelist behind Treasure Island.
These majestic monuments have served as the lifeline of Seafarers at the mercy of Scottish weather while navigating treacherous waters. They have literally and symbolically upheld the title “beacon of hope” for generations of Scots in need of their illumination.
To the wave-battered coastline of Shetland to Scotland’s southernmost point at the Mull of Galloway, here are 19 Scottish lighthouses designed by Robert Stevenson.
1. Bell Rock (1811)
The Bell Rock is also known as Inchcape and Robert Stevenson built the lighthouse here between 1807 and 1810 in the North Sea, 11 miles east of the Firth of Tay. Photo: YouTube Screenshot via Frame Focus Capture Photography
2. Toward Point (1812)
This lighthouse was built for the Cumbrae Lighthouse Trust in 1812, it can be found on the Cowal Peninsula near the town of Dunoon. Photo: via WikiCommons
3. Isle of May (1816)
The Isle of May is an island located in the Firth of Forth, five miles away from Fife’s coast. This lighthouse replaced another one in 1816 and was first lit September 1 that year. Photo: iancowe on Flickr
4. Corsewall (1817)
The Corsewall Lighthouse is located at Corsewall Point, Kirkcolm which is near Stranraer in the Dumfries and Galloway region. Photo: via WikiCommons