Muckle Flugga Light House the most northerly in the UK. GPL 2898-225
The establishment of a lighthouse at Muckle Flugga, which is the most northerly rock in the British Isles, was considered by the Commissioners as far back as 1851, but due to difficulties in determining the exact site for the Lighthouse, no work had been undertaken by 1854. During the Crimean War the Commissioners were urged by the Government to erect a light at Muckle Flugga with a view to the protection of Her Majesty's ships. A temporary light was therefore established and first lighted on 11 October 1854. The light sits on a jagged outcrop of Skerries a mile north of Unst and right in the path of the Atlantic storms. It was first named "North Unst" but changed in 1964 to Muckle Flugga. The temporary lighthouse building is said to have been completed in 26 days. As the structure itself (50ft in height) was on rock 200ft above sea level it was thought that it would have to withstand only the wind and the rain. However, when the winter gales began to break over the rock it was found that the sea not only broke heavily on the tower, but ran up the sides and burst open the door of the dwelling room. The Principal Keeper reported that 40ft of stone dyke had been knocked down, six water casks carried away, and that "we had not a dry part of sit down in or even a dry bed to rest upon at night". This experience proved the necessity of raising the lightroom of the permanent tower so that the possibility of the seas endangering the light would be prevented
Size: 6076px × 4013px
Location: Muckle Flugga Light House, Hermaness, Unst. Shetland Isles. Scotland. United Kingdom.
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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