Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse
Kinnaird Head gallery
Explore a fine castle turned lighthouse. Built for the Fraser family in the 1500s, Kinnaird Head was altered in 1787 to contain the first lighthouse built by the Northern Lighthouse Board.
Its first light, designed by Edinburgh engineer Thomas Smith, was the most powerful of its day. The 17 reflectors were arranged in three horizontal tiers, giving a range of more than 12 miles.
Climb to the top of Stevenson’s spiral staircase to stand beside the lantern and stare out at the rocky coastline and stormy North Sea over which it served as a beacon. A small, unmanned light nearby now fulfils that role.
The lighthouse remains much as its last crew left it. You can learn more about their work and discover the secrets of Scotland’s lighthouses in the on-site museum.
Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse is one of our Properties in Care, but it's managed independently by the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses.
