Maps

This is the eastern most lighthouse of the Orkney Isles, located on a small tidal island off the north eastern tip of Sanday Island. Sanday is accessible by ferry, and the lighthouse can be reached on foot at low tide, as the causeway is now washed away due to rising sea levels. It stands close to Mount Misery, a chambered cairn.

The first beacon to mark Start Point on the Island of Sanday was an unlit masonry tower, but this was not enough as ships still continued to be wrecked on the island. It is another Stevenson lighthouse, this one built by Robert Stevenson, and was first lit in 1806. The original great ball was removed from the top of the first beacon on this island and placed on the Old Beacon at North Ronaldsy, take a look at North Ronaldsay Lighthouse to find out more.

It was the first revolving light lighthouse in Scotland and the only one to be painted in black and white vertical stripes. It was first painted this colour in 1915. It was automated in 1962 and is now powered by solar energy.

This image was taken on the its 200th anniversary in 2006.

Photo by Beth Loft

Prior to this it was manned by a Light keeper and his assistant, and being such a small island cut off from its nearby neighbour at high tide, they had to be almost self sufficient. For this reason they would have kept sheep and cows. The light keepers tasks included by night having to keep watch in the lightroom to make sure the light worked correctly, by day however they were merely cleaners and kept the paintwork tidy when needed. The two storey keeper's house is now occupied as a private residence, but the owner also looks after the lighthouse informally.

Since its 200th anniversary celebrations in 2006 when it opened to the public for the first time, it has continued to open on selected days only. The tours are operated by the Sanday Ranger and only take place if the weather is good and on a small number of days only.

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By:  Tracey Park	Section: Lighthouses	Key:
Page Ref: Start_Point	Topic: Lighthouses	Last Updated: 06/2010

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