Lìth Sgeir

Island in Ross-shire

Scotland

Lìth Sgeir

Butt of Lewis Lighthouse The Butt of Lewis is the northernmost point of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. There is a lighthouse designed and built by David &amp; Thomas Stevenson (sons of Robert and brother of Alan - all lighthouse engineers) and constructed in 1862. It is 37m (121ft) tall at an elevation of 52m (170ft) with a nominal range of 25 nautical miles. It flashes a white light every five seconds, and since 1998 is fully automated, being one of the last four Scottish lighthouses to dispense with the services of their keepers. It is looked after by the Northern Lighthouse Board (the Scottish equivalent to Trinity House) and is monitored remotely from Edinburgh.
The Butt of Lewis has appeared in the Guinness Book of Records as the windiest place in the United Kingdom, sticking out as it does into the North Atlantic. — Butt of Lewis Lighthouse Credit: Ralph Greig

Lìth Sgeir is a small island located off the coast of Ross-shire, Scotland. It is part of the Inner Hebrides and lies in the North Atlantic Ocean. The island is uninhabited and covers an area of approximately 0.2 square kilometers.

Lìth Sgeir is characterized by its rugged and rocky landscape, with steep cliffs rising from the sea. The island is known for its diverse bird population, particularly seabirds such as puffins, guillemots, and razorbills. These birds nest on the cliffs and create a lively and vibrant atmosphere during the breeding season.

Access to Lìth Sgeir is limited due to its remote location and lack of infrastructure. However, it is occasionally visited by wildlife enthusiasts, birdwatchers, and researchers who are interested in studying the island's unique ecosystem. The surrounding waters are also popular among divers, who can explore the underwater caves and marine life.

The island's name, Lìth Sgeir, is Gaelic and translates to "smooth rock." This name accurately describes the island's distinctive geological features, with its smooth cliffs and rocky formations.

Overall, Lìth Sgeir is a fascinating and picturesque island, offering a glimpse into Scotland's diverse wildlife and natural beauty. Its remote location and untouched environment make it an ideal destination for those seeking tranquility and a connection with nature.

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Lìth Sgeir Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 58.519451/-6.2618374 or Grid Reference NB5166. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Butt of Lewis Lighthouse

The Butt of Lewis is the northernmost point of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. There is a lighthouse designed and built by David & Thomas Stevenson (sons of Robert and brother of Alan - all lighthouse engineers) and constructed in 1862. It is 37m (121ft) tall at an elevation of 52m (170ft) with a nominal range of 25 nautical miles. It flashes a white light every five seconds, and since 1998 is fully automated, being one of the last four Scottish lighthouses to dispense with the services of their keepers. It is looked after by the Northern Lighthouse Board (the Scottish equivalent to Trinity House) and is monitored remotely from Edinburgh. The Butt of Lewis has appeared in the Guinness Book of Records as the windiest place in the United Kingdom, sticking out as it does into the North Atlantic.

Ralph Greig

Butt of Lewis Lighthouse

Ralph Greig

Road to the lighthouse

Ralph Greig

Port Stoth

Geocaching is a type of global treasure hunt of people looking for caches, or hidden stashes of objects. Geocaching may also be described as a series of hide-and-seek games, where hiders provide online clues for seekers. Seekers use global positioning system (GPS) devices to find hidden caches

Ralph Greig

St Molveg's Church, Eoropie

Colin Park

Trig point at Butt of Lewis

Colin Park

Butt of Lewis Lighthouse

Colin Park

Sea thrift on islet at Geodha nan Each, Butt of Lewis

Colin Park

Beach at Cunndal, Eoropie

Colin Park

Butt of Lewis Lighthouse

I did consider correcting the converging verticals in this shot but then I got an attack of acrophobia so could no longer look at it!

John Lucas

Cleite Gile

Rocks at the Butt of Lewis.

John Lucas

Butt of Lewis lighthouse

John Lucas

Port Stoth

Port Stoth is the most northerly beach on the Western Isles. All the materials for the construction of the Butt of Lewis lighthouse were landed here between 1851 and 1862. As it was a sheltered spot the beach continued to be used to bring supplies to the lighthouse until the 1960s. On 22nd January 1901 a wooden lugsail (Lugger) in ballast was stranded at Port Stoth. Surprisingly, no name is recorded of the unregistered vessel but its date of building was known to be 1893 and the master was a Captain Gunn.

Douglas Nelson

Cleite Gile, Rubha Robhanais

Cliffs at Butt of Lewis

Douglas Nelson

Transocean Winner rounds the Butt

The 1,000 tonne oilrig, thirty years old and being towed from Norway to Malta for scrapping, became a loser when she broke free in an unseasonal gale and heavy seas on 8 August 2016 and beached herself on the west coast of Lewis at Dalmore Bay in NB2145. A fortnight later she was successfully refloated on the high evening tide of 22 August and taken in tow by the tugs Union Bear and Union Princess, with other vessels following aft to help maintain her course, round the Butt of Lewis to more sheltered waters at Broad Bay on the east side of the island for further assessment, the whole operation taking some 36 hours and proceeding at a sea-snail's pace of 1-2 knots, with frequent pauses to correct the rig's pronounced list. Here the sorry flotilla is seen gingerly making headway while a seabird looks on in seeming disdain. Link

Tiger

Butt of Lewis lighthouse with Transocean Winner offshore

The ineptly-named oilrig slowly rounds the Butt at a safe distance, having been refloated from Dalmore beach the previous evening. See NB5268 : Transocean Winner rounds the Butt.

Tiger