Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland Outer Hebrides Rubha Robhanais: The Butt of Lewis Lighthouse

Rubha Robhanais: The Butt of Lewis Lighthouse

A red-brick beacon stands against the tempestuous Atlantic, on the windiest site in the United Kingdom.

Outer Hebrides, Scotland

Added By
Corvus Corvus
Lighthouse   TravelTourist (Atlas Obscura User)
The Butt of Lewis Lighthouse   Dominikus (Atlas Obscura User)
Beautiful cliffs, ocean and birds at the Butt of Lewis   jeanome (Atlas Obscura User)
The Butt of Lewis Lighthouse   Personal
The Butt of Lewis Lighthouse   Personal
The Butt of Lewis Lighthouse   Personal
view to the sea   TravelTourist (Atlas Obscura User)
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In 1862, work finished on a Hebridean lighthouse built to endure the gnarliest of weather conditions. One hundred and fifty years later it still protrudes defiantly, having withstood storms, gales, attack and automation.

The lighthouse was designed by David and Thomas Stevenson, uncle and father of the author Robert Louis Stevenson - who wrote that 'when the lights come out along the shores of Scotland, I am proud to think that they burn more brightly for the genius of my father.'

In an area characterised by the influence of its Nordic past, it is possible to stand beside the lighthouse and imagine sea-faring adventure; straight sailing north leads to the Arctic, straight sailing west lie the shores of Vinland.

Related Tags

Lighthouses Architectural Oddities Architecture

Know Before You Go

Take the Lighthouse access road from Eoropie. Alternatively you can walk the coastal cliffs to the lighthouse.

Community Contributors

Added By

CorvusCorvus

Published

June 10, 2012

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos

Nearby Places

Explore the Destination Guide

Related Places

  • Anclote Key, Florida

    Anclote Key Lighthouse

    Though it may look like it’s missing its outer shell, this skeletal cast-iron tower was built to withstand wind and waves.

  • The upside-down lighthouse.

    Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland

    Rathlin West Lighthouse

    A beloved upside-down beacon off the coast of Northern Ireland.

  • The two lighthouses of Puerto Morelos.

    Puerto Morelos, Mexico

    The Leaning Lighthouse

    Still standing despite its considerable slant, this tilted lighthouse has become a local symbol of resilience.

  • Ruhnu Lighthouse.

    Ruhnu, Estonia

    Ruhnu Lighthouse

    It's rumored this unique Baltic beacon was designed by Gustave Eiffel himself.

  •

    Collioure, France

    Notre-Dame-des-Anges

    Immortalized by artists, this church incorporates a medieval lighthouse into its shoreside structure.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

See Fewer Ads

Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads

Become a Member