Rose Ness Lighthouse, Orkney

Rose Ness is a solar-powered minor light (light beacon) dating from 1983. Standing on an octagonal concrete base, Rose Ness is a cylindrical, GRP (glass reinforced plastic) tower with a metal gallery. It is topped by a conical-roofed lantern with triangular-shaped storm panes and astragal bars. The automatic LED light flashes white every six seconds and has a range of eight nautical miles.

The northern side of the lighthouse has two entrance doors, one at ground level and one at balcony level. There is an external metal ladder leading up to the balcony and solar panels attached to the southern side of the lighthouse.

The interior space is divided into two spaces. The lower section houses the electrical and communications equipment and banks of batteries. It has small porthole windows. The upper section houses the light.

Historical development

A stone beacon (Canmore ID 74470) was built at Rose Ness in 1867 designed to be visible on the clifftop during the day. In 1905 a cast-iron light beacon was built to the southwest by David A and Charles Stevenson (The Orcadian). This minor light remained in use for much of the 20th century and was powered by acetylene gas (as shown on the Ordnance Survey map of 1965). Before solar power, cylinders of acetylene gas were supplied to lighthouses to power the lights, creating a significant maintenance programme made difficult by the remote location of many of Scotland's lighthouses.

During the 1980s there was a transition from older designs of minor light to new gas-powered and solar-powered examples intended to reduce costs. In 1983 the 1905 cast-iron light was replaced with the current GRP tower at Rose Ness, originally gas-powered.