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Lighthouses · Scottish Islands

Butt of Lewis Lighthouse

VictorianNorthern Lighthouse BoardFree admission🐾 Dog-friendly👪 Family-friendly4.7 · 1,564 Google reviews

Butt of Lewis Lighthouse — lighthouse in Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK.

Butt of Lewis Lighthouse, lighthouses in Scottish Islands

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
30 min–1 h
  • Free entry
  • Family-friendly
  • Dog-friendly

Getting there & planning your visit

To visit the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse, you can use the postcode HS2 0XH for navigation. Entry is free. There are no nearby railway stations, so plan your journey accordingly.

Directions on Google Maps →

About

Butt of Lewis Lighthouse is a working or historic lighthouse on the United Kingdom coast. Records date its origin to 1862. Constructed primarily of brick. Heritage designation: category A listed building. Managed by Northern Lighthouse Board. Wikidata describes it as: "lighthouse in Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK". Coordinates: 58.5156°, -6.2609°.

Photo gallery

360° viewimagery from 2025

Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0

Heritage listing

Butt of Lewis Lighthouse, designed by David Stevenson, was built at Butt of Lewis to aid shipping in the 1860s. Unusual for a lighthouse in Scotland, it is constructed of red brick, and is unpainted. The station was automated in 1998, one of the last to be converted. A modern differential GPS base station has now been sited on a nearby hill to further aid navigation. This hill was also the site for a Lloyd's Signal Station from the 1890s. The road to the lighthouse passes a sheltered cove called Port Stoth. Agricultural lazy beds are also visible along the coast. The Butt of Lewis features some of the oldest rocks in Europe, having been formed in the Precambrian period up to 3 billion years ago.

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Butt of Lewis Lighthouse, designed by David Stevenson, was built at Butt of Lewis to aid shipping in the 1860s. Unusual for a lighthouse in Scotland, it is constructed of red brick, and is unpainted. The station was automated in 1998, one of the last to be converted. A modern differential GPS base station has now been sited on a nearby hill to further aid navigation. This hill was also the site for a Lloyd's Signal Station from the 1890s. The road to the lighthouse passes a sheltered cove called Port Stoth. Agricultural lazy beds are also visible along the coast. The Butt of Lewis features some of the oldest rocks in Europe, having been formed in the Precambrian period up to 3 billion years ago. Following the coast southwest from the lighthouse there is a natural arch called the "Eye of the Butt" (Scottish Gaelic: Toll a’ Ròigh). It can be best viewed from the Habost machair.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Coordinates
58.5156, -6.2609
Postcode
HS2 0XH
Parliamentary constituency
Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Established
1862

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Butt of Lewis Lighthouse?
Butt of Lewis Lighthouse is in the Scottish Islands, United Kingdom (postcode HS2 0XH).
What is Butt of Lewis Lighthouse?
Butt of Lewis Lighthouse — lighthouse in Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK.
How do I get to Butt of Lewis Lighthouse?
Drivers can use postcode HS2 0XH.
When was Butt of Lewis Lighthouse built?
Built or established in 1862.
Who runs Butt of Lewis Lighthouse?
Butt of Lewis Lighthouse is operated by Northern Lighthouse Board.
Is Butt of Lewis Lighthouse a listed building?
Butt of Lewis Lighthouse is officially recognised as category A listed building listed.
Is Butt of Lewis Lighthouse free to visit?
Yes, Butt of Lewis Lighthouse is free to enter.
How do I get to Butt of Lewis Lighthouse?
Drivers can navigate to postcode HS2 0XH. It sits within the Na h-Eileanan an Iar parliamentary constituency.