Sule Skerries

Sule Skerry is the most isolated lighthouse in the British Isles and was built in 1892-94 by David A Stevenson and his brother Charles. Because of its isolation, construction could only take place during the summer, thus it took from 1892–94 to complete.

At 27 metres tall it was fitted with a huge lantern to accommodate a powerful ‘Hyper-radial’ lens. This was ultimately replaced with a Dalen Operated gas light with a 4th Order Lens giving a character of Group Flashing (2) white every 15 seconds.

In the past, on many occasions Sule Skerry has been cut off for weeks by heavy seas, preventing any landing or relieving of the keepers, but with the introduction of a helicopter service in 1973 , supply deliveries and change-overs became more predictable. The Sule Skerry families lived in Stromness from 1895 until the station was automated in 1982.