Old Light

Decommissioned hilltop lighthouse whose lantern was too often lost in cloud.

Old Light is the most satisfying building on Lundy, partly because it is beautiful and partly because it is a lesson in how sensible plans fail at sea. It stands high in the middle of the island, where the views are tremendous on a clear day.

The climb is steep and narrow, but worth it if it is open. From the top, Lundy becomes simple: a long back of rock, green fields, hard edges, and the Atlantic pressing in from the west.

things to do sight lighthouse viewpoint
A story
Old Light was built high on the island in the hope that height would make it safer for ships. In practice, its lantern was often swallowed by low cloud, so two lower lights eventually replaced it.

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