Cape Wrath Lighthouse On Visit To Sutherland North West Coast Highlands Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video, with Scottish music, of Cape Wrath lighthouse on visit to Sutherland on the North West coast of the Scottish Highlands. Cape Wrath, Scottish Gaelic: Am Parbh, known as An Carbh in Lewis, is a cape in the Durness parish. The lighthouse was built in 1828 by Robert Stevenson. Due to its height the light was often obscured by low cloud or fog and in the early 20th century plans were drawn up to build an additional low light. This involved the construction of tunnels into the headland, bridges and building on the very tip of the rocks below the headland. Plans were drawn up by David Alan Stevenson, Robert's grandson and work began in 1913 but was suspended at the start of World War I and never restarted. The sea cliffs around the cape are composed of Torridonian sandstone and Lewisian gneiss. These rise to 922 feet above sea level and include the highest sea cliffs on the British mainland at Clò Mòr around 4 miles to the east of the headland. The name Cape Wrath is derived from Old Norse hvarf, meaning turning point. Cape Wrath was once the home of a series of small crofting communities, although by 1845 the only families remaining on the Parph were those of shepherds. Much of the area has been used for sheep grazing, a use which continues today, and shielings, shelters built for shepherds, can be found across the Cape. The area declined in population in the mid-20th century and is now almost entirely unpopulated. All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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