Happy Birthday Sumburgh Head Lighthouse!

Published: 15 January, 2021

It is a big year for Sumburgh Head Lighthouse as it reaches the bicentenary of the light becoming operational, and for our team here at the visitor centre, it is a chance to celebrate the rich history of the lighthouse and its keepers.

The Bicentenary is a significant milestone for Sumburgh Head, especially when you consider it is still a working lighthouse maintained by our friends at the Northern Lighthouse Board. It was designed all those years ago by Robert Stevenson and built to such a high specification that it truly was built to last. 

Alan Dunlop has very kindly produced this beautiful drawing of Sumburgh Head to help us celebrate our bicentenary. Alan has created a series of Lighthouse sketches during lockdown, and we are delighted to see Sumburgh Head feature in this series, which can be viewed at https://www.instagram.com/alandunloparchitect/.

Our staff are currently working on a programme of events to continue the bicentenary celebrations throughout the year. The programme will focus on four themes, including the building of the lighthouse and what it was like to work and live at Sumburgh Head. We will also be looking at some of the big events in its 200-year history. You can help us mark the beginning of our bicentenary year by sharing your photos and memories of Sumburgh Head on social media, using the hashtag #SumburghHead200.

We'd love to hear from you.