Pladda Lighthouse is an active 18th century lighthouse situated at the southern end of the island of Pladda. The lighthouse dates from 1790 and was designed by Thomas Smith. It was the first light on the Clyde to be commissioned by the Commissioners of the Northern Lights. It had both an upper and a lower light to distinguish it from the three other lighthouses in the Firth of Clyde. In 1876 Pladda was about the third station to have a foghorn. The "double lights" were replaced by a powerful flashing system in 1901. Lightkeepers were withdrawn in 1990 when the lighthouse was automated; it is now remotely monitored from the Northern Lighthouse Board's Headquarters in Edinburgh.

Pladda High Lighthouse

Pladda Lighthouse
Location	Pladda Firth of Clyde Scotland
Coordinates	55.425129°N 5.118362°W / 55.425129; -5.118362
Tower
Constructed	1790
Built by	Thomas Smith
Construction	masonry tower
Automated	1990
Height	29 m (95 ft)
Shape	cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markings	white tower, black lantern, ochre trim
Operator	Northern Lighthouse Board[1][2]
Light
Focal height	40 m (130 ft)
Lens	hyperradiant Fresnel lens
Range	17 nmi (31 km)
Characteristic	Fl (3) W 30 s

The lighthouse tower is 29 metres (95 ft) in height; there are 128 steps to the top. Under normal conditions, its light (three white flashes every 30 seconds) is visible for 17 nautical miles (31 kilometres).[3][4]

Pladda and its lighthouse feature extensively in Peter Hill's book Stargazing: Memoirs of a Young Lighthouse Keeper.

See also

• List of lighthouses in Scotland
• List of Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses

Notes

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pladda.

• Northern Lighthouse Board

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