Sarah Kerr is a self-confessed pharologist, somebody who is fascinated with the scientific study of lighthouses and signal lights, their construction and illumination.
The Helmsdale-based woman has just written a new book, The British Lighthouse Trail, which led to her visiting hundreds of sites during a cross-country labour of love.
She started out with what she thought was a comprehensive list in 2011, but, as she discovered on her odyssey, discovered the British coast is packed with lights of all shapes and sizes.
And, whether making hazardous trips off the mainland, or taking photographs of such Scottish marvels as Rattray Head and Stroma, Mrs Kerr told the Press and Journal she was determined to examine the impact of these life-saving beacons.
The book has now been completed, but only after years of extensive research and significant travel.
Over 600 lighthouses are featured, from the perilous beauty of Shetland’s Muckle Flugga to the elegant serenity of Jersey’s Corbière structure.
Mrs Kerr, communications manager for Connecting Communities in East Sutherland, said: “I first started going on trips specifically to visit lighthouses in 2010 and then I made the decision to take a month off work – thankfully, my boss agreed – to travel around mainland UK visiting lighthouses.
“In order to do that, I needed a list of lighthouses and I set off with what I thought was a comprehensive list. It turned out it was far from comprehensive.
“The book features 612 lighthouses and no less than 294 of these are in Scotland. Due to the geography, it’s understandable the most remote lighthouses can be found here.
“On a fairly equal par in terms of remoteness are Sule Skerry and North Rona.
“Sule Skerry lies 35 miles north of the north coast and 40 miles west of Orkney.
“Before the keepers were removed and the light was automated, it held the title as the most remote manned lighthouse in the British Isles.
“I was fortunate enough to get there in May this year, although it had taken a number of years to find a boat willing to go out there!
“North Rona lies nort- east of the Western Isles.
“It was built as an automatic station and so, it never had lighthouse keepers. I visited it in June 2014, when I was six months pregnant, on a beautiful sunny day.
“Both Sule Skerry and North Rona are very special places to me and I have some wonderful memories of these islands.”
Mrs Kerr clearly has a passion for these structures, the work they have done and continue to do, often in the wildest weather at the most desolate locations.
She also appreciates the bravery of those who earn a living in and around the coast.
“With so many lighthouses on outlying islands, particularly in Scotland, I have encountered some fantastic boatmen who know the waters that surround their islands and coastlines,” Mrs Kerr said.
“They realise that, while it often looks calm enough from the shore, 10 miles out, it can be an entirely different story.
“These sailors, even though they rely more on GPS technology these days, will always tell you that it’s extremely comforting to see the lighthouses flashing.”
The new book is published by Caithness-based Whittles Publishing. Further information is available at info@whittlespublishing.com www.whittlespublishing.com.
