Bass Rock Lighthouse East Lothian Location Guide

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Bass Rock is located about 3 miles north east of North Berwick, and is a steep crag on the southern entrance to the Firth of Forth, rising about 350ft above the sea. It is an important nesting ground for seabirds, especially gannets.

Bass Rock is about a mile in circumference. Through the Rock, from the East to West, runs a natural tunnel, but this is not accessible except at low tide. Half way up the rock stands the ruins of a pre-reformation chapel which was consecrated in 1542. It has a long and varied history and is mentioned in writings dating back to around 1316. In 1671 Charles I claimed it as Royal property and later the fortress/castle was turned into a prison, by 1700 however after a number of attempts to claim it by others the fortress was demolished. In 1706 it was sold to Sir Hugh Dalrymple and his descendants still own it today. From 1706 up to the 1st World War it continued to be let out to tenants who earned money by fishing, grazing sheep and making use of the seabirds.

The lighthouse was established in 1901 and is still active today. It was build by David Stevenson, who demolished a 13th century keep, or governors house and some other buildings within the castle to be able to use the stone to build it. It was automated and demanned in 1988 and is now remotely monitored from Edinburgh.

Today the true residents of the island are the seabirds and it is the breeding ground for 30-40,000 gannets. The best way to see the birds and lighthouse is on one of the cruises from the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick.

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