Flatholm in Wales

Well, I promised to share our first lighthousing for this year. So here we go….

Yesterday the weather was terrible and the trip was nearly cancelled. But it was decided to risk it and today… well you can see, the weather was perfect!!
We had wanted to visit the Island of Flat Holm for years since we see the lighthouse every day from the beach, but somehow it never worked out … until today. Part of the trouble is, that the only access to the Island is from Wales, from the other side of the Severn Estuary. Well today was the day!


Flat Holm Lighthouse A5426
Flat Holm is a small island in the middle of the entrance to the Severn estuary from the Bristol Channel. The island is a historical and natural reserve.

There has been a light here for a very long time. This station was established in 1737, but was altered in 1820. The light is active with an elevation of 50 meters (164ft)
This was originally a privately built light station. In 1819 Trinity House took over and redesigned the station by “wrapping” a new tower around the old one.



In 1867 the tower was altered again to accommodate the first order lantern

In 1908 a foghorn was added. And what a beast it is. It was de-activated in 1988. For the new millennium it was restored to work again.

Flat Holm has an amazing optic



You can even climb right to the inside of the lens



And I am always amazed how much light can be produced by a few tiny bulbs

On the way home we got a special treat ...



Monkstone Lighthouse A5428

This unusual little lighthouse was first lit in 1839. This is a stone tower built on an underwater rock. It is topped with a red fibreglass tower on which sits the lantern.

We had passed this little tower on the way to Flatholm and the boatman kindly took the long way back, so we could have a closer look

Well there you go ! Our first lighthouse trip for this yeat!

Great report LH-Duo!

Was this a day-trip? Over and back the same day?

Is there scheduled ferry service to Flat Holm?

Yes, it was a day trip
and no there is no scheduled ferry
but they do go over often in the summer.
You have to book via their website

Nice photos! I'd like to get across the pond some day. Those clouds would have made for a gorgeous sunset shot.

Great pictures and nice history, Margret.

Good to see you and Stan are starting your lighthousing early.

Color me green with envy. Thanks for sharing. That optic certainly looks interesting and you got some great shots!!

Sandy

Yes we started early with the lighthouseing. That was not really our doing, as the trip was organised by the "Association of Lighthouse Keepers" (ALK) and it depended on the wardens on the island to a degree.

The island is a nature reserve and only inhabited part of the year and then only by a team of wardens. Other than that ... chickens, rabbits and GULLS ...
We had to walk through the gull colony. Have you ever seen 10000s of gulls only interested in finding a mate and the best nest site? Well we found out why they had recommended we bring a hat. But the gulls were not really disturbed by us. They didn't seem to mind at all.

I totally agree! We would have loved to have stayed for that, but we had to get off the island with the tide and that meant leaving at lunch time :rolleyes:

We see this island on our daily walks and even though it is on the Welsh side of the River Severn and we are on the English side, the sunsets are the same. They are just beautiful around here.

Great pics! I especially like the appearence of the sky in the first picture. Good job!

Bob

Very unique lighthouses and lenses, thanks for the photos and report Margret.
Bob

Great pics, Margret !!!

Thanks for sharing !!!

I just had an email from the guys on the island...
They do run ferries there now.
You can find out more here:
The Flat Holm Project

The island is well worth a visit - even though the lighthouse is not open to the public. We had special dispensation from Trinity House to enter and climb the tower. That may have had something to do with the fact that we had 5 ex-keepers with us.

Great pictures and narration Margret!
I appreciate the history you gave to help us out.
Thanks for sharing your first lighthouse trip of the season!

Great report and pictures. Really like that first picture.

Excellent pictures and a great report. Love to see photos of lights that I may never see otherwise. Thank you!!!!

Thanks for sharing your lighthouse trip with us.
Really like the background clouds in the first picture that make the lighthouse seem to radiate.