| Location | Point of Ayre, Isle of Man |
|---|---|
| Year first lit | 1818 |
| Automated | 1993 |
| Tower shape | Circular Cylinder |
| Height | 32 metres (105 ft) |
| Focal height | 32 metres (105 ft) |
| Range | 31 kilometres (19 mi) |
The Point of Ayre is the northernmost point of the Isle of Man. It lies at the northern end of Ramsey Bay 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the town of Ramsey. The point can be accessed by the A16 road from Bride.
It is the closest point on the Isle of Man to the British Mainland, being 26 kilometres (16 mi) south of Burrow Head in Scotland.
The name Ayre comes from the Norse word Eyrr meaning gravel bank. Strong currents off-shore cause an ever changing build-up of shingle which literally means the beach changes shape with each tide, i.e. twice a day.
The considerable difference between high and low water at the Point of Ayre provides excellent fishing from the beach. Many visitors are attracted by the beautiful carpet of gorse and heather which surrounds the lighthouse and merges with sand dunes stretching to the south-west, providing cover for rare wild flowers and forming part of a Manx National Nature Reserve. A wide variety of land and sea birds visit the area throughout the year, as do a number of grey seals.
The Point of Ayre lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse on the Isle of Man. It was designed and built by Robert Stevenson, grandfather of prolific writer and novelist Robert Louis Stevenson, and was first lit in 1818. The light has a nominal range of around 19 miles (31 km) at an elevation of 32 metres (105 ft). Painted with two distinctive red bands, the light can be seen clearly from across the water in south-west Scotland. Owing to the continuous accumulation of shingle and gravel deposited by the strong currents, a smaller light commonly referred to as a 'winkie' had to be built 750 feet (230 m) to the seaward side of the main tower in 1899. This was then repositioned a further 250 feet (76 m) in the same direction and for the same reasons in 1950.The 'winkie' light was discontinued on 7 April 2010
The lighthouse buildings and land have been in private ownership since 1993 when the light was fully automated. The light continues to be maintained by the Northern Lighthouse Board based in Edinburgh. In August, 2005, the fog signal at the lighthouse was de-commissioned owing to the assumed reliance and availability of GPS and modern shipping guidance systems.