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The lighthouse at Sumburgh Head, established in 1821, is the oldest lighthouse in the Shetland Islands, a part of Scotland. The light station is on a dramatic promontory at the southern tip of Mainland, Shetland, the largest of the islands and the fifth largest island in the British Isles. It was designed by Robert Stevenson, one of the most prolific and celebrated lighthouse engineers in the world. The tower is 56 feet tall, and the light is about 300 feet, or 91 meters, above the sea. Because Sumburgh Head is exposed to severe weather conditions, the walls of the lighthouse were built twice as thick as usual.

The station was automated in 1991 and the former keepers’ houses and the other buildings except for the lighthouse tower are now owned by the Shetland Amenity Trust. The Trust has renovated and restored the buildings to create a world-class visitor attraction.

Brian Johnson’s connection with Sumburgh Head Lighthouse goes back many years, beginning when he took a position as Supernumerary Assistant Keeper in 1969. Most of Brian’s lighthouse career was spent as a mechanical technician. He refurbished the foghorn at Sumburgh Head, and on special occasions visitors can watch as he expertly starts the diesel engine to sound the foghorn.

Jane Outram first visited Shetland for three weeks and is still there 18 years later. She initially worked with the archaeological team of the Shetland Amenity Trust. When a position as a guide at Sum