On the most northerly tip of Islay you can find the Rhuvaal Lighthouse or Rubha a Mhail, meaning rough promontory. Rubha a Mhail is pronounced as rooaval. The first time the lighthouse was lit was in 1859. The area around the lighthouse is very wild, remote and of great beauty. There are several caves to be found near the shoreline. Regular guests here are the wild goats who feed themselves with sea weeds.
The quickest way to get to the Rhuvaal Lighthouse is by boat over the Sound of Islay. By foot is also possible and the distance from Bunnahabhain Bay to the Lighthouse is almost 6 Km. The walk takes you over grass and moorlands and it's very wet so without proper footwear it won't be fun at all. The views however over the Sound of Islay are stunning and on a clear day Colonsay, Jura and the mountains of the Isle of Mull can be captured in one view.
There are several routes towards the Rhuvaal Lighthouse, the easiest is the one following the powerline poles which end directly at the lighthouse. The house where in earlier days the lighthouse keeper used to live is still inhabited. Must be an amazing place to live all alone out there. Probably the perfect spot for a writer or poet! The lighthouse itself doesn't need a keeper anymore, it is fully automated since a long time.
The picture from the lighthouse is made by Arra, he stood on a hill looking down towards the lighthouse which gave the strange effect of the water behind and above the lighthouse. The full size image and more can be found in the Islay wallpaper section.
The panorama picture below was made close to the Rhuvaal Lighthouse looking over the Sound of Islay. Click on the image for the full size panorama.
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