South Stack Lighthouse, Holyhead, Wales, UK Mar 29, 2024

South Stack Lighthouse, Holyhead, Wales, UK

Built on the rugged cliffs of Holy Island, Wales, the South Stack Lighthouse stands watch over the deep waters of the Irish Sea. The 28-metre-tall white tower has guided sailors since its completion in 1809; it provides safe passage for ships on the Dublin-Holyhead-Liverpool route. When it was built, sperm whale oil was used to light the lamps; however, over the years, the mechanism has been upgraded to more advanced technology like LED bulbs and Fresnel lenses. Automated in 1984, the lighthouse continues to serve as a vital navigational aid, with its powerful beam shining up to 45 kilometres. As the sun sets and the sky fills with colours, the silhouette of the South Stack Lighthouse in the dusk makes for a stunning sight. Visitors brave the 400-step descent down the steep cliff face to explore the lighthouse, including its engine room and exhibition area.

© mariotlr/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Mar 29, 2025Superbloom in Carrizo Plain National Monument, California, United States
Mar 29, 2026Peggys Point Lighthouse, Atlantic Coast, Nova Scotia, Canada

More Desktop Wallpapers:

May 2, 2025Striated heron on a Victoria water lily, Pantanal, Brazil
Feb 5, 2025Scottish Blackface sheep, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Oct 28, 2023Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
May 9, 2024Tulips at Emirgan Park in Istanbul, Türkiye
Sep 5, 2025Santa Monica Pier
May 13, 2025Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile
Dec 25, 2024Lakes of Covadonga, Asturias, Spain
Jul 22, 2025Badlands National Park, South Dakota, United States
Sep 19, 2024Milky Way over the Elbow River, Alberta, Canada
Jul 12, 2024Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, USA
Jun 30, 2025Wolfe Creek Crater, Australia
Feb 13, 2025Lake Tyrrell, Victoria, Australia
Oct 26, 2025Pumpkin farm, North Carolina
Nov 17, 2023Copper Falls State Park, Wisconsin, USA
Mar 16, 2026Cable car and Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Jun 27, 2024Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence
Dec 4, 2025Cheetah in Maasai Mara
Jan 12, 2026Eurasian otters
Mar 17, 2024St. Finians Bay, County Kerry, Ireland
Sep 3, 2023Skyscrapers in Manhattan
Oct 15, 2023European hedgehog
May 14, 2025Porto Flavia, Sulcis-Iglesiente, Sardinia, Italy
Dec 27, 2025Lake Superior, Grand Marais, Minnesota, United States
Oct 29, 2023Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia, USA
Apr 12, 2026International Space Station
Mar 1, 2026Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain
Jan 25, 2024Ynys Llanddwyn, Wales, United Kingdom
Feb 2, 2026Alpine marmots, Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria
Dec 19, 2024Sibiu Christmas Market, Romania
Feb 6, 2025Archway Islands, Wharariki Beach, South Island, New Zealand