Shine a light!

I went for one of my regular bike rides along the Wirral coast this morning and stopped to get this shot of New Brighton Lighthouse at Perch Rock.

The original lighthouse was constructed in 1683 and consisted of a wooden tripod (or perch) with a light on top. Ships sailing in and out of Liverpool were charged sixpence to cover repairs as the perch was often washed away or knocked over by passing boats...

Eventually a more permanent solution was called for and work began on the lighthouse you see here in 1827. The granite comes from Anglesey and was coated with volcanic ash from Mount Etna which hardens over time to provide protection. The revolving light is said to be the first in the country and has a range of 14 miles although it has not operated since 1973 when it was made redundant by the introduction of a radar system covering the Mersey estuary.