Port Logan Lighthouse

Port Logan Lighthouse stands at the end of Port Logan Pier. The lighthouse and quay were built in 1818 by the Laird of Logan, Colonel Andrew McDouall part of an ambitious but unsuccessful plan to establish a packet port to Ireland. 

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Thomas Telford designed the lighthouse and quay. The lighthouse with bell tower was 25 feet high and 10 feet in diameter. It is not clear whether a light was displayed at the top. Port Logan Pier and Lighthouse are Telford’s most westerly works in mainland Britain.

Telford’s design included a substantial stone breakwater protecting the inner harbour from the rough seas of the North Channel, making it an ideal refuge for local fishermen. 

Port Logan was originally called Port Nessock, meaning ‘bay of the nose’, and was named after the Mull of Logan promontory, which protrudes like a nose into the sea. It was changed to Port Logan around 1810.

Originally built to support the local fishing industry, Port Logan’s harbour provided a safe anchorage for fishing boats in an otherwise exposed stretch of coast.

The quay was designed and constructed after damage to Portpatrick Harbour. Telford recommended that the Irish ferries use the sheltered waters instead of Portpatrick. However, the short pier was only used by cattle boats from Ireland. Ultimately, the sheltered Loch Ryan replaced both Port Logan and Portpatrick for traffic to and from Ireland.

The former Port Logan Lifeboat Station, established in 1866, is alongside the pier. The first lifeboat was established with funding collected by R M Ballantyne (who wrote the boys’s stories), and the first lifeboat was named after him.

The Port Logan Lifeboat also served Luce Bay and the North Channel. The building is now used as the Village Hall, run by a local committee.

The row of houses along the bay is known as Low Row or Laigh Row. The pier and causeway, built in 1818, blocked the view of the seaward-facing houses. McDouall planned to move these to a new Upper Road, but the residents welcomed the shelter from the onshore winds and did not move. Many houses later added a second storey to re-establish a sea view.

The village of Port Logan served as the backdrop for the BBC series Two Thousand Acres of Sky, which starred Michelle Collins from 2001 to 2003. Port Logan is featured as the fictional island of Ronansay, off the coast of Skye.

Port Logan was also used as the backdrop for the film The Vanishing, starring Gerard Butler.

Just across the bay, one of Port Logan’s most unique attractions is the Port Logan Fish Pond. This dates back to the early 19th century and now operates as the Logan Fish Pond Marine Life Centre. Built in 1800 by the McDouall family of Logan House, the pond was initially created as a saltwater fish larder for storing live fish. This natural rock pool hollowed out on a stretch of the coast, allowed the local lairds to store their catch fresh for months, creating a sustainable food source year-round.

The famous Logan Botanic Garden is a short drive from Port Logan, which benefits from the mild Gulf Stream and showcases a collection of exotic plants worldwide. The gardens are a haven for botany enthusiasts and offer a tranquil escape, complementing the rugged coastal beauty of the surrounding area.