Hook Lighthouse

The tower at Hook Head is one of the oldest working lighthouses anywhere. The stone structure was raised in the twelfth century under William Marshal, lord of the surrounding lands, to guide shipping into Waterford harbour, and monks are said to have tended the early fire. The walls at the base are metres thick, and inside are vaulted chambers stacked one above another, linked by a spiral stair of over a hundred worn steps. A modern light sits on top and the station was automated in the 1990s. Tours climb to the balcony, where the wind is constant and the sea runs over a shelf of fossil-bearing limestone below.

History

Tradition says Dubhán, a missionary in the Wexford area, set up a beacon here as early as the 5th century, and the headland is called Rinn Dubháin after him. The tower was built in the 12th century by William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke and Lord of Leinster, who had founded a port at New Ross, about 30 km up the river, and needed ships to reach it safely (Wikipedia, Hook Lighthouse).

What's there

• The medieval tower - three tiers of vaulted stone chambers inside the original structure.
• The spiral stair - the worn stone stair climbing through the thickness of the wall.
• The balcony - the open gallery under the lantern, with sea on three sides.
• The limestone shelf - the fossil-bearing rock platform running out from the base of the tower.

When to go

Tours run year round, with far more departures in summer and a thin winter schedule, and the last tour leaves well before closing. Calm, clear days make the balcony bearable and the views long, while a gale makes the headland memorable but the climb unpleasant. Autumn and spring are quieter than July and August.

Things to know

The tower is climbed only with a guide, on a narrow uneven stair with no lift, which rules it out for many. Slots sell out in summer and the visit is timed and brisk. The headland is bleak and fully exposed, the cafe is the only shelter, and the drive out along the peninsula is long and slow.

Nearby

Tintern Abbey, Duncannon and the Wexford coast road are all on the way back inland.

Key facts