Penmon Point Lighthouse: Everything You Need to Know for Your Visit

Penmon Point Toll road and facilities

To get to Penmon Lighthouse from the pretty seaside town of Beaumaris head east towards Llangoed. Penmon Lighthouse is reached by driving up a small toll road which costs £3.50 per car. The toll road takes you near to the lighthouse where you can park. But if you don’t want to pay the £3.50 you can park for free and walk up the toll road which is one mile long. We chose to drive up the toll road. There is also a good café with toilets.

The Beach and Penmon Lighthouse

The pebble beach looks out to the lighthouse and Puffin Island. It’s a stunning and peaceful place 3 hours away from the hustle and bustle of Nottingham.

History and Design of Penmon Lighthouse

It is also called Trwyn Du Lighthouse and is a Grade II listed building. It’s a 29 metres tall stone tower and was built between 1835 and 1838 and was  designed by James Walker.  It cost £11,589 which would be £1.071,345.58 in today’s money! It used to have two lighthouse keepers, but in 1922 it was converted to an automated acetylene operation.

It’s a very distinctive building which is painted white with three black bands around it. The base is stepped to prevent the huge upsurge of waves and reduce the force of water at its base. The top of the lighthouse has a crenellated stone parapet which becomes narrower halfway up. There is a balcony and lantern at the top which was typical of James Walkers’s lighthouses. The 15.000 candela light flashes once every 5 seconds and can be see 13.6 miles away (22 kilometres).

Can you spot the phrase ‘NO PASSAGE LANDWARD’ written on its north and south sides?

I bravely launched my drone over the sea to read the graphics!

James Walker 1781 – 1862

As well as designing lighthouses – 21 altogether! James Walker was an influential British civil engineer involved in lots of projects including Big Ben and The House of Parliament.

Edward Hopper Landscape

Visiting Penmon Lighthouse and seeing the small white cottages dotted about, the ocean and beauty of the landscape reminded me of ‘Lighthouse at Two Lights’ by the American artist Edward Hopper (1882 – 1967).

Puffin Island Near Penmon Point

Looking out to sea you’ll see Puffin Island, so called because Puffins were once very common on it, but less so now with about 50 breeding pairs. If you’re visiting the lighthouse or taking a boat trip around the island do take binoculars. The best time to see the Puffins is during the April to July breeding season. The island is very rocky and so when the Puffins do breed, they lay their eggs in small cracks between the rocks as the terrain is too hard for then to dig a burrow to nest. The island is uninhabited, and no one is allowed to walk on it.

Boat Trips from Beaumaris around Puffin Island

I’m not good on boats! But if you like boat trips you could take a trip to see this lovely island. On board Neptune Explorer you’ll see Atlantic grey seals, resident coastal birds and visiting sea birds. These include fulmar and eider ducks, black guillemot, cormorant and shags and even dolphins and porpoise too.

Cost of Puffin Island Cruise

Adults (17+) £18.95

Children (11–16) £13.95

Child (4–10) £11.95

Young Child (0-3) £0.95p

And dogs go free!

There are also deluxe cruises which are a bit more expensive.

The cruises depart from Beaumaris Pier (postcode LL58 8BS)