Three-day festival to mark 100 years of Duncansby Head lighthouse
More details have been announced about a weekend of celebrations marking the centenary of Duncansby Head lighthouse.
A three-day festival will begin on Friday, March 15 – a hundred years to the day after the Duncansby light first shone out across the Pentland Firth.
The programme of events and activities is the result of a collaboration between Lyth Arts Centre, John O’Groats Development Trust, John O’Groats Book Festival, Northern Lighthouse Board and John O’Groats businesses.
The official recognition of the 100 years will take place at Café Groats at 5.30pm on the Friday, with a welcome from lighthouse board chief executive Mike Bullock. It is hoped that a number of past lightkeepers and their families will be able to attend.
The central feature of the weekend will be Lyth Arts Centre's Duncansby Light at Night, an immersive film, sound and lighting installation at Duncansby Head lighthouse. Organisers say the lighthouse will "come to life with awesome projections, intricate lighting and beautiful sounds in this celebratory after-dark experience".
The arts centre has been out filming on location and working with Crossroads, Canisbay and Castletown primary schools to help create sea-themed content for the projections.
Duncansby Light at Night will run on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Spaces will be limited so booking is essential at www.lytharts.org.uk
Events on the Saturday (March 16) begin with a poetry walk. Skye-based poet Katharine Macfarlane will lead a walk from Duncansby Head to Sannick Bay where participants will be encouraged to think poetically about the landscape and nature of the area.
Numbers are limited so places should be booked via the Lyth website.
Katharine will then join artist and illustrator Kate Leiper in John O’Groats hall at 1pm for a workshop exploring poetry and illustration. Again, numbers are limited so it is best to book in advance.
At 2.30pm on Saturday the Seaview Hotel is the venue for two illustrated talks on lighthouses. Mike Bullock will talk about the work of the Northern Lighthouse Board and he will be followed by writer Donald S Murray, who will use his book For the Safety of All to talk about the history of lighthouses.
With the support of the Northern Lighthouse Board and Foundation Scotland, this event will be free and on a "first come" basis.
Donald S Murray will also feature in a pre-weekend event organised by John O’Groats Book Festival, talking about his writing and in particular his recently published and highly praised novel The Salt and the Flame.
This event will also launch the inaugural Bill Mowat Memorial Short Story Competition.
On the Saturday evening, along with another two light shows, Lyth Arts Centre will offer two further events. From 5pm Laura O’Kane will hold a creative workshop in 8 Doors Distillery entitled Patterns of the Ocean.
Then, from 8pm, the county's premier poet George Gunn will host an evening of sea-themed readings in the John O’Groats Brewery bar.
Sunday (March 17) begins with a walk from John O’Groats to Duncansby in the company of the John O’Groats Trail team.
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At 1pm on Sunday, artist Katie Squires will host a lighthouse lino-printing workshop in John O’Groats hall. This is also an opportunity to view the artistic work produced by pupils of Keiss, Canisbay and Crossroads schools.
Before the last light show, festival-goers can join artist Aimee Lockwood in 8 Doors Distillery for a Dram and a Draw.
Businesses in John O’Groats will be open throughout the weekend, offering crafts, food and drink.
Support and collaboration for the weekend of events has come from Lyth Arts Centre, John O’Groats Development Trust, John O’Groats Book Festival, John O’Groats businesses and Keiss, Canisbay, Crossroads and Castletown primary schools.
Financial support has been provided by Creative Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, the Northern Lighthouse Board, Scottish Book Trust, North Highland Initiative and Foundation Scotland.
