Pladda Lighthouse

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}

{{Infobox lighthouse}}

Pladda Lighthouse is an active 18th century lighthouse situated at the southern end of the island of Pladda in western Scotland.{{Cite rowlett|sctsw|accessdate=2016-05-11}}[http://www.nlb.org.uk/LighthouseLibrary/Lighthouse/Pladda/ Pladda] Northern Lighthouse Board. Retrieved 11 May 2016 The lighthouse dates from 1790 and was designed by Thomas Smith. It was the first light on the Clyde to be commissioned by the Commissioners of the Northern Lights. It had both an upper and a lower light to distinguish it from the three other lighthouses in the Firth of Clyde.

In 1876, Pladda was about the third station to have a foghorn. The "double lights" were replaced by a powerful flashing system in 1901. Lightkeepers were withdrawn in 1990 when the lighthouse was automated; it is now remotely monitored from the Northern Lighthouse Board's headquarters in Edinburgh.

The lighthouse tower is {{convert|29|m}} in height; there are 128 steps to the top. Under normal conditions, its light (three white flashes every 30 seconds) is visible for {{convert|17|nmi|km|abbr=off}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.nlb.org.uk/LighthouseLibrary/Lighthouse/Pladda/ |title=Northern Lighthouse Board - Pladda |publisher=Nlb.org.uk |access-date=2012-08-04}}{{Canmore |num=40074 |desc=Pladda, Lighthouse |access-date=2012-08-04}}