On the 12th of October, we had our final group trip of 2025. This marked our sixth outing of the year and our ninth lighthouse visit together overall.
Back in June, six of us climbed the gorgeous Southwold Lighthouse. At the time, we still had two more trips planned. Spirits were high that day; what more can you ask for than brilliant sunshine, balmy weather, and ice creams by the pier?
Apt foreshadowing, as it turned out!
Storms and a Change of Plans
Our ninth trip was meant to take us to Spurn Point Lighthouse, followed by Tynemouth. However, severe storms scuppered our carefully laid plans, and both trips had to be postponed to 2026.
Afterwards, I felt deflated by the decision. It was absolutely the right call to stay safe and dry, but it still felt like an anticlimactic end to an otherwise fantastic year of adventures.
Planning the Surprise
I decided to plan a surprise trip to end the year with a bang! Most lighthouses are, inconveniently, in the middle of nowhere (for some reason…), but one came to mind that wouldn’t be too affected by potential bad weather.
That lighthouse was Trinity Buoy Wharf Lighthouse in London.
It is London’s only lighthouse, a “dummy” tower built for experimentation and for training lighthouse keepers. I had been there before and knew it would make the perfect location for an impromptu outing, as well as a fitting finale to the 2025 season.
Once the event went live, tickets sold out within a few days.
A Lovely Final Trip
On the day itself, all but one of the registered attendees arrived. Most were familiar names from our online community, so it was wonderful to finally put faces to them. When we gathered at the entrance to Trinity Buoy Wharf, it felt as though everyone had known each other for years.
We made our way to the lighthouse and explored the tower together, accompanied by the gentle, continuous tones of the Longplayer composition. From the lantern room, we were treated to extraordinary views of London under uncharacteristically bright blue skies.
From up there, you can see the O2 across the river, and there are a couple of seats in the lantern room. It would be a lovely place to read and watch the world go by on a quiet afternoon.
Discovering Faraday’s Work
Afterwards, we visited the small but fascinating Faraday Museum next door. It was here that Michael Faraday developed new lighthouse technologies, using his discoveries in electromagnetism to design and test electric lighting systems for Trinity House. His work included experimenting with early electrical equipment and inventing a specialised ventilation chimney for oil-burning lamps.
We then wandered over to see the submissions for the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize, before heading to a nearby pub for a well-earned post-lighthouse drink.
Looking Ahead to 2026
It was a wonderful way to round off the 2025 season and to meet so many people who have been supporting Lighthouse Explorers online for so long. The day has certainly whetted my appetite for our 2026 trips, and I cannot wait to discover new lighthouses and meet new Lighthouse Explorers next year.
Thank you to everyone who has joined a trip, supported the project, or simply followed along.
Lighthouse Explorers 