Hello everyone,
It has been quite a while since my last blog post and for that I need to apologise. Life has been exceptionally busy recently, and although I have been meaning to sit down and write an update for months, there always seemed to be another deadline which I need to attend to!
So, with a cup of tea in hand and a rare free morning available, I thought it was finally time to share what I’ve been up to!
The Final Stretch of My Master’s
A big piece of personal news is that I have officially entered the final term of my Master’s degree. After what feels like a very long journey through assignments, seminars, readings, presentations, and many hours spent staring thoughtfully at museum case studies, I am now down to just one final challenge: my dissertation.
At the moment, my proposed research question is:
“How can a community-generated travelling lighthouse archive contribute to the presentation of maritime heritage within museums?”
As anyone who has completed a dissertation will know, research questions often evolve as the project develops, so there is every chance this wording may change slightly over the coming months. However, the core idea should remain the same. I want to explore how community-led archives can actively contribute to heritage interpretation and how museums might engage with those contributions in meaningful and creative ways.
The Travelling Pharology Archive is something that many of you have already heard me talking about, and it will play a central role in this research. The project combines several things I care deeply about: lighthouses, heritage, museums, and the wonderful community that has formed around lighthouse appreciation.
At the moment I am making my way through UCL’s ethics approval process. It is one of those necessary steps that feels rather slow while you’re waiting (although, of course, it is important for making sure research is conducted responsibly and ethically).
Assuming everything goes smoothly, the summer will likely become a whirlwind of museum visits, data collection, writing, editing, rewriting, and probably some panic as the deadline rolls around…
Once the project receives ethical approval, I will begin looking for contributors to the Travelling Archive and visiting museums to test aspects of the research. If you’ve ever wanted to contribute to an archive dedicated to the people who have looked after lighthouses, there may soon be an opportunity to get involved.
Please keep an eye on future updates! I’d love as many people as possible to be part of this journey.
A Visit to Trinity House
One of the highlights of recent months was a visit to Trinity House in Harwich. Trinity House, as you likely already know, look after all of the lighthouses in England, Wales, Gibraltar, and the Channel Islands.
I was kindly invited to see their collection of 3D lighthouse models, and I can honestly say they were spectacular. Seeing the models up close was fascinating. There is something uniquely satisfying about being able to examine a lighthouse from every angle, particularly when many of the real structures are difficult to access or view in detail.
The visit also gave me the opportunity to look around the facility and meet members of the heritage team. Everyone was incredibly welcoming, generous with their knowledge, and clearly passionate about preserving and sharing lighthouse history.
Naturally, I spent much of the visit trying not to look too excited whilst inwardly thinking that it might be one of the best days of my life.
I left feeling inspired (and slightly jealous of Matt, who can look at those models whenever he wants), with several new ideas buzzing around my head for future projects.
Whilst visiting Harwich, I also poked my nose into the Harwich Maritime Museum, which is located in the converted Low Lighthouse! It’s an absolutely darling little museum, and the volunteers were extremely knowledgeable and friendly.
Lighthouse Explorers Returns for 2026
Another exciting milestone was the first Lighthouse Explorers group trip of 2026, with our destination being the fascinating pair of lighthouses at Spurn Point.
This year’s group ended up consisting of just three of us: myself, Hoden, who has recently joined Lighthouse Explorers as our volunteer Project Manager, and another member. By complete coincidence, all three of us travelled from London and we also happened to all book the same hotel without realising it beforehand.
Clearly lighthouse enthusiasts share a collective brain!
Our main goal was to visit the High Lighthouse; the lighthouse has been beautifully adapted as both a museum and an interpretation centre. As you make your way up through the tower, exhibits explain the history of the lighthouse and also the remarkable ecological work taking place across the peninsula.
Every level offers a new perspective, and the views become more impressive the higher you climb. Reaching the top rewards visitors with a stunning 360-degree panorama across the Humber Estuary, the North Sea, and the long sweep of the peninsula stretching away into the distance.
The volunteer on duty was wonderfully friendly and enthusiastic, and naturally, such dedication to lighthouse heritage earned him a Lighthouse Explorers badge.
Unfortunately for me, he immediately raised the stakes by presenting each of us with a rather excellent Spurn Point High Lighthouse badge that was, if we’re being completely honest, probably better than the one I had just given him.
I chose to view this as healthy competition, rather than a deliberate attempt to undermine my badges.
Getting to Spurn Point
One thing many people ask about is how easy it is to reach lighthouses. Commonly, they are tucked away on remote and exposed areas of the coastline, for obvious reasons, and therefore require a car or a trek to get there. However, there is a very handy bus which goes from Hull to Spurn Discovery Centre, making the journey very smooth!
Most visitors begin their journey at the Spurn Discovery Centre, which serves as the gateway to the peninsula. There is parking available here, along with visitor information, toilets, and a very welcome café. The café proved particularly popular with our group. After several hours of travelling and walking, the combination of coffee, cake, and somewhere to sit down was greatly appreciated.
From the Discovery Centre, visitors need to walk along the peninsula to reach the lighthouse. The route is approximately 3.5 miles (around 5.5 km) each way, making the round trip roughly 7 miles (11 km). Depending on your pace, and how often you stop to admire the scenery, take photographs, or watch the wildlife, it generally takes around an hour to an hour and a half each way.
Fortunately, the walk itself is part of the experience. Spurn Point is unlike anywhere else in England, with the North Sea on one side and the Humber Estuary on the other. There are beautiful views throughout the journey, and plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife along the way.
For those travelling by public transport, there is an aforementioned bus service from Hull to the Spurn Discovery Centre, making it possible to visit without a car. Once you arrive at the Discovery Centre, however, reaching the lighthouse requires the walk along the peninsula, so comfortable footwear is definitely recommended!
It is worth checking current admission prices and opening times before visiting, particularly if you plan to climb the High Lighthouse, as these can change throughout the season.
If you’re interested in how the journey went for me and the Lighthouse Explorers crew, this is a YouTube video I made, detailing our adventure:
Ending the Day in Hull
After completing the walk and exploring the lighthouse, we made our way back and caught the bus towards Hull. By this point we had accumulated a healthy number of steps, and the call of a pub dinner was too strong. The evening concluded with a meal together in Hull, which was the perfect end to a long day.
More than anything, it was simply lovely to be back out exploring with fellow members after the hiatus over the colder months!
If this trip is any indication of what’s ahead, 2026 should be a fantastic year for Lighthouse Explorers.
Looking Ahead
I know several people have been asking about future events, and I sincerely thank you for your patience. They are coming, I promise!
Balancing Lighthouse Explorers, dissertation work, museum projects, volunteering, and everything else has been a challenge recently, but plans are already beginning to take shape behind the scenes. I’m very excited about what’s ahead and cannot wait to see many of you again at future events.
A Small Apology
Before I finish, I should also apologise to anyone who has emailed me recently and is still waiting for a reply.
I haven’t forgotten you.
My Master’s degree, dissertation planning, and various other commitments have been consuming an extraordinary amount of my time over the past few months. My inbox currently resembles a particularly challenging archaeological excavation.
I am slowly working through everything and will do my best to respond as soon as I can.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Until Next Time
As always, thank you for reading.
Whether you’ve joined a Lighthouse Explorers trip, contributed to a project, sent me an email, followed along online, or simply share an appreciation for these remarkable structures, your support means a great deal.
I hope you’re all keeping well, and I look forward to sharing more updates very soon.
Annie x
Lighthouse Explorers 