Fog Horns
(7 Votes, average 4.14)
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Fog horns are heard less often around coasts nowadays, because ships have modern technology to help stop them running aground. Still, some of the now-defunct equipment forms interesting sculptural features on coastlines, including the large horn shapes which were needed to project the sound loudly out to sea. However, some fog horns can still be heard, although the old complex machinery has often been replaced by simpler, electronic, automatic systems.
Operational
The fog horns at Nash Point lighthouse, South Glamorgan CF61 1ZH, are occassionally sounded – see this website for details. “these went off when we were half a mile away – we jumped more than half a mile 
” [5] (map).
Trevose Head lighthouse was automated in 1995, but the fog horn still sounds when visibility is poor. So if you want to hear the fog horn, you’ll need to get lucky (or unlucky!) with the weather. Roads, parking and footpaths close by. (map).
The Lizard Lighthouse’s twin towers mark the most southerly point of mainland Britain. (map). The fog horn is automated and only sounds in poor weather.
Sally Port Cottage, St, Mawes, Cornwall. map is on private land. The only way to visit this old lighthouse is to stay in it. “You are reminded that St Anthony’s lighthouse is an operational lighthouse and there is an electronic fog signal that operates automatically, ear plugs are provided in case conditions are misty.” [4] Book through Rural Retreats.
Silent
The island of Flat Holm in the Bristol Channel can be accessed from South Wales by boat. A long way to travel just to look at a roof, but the island was also important in telecommunication history, as the world’s first radio transmission across water was made from here. Website. Map.
about 2 years ago
My family had a caravan on Flamborough Head and the deep bass sound of the fog horn was very ‘atmospheric’, especially when it sounded during the night. Unfortunately it was changed for one emitting a higher frequency tone which was just annoying.
about 2 years ago
I seem to remember an episode of ‘Coast’ visiting a site that was set up for testing fog horns. I think it was in Scotland but may be wrong. Anyone know where this was?
about 2 years ago
I have some fog horn video’s on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/hellooldchap
Nash Point’s old sirens work on the first Sat and the third Sun each month at 1400.
The big horns at Lizard no longer sound, replaced by a high pitched beep. It’s foggy there quite often, as is Pendeen on the north Cornwall coast.
Flatholm is back in working condition. Rarely sounds as it is not an aid to navigation.
National Trust owned Souter near Newcastle is sounded frequently.
about 8 months ago
Hello old chap,
I am the Attendant & Visitor Centre manager at Nash Point Lighthouse. Just to advise that the Fog Signal @ Nash has not been used as an Aid to Navigation since 1998 but we do sound it on 1st Sat & 3rd Sun each month and whenever we have group visits or weddings at the Lighthouse.
My colleague and I are also restoring the Fog Signal @ Flatholm and we have had it up and running however, we are waiting for it to be certified by the Flatholm Project’s insurance assessor before it can be regularly run, hopefully this will be in the near future and I expect it will be run about the same number of times that we do at Nash. Nash’s character is 2 blasts every 45 seconds, Flatholm’s is 1 blast every 30 secs.
Hope this is of interest, come & visit us @ Nash Point.
Cheers.
Chris Williams
about 2 years ago
I grew up in Erith, a small town just south of London by the Thames and I have been searching for the sound of foghorns for purely nostaligic reasons; I used to lay in bed at night and hear the river and the boats sounding off their foghorns, I found it very comforting. Seems that I am not alone in that as others have said the same. Thanks for putting the sound on line it is what I was looking for!!!
about 1 year ago
Trevose and Tater Du- will sound no more from today.
Other UK lights still with operational fog horns: Flamborough, Dungeness, Needles, St Anthony, Eddystone, Lizard, Longships, Pendeen, St Anns, Smalls, South Bishop, South Stack, Skerries, Trwyn Du (Bell operates 24/7), Point Lynas. Pen Agnlas near Fishguard has a working diaphone but not sure who opeates it.
about 11 months ago
Greetings from Falmouth. I’m searching for recordings of the lost sounds of the foghorns of Cornwall. Any suggestions folks?
about 4 weeks ago
I would love to know if there is a UK archive of Foghorn sounds. Anyone know of any ?