We Love Lighthouses
Join us on our lighthouse rambles!
„James looked at the Lighthouse. He could see the white-washed rocks; the tower, stark and straight; he could see that it was barred with black and white; he could see windows in it; he could even see washing spread on the rocks to dry. So that was the Lighthouse, was it?“
Lighthouse stories and more
My passion are lighthouses, dogs and mysterious stories.
I like to climb lighthouses and church towers, but I also enjoy long walks across the countryside, particularly with my dog. And I take pleasure in writing in English, in spite of the fact that it’s not my mother tongue. I am Swiss writer Dana Rinder and I’m looking forward to winning you over as a reader of my stories!
Recently visited lighthouses
Over the last few months, I’ve had the chance to travel to Slovenia, Italy and England, and to explore some more iconic lighthouses.
I took a load of photos, no surprises there! The result is some more amazing stories about the lighthouses of Genoa, Piran and Pendeen and their fascinating history. Have a read of my stories now!
The Torre della Laterna is a real icon of the wonderful city of Genoa. Built in 1543, the Laterna is one of the oldest lighthouses in the world still in use.
Learn more about the surprising connections between football, street art and the late Pope Francis with the lighthouse.
At first, I guessed it was a church. When I finally realised it was a lighthouse, I took the bell tower for it. Actually, Slovenia's only lighthouse is well hidden.
Discover the world of the lighthouse keeper, encounter the fearsome pirates and observe the graceful dolphins!
The magnificent chimney stacks of the Botallack Mines, which line the coast at St. Just, are a stunning sight to behold. They almost rival the Pendeen Lighthouse in grandeur!
Learn more about lighthouses and chimney stacks in my article now!
a taste for exciting stories?
Selfie With
Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf based her famous novel „To the Lighthouse“ on Godrevy Lighthouse at the entrance to St. Ives Bay. My experience of visiting the lighthouse was exactly the same as James Ramsay’s in the book: the boat trip to the island did not materialise. Instead, I had a closer encounter with Virginia Woolf on a bench in Richmond-upon-Thames, London, and she even posed for a selfie with me!
Black Dog H(a)unt
What the Hound of the Baskervilles has in common with the Roy Dog. Why Sherlock Holmes wasn’t needed in Portland. Why I had to take a detour to Dartmoor and past times. Where some black dogs are really friendly. And how I finally found my way back to the Isle of Portland.
Join me on my ramble across Dartmoor and the Isle of Portland and hear some mysterious stories about black dogs!
Addio Italia, Hola Argentina
The Lanterna in Genoa’s harbour was probably the last thing Italian emigrants saw as they left their homeland for a new life in North and South America. In my blog, I’d like to focus on the Italians who emigrated to Argentina – you’ll soon find out why.
A Lighthouse That Truly Thrives!
I discovered a very special lighthouse in the small Swiss town of Frauenfeld. It has a tree growing out of it, and its roots are connected to a smaller lighthouse. With his mural ‘The Mother Tree’, Belgian graffiti artist Gjis Vanhee wants to show us humans how we could solve our problems – if we worked together like the trees in a forest.
A Lighthouse for the First Advent!
I would love to share with you the tradition of Advent windows which is very popular in my home country. I’m happy to say that in Switzerland, it is still widespread in many regions!
