Grange Academy teacher gets engaged at the top of a lighthouse

Oct 16 2009 by Stef Lach, Kilmarnock Standard

GRANGE Academy teacher Caroline Fairgrieve’s partner is the light of her life – second only to her love of lighthouses!

So what better place for Andrew Middleditch to get down on one knee and propose to her than at the top of the lighthouse at the Mull of Galloway?

The couple were enjoying a half-term break in Wigtownshire when Andrew popped the question – and Caroline immediately said “yes”.

Caroline has held a fascination for lighthouses since childhood and was looking forward to her trip to the Mull of Galloway’s fabulous lighthouse, one of the few that is open to the public.

On their arrival, they paid the small entrance charge to climb the 115 steps to the top of the tower and to have a look around the recently opened Lighthouse Exhibition.

After making sure that there was nobody else up the tower apart from the tour guide, Andrew got on one knee and surprised Caroline with his marriage proposal.

A delighted Caroline said: “I was taken very much by surprise at Andrew’s proposal.

“I had no idea that he intended to propose and I was flabbergasted when he got down on one knee.

“It was such a lovely and romantic gesture, even though we were 84 feet above the ground. Our visit to the Mull of Galloway lighthouse will be a day that both of us will always remember.”

The fully operational lighthouse, owned by the Northern Lighthouse Board, forms part of the Mull of Galloway Experience.

The South Rhins Community Development Trust, a charitable organisation is responsible for the running of the experience, which also includes an RSPB Discovery Centre, Lighthouse exhibition and the Gallie Craig Coffee House.

Providing the visibility is good, the four kingdoms of Scotland, England, Ireland and the Isle of Man can be seen from the top of the lighthouse.

For further details as to what the South West Corner of Dumfries and Galloway has to offer the visitor, log onto www.mull-of-galloway.co.uk