Hyskeir facts for kids
Hyskeir (which is Òigh-sgeir in Gaelic) or Heyskeir is a small, flat, rocky island. It is located in the Inner Hebrides, a group of islands off the coast of Scotland. The Hyskeir Lighthouse stands on the island. It helps guide ships into the southern part of the Minch, which is a sea channel.
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Exploring Hyskeir's Location and Features
Hyskeir is found at the southern entrance of the Minch. This is a busy sea channel between the Scottish mainland and the Outer Hebrides. The island is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Canna Island. It is also 14 kilometers (9 miles) west of Rùm island.
Next to Hyskeir is another rock called Garbh Sgeir. The best place to land on Hyskeir is in the narrow channel between these two rocks. Both Hyskeir and Garbh Sgeir are uninhabited, meaning no one lives on them.
The rocks of Hyskeir are made of a special type of volcanic rock called pitchstone. This pitchstone forms interesting six-sided columns. In the past, during the 1800s and early 1900s, sheep from Canna Island would graze on Hyskeir in the summer.
Understanding the Name Hyskeir
The name Hyskeir comes from an old language called Old Norse. In Old Norse, the word sker means "skerry," which is a small, rocky island.
The Gaelic name for the island is Òigh-sgeir. In Gaelic, Òigh means "maiden" or "virgin," and sgeir also means "skerry." So, the Gaelic name means "Maiden Rock." Sometimes, people in English also called it "Maiden Rock."
The Important Hyskeir Lighthouse
The Hyskeir Lighthouse was built in 1904. This tall building is about 39 meters (128 feet) high. It marks the southern end of the Minch channel. The lighthouse warns ships about the nearby Mills Rocks, Canna Island, and Hyskeir itself.
The lighthouse was designed by two famous engineers, David and Charles Stevenson. It was built by a company from Oban called Messrs D & J MacDougall. The white tower had lighthouse keepers living and working there until March 1997. It was one of the last lighthouses in Scotland to become automated. This means machines took over the work, and keepers were no longer needed. The lighthouse keepers who worked there were once famous for having a one-hole golf course on the island!
Hyskeir and its lighthouse are important parts of a book. The book is called Stargazing: Memoirs of a Young Lighthouse Keeper by Peter Hill.
Wildlife on Hyskeir Island
Hyskeir is home to many interesting animals. In 1947, a writer named Gavin Maxwell was fishing for basking sharks near the island. He saw a huge group of these sharks. He wrote, "It was a gigantic shoal ... At one moment we counted 54 dorsal fins in sight at the same time." Basking sharks are the second-largest fish in the world. They eat tiny sea creatures by filtering water.
The island is also a nesting place for several types of birds. These include Arctic and common terns, and kittiwakes. Eider ducks also nest here. Hyskeir has a large colony of seals. Seals are marine mammals that spend time both in the water and on land.
See also
In Spanish: Hyskeir para niños
