Hyskier is a small flat island of less than a couple square miles, although to be pedantic it is actually 3 islands as at high tide it is seperated by two small channels running east/west, there is little plant life on the island, most of it is covered in either grass ferns or hog weed or somewhere in between.The composition of the island is indicative of the area and consists almost entirely of Basalt columns with their recognisable hexagonal shapes, you could almost say a mini giants causeway. it is definitely an island that’s not worth exploring and the only reason to visit there is to see the lighthouse, although it does have a few claims to fame, as the BBC has been out to the island to film Britain’s smallest golf course, which was built by the keepers many moons ago to add a little peasant diversion, as the days tend to become repetitious at times, apparently over the years many people have trekked to Hyskier for the sole reason of  teeing off, Im sure many will have ducked as four was bellowed out.The keepers kept a very productive vegetable garden, the produce from the garden was enormous in both size and quality, carrots,onions,lettice,cabbage etc. The garden supplied all the needs of the station and when relief time came along the hold of the helicopter would be packed due to all the extra boxes of veg being sent home, some how the media men got hold of the fact that the station produced all this show quality veg so wo and behold Sophie Grigson arrived to film one of here cooking programs, but although the greens were impresive I don’t think the lighthouse kitchen impressed her very much and she was glad to see the back of the place and return to the twentith century, so maybe lighthouses are not so isolated as one would think

The location of the island is picturesque surrounded by Egg, Muck, Rhum and Canna eastwards and Skye with its towering Cullins keeping guard over the island to the north. On clear calm days it was nice just to lean on the courtyard wall and gaze out towards the islands letting your thoughts focus on the sheer beauty of it all and realise how fortunate you were to experience these sights. During the winter months and early spring Hyskier would be visited by turnstones, small birds with a brown and white plumage that got their name by turning stones over on the beach looking for crustaceans, they would also visit the lighthouse and wait below the westerly looking window waiting for the keepers to give them their daily lunch of digestive biscuits