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Gasker is a small uninhabited islet in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, 8 kilometres (4+1⁄2 nautical miles) southwest of Scarp, off the west coast of Harris.
| Scottish Gaelic name | Gàisgeir |
|---|---|
| Location | |
  Gasker Gasker shown within the Outer Hebrides | |
| OS grid reference | NA970151 |
| Coordinates | 57°59′00″N 7°17′13″W / 57.98343°N 7.28699°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Harris and Lewis |
| Area | 20 ha (1⁄8 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 32 m (105 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Western Isles |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
 | |
| References | [1][2] |
The low-lying island has never been inhabited. In spite of its small size, it has several small pools of fresh water. It is principally noted for its large well-established seal colony. Residents of Scarp once visited Gasker regularly to kill seals for food.
There are two feasible landing spots for small craft: Geo Iar on the north side of Gasker, and Geodha Ear on the south side. A small unmanned lighthouse was built by the Northern Lighthouse Board in 1997.
1.2 kilometres (5⁄8 nmi) east-southeast lies the smaller islet of Gàisgeir Beag, and some surrounding rocks.
See also
edit
Footnotes
edit- ^ Haswell-Smith (2015) p 297
- ^ Ordnance Survey. OS Maps Online (Map). 1:25,000. Leisure.
Bibliography
edit- Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2015). The Scottish Islands: The Bestselling Guide to Every Scottish Island. Edinburgh: Canongate Books Ltd. ISBN 9781782116783.
- Mac an Tàilleir, Iain (2003) Ainmean-àite/Placenames. (pdf) Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Retrieved 26 August 2012.