Not an official anchorage but that doesn't mean one can't anchor in quiet weather off either the east or west slipway depending on the wind direction, at least for a short while, to have an explore (but watch the very fast tidal flow, particularly on the east side). And well worthwhile it is to stand on the terrace looking out over the swirling tide and the boats going to and from the Sound of Mull. And away to Lady's Rock where a damsel was, it is claimed, once deposited by her angry man to be drowned by the rising tide. As ever the lighthouse, the two cottages and associated buildings and slipways, are all beautifully proportioned and constructed, particularly the curving wall bounding the path through the garden where once the lighthouse keepers grew their vegetables. Of course it is yet another Stevenson, built in 1833 and automated in 1965. There is an interesting film on the web about how the lighthouse used to be supplied when it was still manned.
What the two very large walled fields were for I don't know, surely too large for a vegetable garden but OK for a cow or two (there are some ruined byres to support this idea). The arched bridge connecting one island with the other has no obvious purpose now, but it was built to transport materials to build the lighthouse from the original landing opposite Lismore itself.
The cottages, and indeed all of Eilean Musdile, are now privately owned but I have never seen anyone around during my many, many trips past the lighthouse. Except on one sunny spring day I landed and stumbled on the owners busily painting their cottages white, and very friendly they were too. They don't mind anyone wandering around their island paradise, just be careful not to disturb them if they are in residence (a visible boat or helicopter is no clue because they are brought here by boat taxi from Oban). By the way, off here is where I want my ashes scattered when the time comes, although I am now considering a woodland burial.
