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Her family were from (more latterly) southern Scotland, working class folk from around Paisley. But (having started to trace my family tree) elements of the family originated further north. I’ve been to Scotland lots of course (and lived in Paisley for a year or so aged about 10), yet I’ve never been to any of the Islands before. The Isle of Rum is a paradise for hill walkers and mountaineers alike. If you are here for a few hours or a few days there are walks to suit all abilities, but remember to BE PREPARED. Rum, while wonderful, can have savage weather (so have suitable clothing, footwear and navigation aids); has very rough terrain and in season midges are a considerable nuisance so please ensure thorough preparation and take suitable precautions. During late September and early October the annual red deer rut takes place. This is the deer mating season, and while fascinating to watch, stags can be extremely dangerous during this time and should be given a wide berth. Perfect for an expedition up the north-facing coires of the Corbetts Aonach Buidhe (899m) to the south, and Ben Dronaig (797m) to the northwest. Note: The two most practical approaches to Maol Bhuidhe are from the west but be aware that the bothy is protected on three sides by water. Delays or detours in times of spate must be factored in: crossing fast-flowing currents is risky and there is no prospect of rescue should you get into difficulties. After heavy rain, even the final stream crossing just before the bothy can be challenging. Key Attractions:
The lodge itself was overgrown with Rhododendron bushes.. very much like some occasional parts of the moors where I live (Marsden, Yorkshire). Victorian landowners had a penchant for planting these shrubs near estate houses. Like pretty much everywhere else on the west coast of Scotland, Rum can be plagued by fierce clouds of biting midges. Some flasks come with a handy leather or tweed cosy to keep your drink warm. Let’s face it, summer nights can be chillier than we’d like here in Scotland, and there’s nothing like a nip of fiery brandy or uisge-bheatha to rouse your spirits! HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU CLEAN A HIP FLASK? Maps: LR 36 Grantown and Aviemore/43 Braemar and Blair Atholl; Explorer OL57 Cairn Gorm and Aviemore, OL58 Braemar, Tomintoul & Glen Avon It’s no secret that we love a good dram. Even better if you can enjoy a fruity, fragrant liqueur by a placid loch after paddle boarding or while watching the sunset over the hills from the comfort of your campervan.Good news; it’s best to drink the contents of your flask on the same day you poured it, so there’s no need to ration! If you’ve been generous with passing the flask around then you shouldn’t have any leftover, but if you do pour the remaining spirit into a glass container then clean the flask as directed above. A National Nature Reserve and an outstanding location for observing wildlife including golden and white-tailed sea eagles as well as dolphins, porpoises, and the world’s largest colony of shearwaters. Tours are offered by the Community Ranger Service. From the dam, it’s possible to head further south to the Rum Cuillin’s on a well-worn mountain trail that crosses five of Rum’s six mountain peaks. However, at around 12 hours it’s a hike that will be impossible for day-trippers. The cheery sight of its bright, whitewashed exterior has brought relief to many a weary traveller, and there are numerous tales in the log book of dangerous river crossings and arduous tramping over the unforgiving terrain to get here. Around one mile from the ferry jetty, visitors can also view Kinloch Castle which is currently closed to the public but is hoped to be restored and reopened in the near future.
The entire island is managed by the public body Nature Scot as a National Nature Reserve, and due to the fact it’s so remote and has just 40 people living on it, Rum is one of the few places in Scotland that remains almost entirely unchanged by tourism. The walk from the ferry jetty to Kinloch Castle only takes around ten minutes so I was hoping to have lots of time to explore the interior, but sadly it was closed, though from speaking to a local it’s hoped to open for tours in the near future. They are Perth-based Chapter 7 Whisky, who won for their Chapter 7 Monologue Blended Scotch Whisky, which is aged for 26 years in a single sherry butt. Well, for a number of reasons actually, the first being it’s one of the best places in Scotland for wildlife watching.
Kinbreack Bothy
Explore Kinloch and Kinloch Castle. The small community at Kinloch is predominantly inhabited by staff from Nature Scot and their families, but even so it features a shop, a comfortable bunkhouse, and a café. But while you can find bothies elsewhere, it's Scottish bothies that really epitomise the bothy experience. The scenery of the Scottish Highlands is simply stunning, andtheirhistory - particularly the hugely controversial Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th Centuries - means there were a lot of abandoned crofts and cottages in the region, even before the general depopulation of remoter rural areas across the rest of the UK, which began accelerating from the 1920s onwards. Time: (summer conditions) 10–12 hours (7–9 hours from Bob Scotts Bothy) Cycling into the Mountain Rescue Post at Derry Lodge is one option to shorten the day. This was to be our first full day on the Isle of Rum, with a traverse of the Cuillins and a stay at Dibidil Bothy that night.
But as impressive as Kinloch Castle is, the best reason to visit Rum is to simply set off and explore it. The following, chosen by Geoff Allan, author of The Scottish Bothy Bible represent just a handful of the mountain bothies in use throughout Scotland, but they are undoubtedly among the most spectacular.So being on Rum and also seeing some of the more distant isles from various advantage points over the weekend was kind of cool. I think that was why the brash Harris mausoleum annoyed me, it cut through my romanticised revelries of celtic ancestry 🙂 Rum is also home to over 900 red deer which have been part of the world’s longest-running study into a wild animal population since the early 1950s. Parking:Only locals with special permits are allowed cars on the Isle of Rum. But start from new pier at Kinloch (NM 411 992) OR from new pier at Kinloch (NM 411 992) Inside the rather large but rather dark room, there is a sturdy table, a scattering of chairs, and a bizarre candelabra hanging from the ceiling. In 2012 the Friends of Bob Scott’s donated a stove – a very welcome addition. A steep wooden ladder leads up to an attic space. The Ben Alder Estate came under new ownership in 2011 and its infrastructure has been greatly improved, including renovation work on the bothy, which now sports a new roof and windows. The building consists of three rooms accessed by a natty little porch.
Although none of the mountains on Rum are Munroes, the weather can change in the blink of an eye, so be prepared and ensure you have suitable clothing, footwear and navigation tools. Start/End Grid Ref: NM 931 799 (56.8645,-5.3961) Small layby at Drochaid Sgainnir off the A830 'Road to the Isles'. It is easy to miss the layby; two grey bollards mark the entrance. Downstairs to the right is a rough-and-ready working area. The exposed interior stonework has been whitewashed and the floor retains much of its original cobbling. To the left, an interior door leads into a communal, wood-panelled room, a little cramped owing to a low ceiling but homely nonetheless. There’s also Tayport Distillery’s Scots Pine Gin, which was inspired by the Fife coastline, festive memories and Tentsmuir Forest. The judges said; “There's an almost menthol-freshness to the juniper and pine nose, nicely balanced by citrus and cinnamon softness”. Last year, Tayport Distillery also won the regional Golden Fork Trophy for their 1992 Raspberry Liqueur, which is made using local berries. Our Hipflask Spirits Collection is ideal for wild rovers with a refined palette! Sloe Bramble LiqueurThe majority of people on Rum live around the tiny village of Kinloch which is also the location of the ferry terminal and the first place visitors step foot onto.
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