UKH

Thinking of taking inspiration from the Scottish Wild Country Backpacking book and walk a circular route around the Isle of Rum. Anyone had a good experience on this route?

In reply to climbingdon:

It’s fine, did in the spring before the tussock grass grows, so that picking you footsteps and following the deer tracks is easier.  Though Rum is good at ticks and cleggs. Obviously if you haven’t been to Rum before the circular plays second fiddle to a traverse of the Rum Cullin.

In reply to climbingdon:

Is this around the coast or around/over the main Cuillin peaks? If the latter, it's magnificent, a special place. Friends dropped bikes off at Harris the day before to ride back out after the Cuillin traverse. We did the walk out from Dibidil which was a weary flog, albeit scenic.

In reply to ScraggyGoat:

Haven’t been to Rum before so thanks for the heads up. So you think it’ll be tick country mid April?

In reply to 65:The route takes us from Kinloch, clockwise around the coast to Kilmory, where we would follow the Kinloch river back to the start point. So you would recommend the Cuillin peaks instead? 

In reply to climbingdon:

Probably. I was there in May and it was infested, everyone was finding loads. Well, everyone else was, I'm lucky in that they don't like me.

In reply to climbingdon:

I haven't done the route you describe and I don't know anything about your experience/ability/comfort zone/etc so am reluctant to recommend the Cuillin to you without caveats. It is a brilliant day out and imho fine for any fairly experienced walker, but it has some exposure, easy scrambling and a couple of route finding passages which you don't want to get wrong. If you're happy on the Skye Cuillin, Aonach Eagach etc then you'll love it, it's less scrambly than any of these.

Someone will be along to advise you better about the coastal route.

The Rum Cullin are very good, not as hard as the Skye Cuillin but excellent scrambling nevertheless with a constant mix of sea, island and mountain views which results in one of the best (but long days out) in Scotland. Also they are less popular (no munros).

The coastal circular round the island is also good but not as unique as the traverse (there is similar walking on Mull and Skye), but until the ‘new book’ very few people did it, you feel very privileged to have most of the ground to yourself away from anyone else. Occasionally walkers manage to fall off some of the sea cliffs, but it’s not that risky and several people have struggled on the section to Papadil from Dibidil and on to Harris (though in spring I couldn’t see why; assuming your used to rough pathless Scottish walking),

Other things that make Rum special are the Manx shearwaters, the view from Bloodstone hill, tours of kinloch castle (now closed to the public), scrambling and some of the climbing.  You may find others who will recommend the wildlife and geology as being special. On water it’s a classic sea kayak crossing and circumnavigation.

Of course there is also a winter traverse of the cuillin….maybe one day.

In reply to ScraggyGoat:

That's a shame, why is that? If I ever got to Rum, one of the things on my agenda would have been going to see the Victorian shower in the castle.

In reply to aln:

Health and safety grounds, some of it is getting a bit derelict and no-one maintains it. I've only peered through the windows which is strange enough. 

In reply to climbingdon:

Treat your trousers with permethrin, it's made a massive difference to the number of ticks I pick up.

In reply to climbingdon:

I've not been to Rum either but I was on the Cowal Way last April and everywhere I camped there were lots of ticks, which was a surprise to me. Be vigilant and carry a pair of tweezers.

In reply to aln:

The NCC , then SNH and now NatureScot at first post taking on Rhum didn’t maintain, and then couldn’t afford to maintain.  This coupled with its unusual construction and usual deterioration means it has huge issues. It was built using very advanced technologies for the time, my understanding with a metal frame faced by the red sandstone. The sandstone is however porous so water/damp ingress has been happening, corroding the structural frame that is inaccessible without significant invasive repairs.  The castle had hydroelectric, air conditioning, heated green houses (with exotic species; crocs ect), electric organ and a very unusual ballroom that the servants couldn’t see into even when delivering food……..It’s also got the usual roof/rot issues. However it is unique in having virtually all its original fitting, fixtures and contents; right down to the punched music sheets for the electric organ.

Ive done the tour a few times, and previously you could stay in part of the castle which had been turned into a Bunkhouse, plus a bar?, which I did a couple of times. Prior to that older folks than myself stayed there when it operated as a hotel.

Recently the ‘community’ tried to get ownership transferred, but were turned down on the basis they didn’t have the capacity, technical ability, or likely be able to raise finance for the restoration. A correct assessment in my view.

I haven’t followed what has happened (if anything) since.

In reply to ScraggyGoat:

Like you, I've done the tour and stayed in the bunkhouse, and it was a fascinating place to visit. The effort that went into the construction must have been remarkable, and the levels of sophistication far outstripped virtually any other building in Scotland at the time. The shower, mentioned above, would not be out of place in an upmarket spa today. 

One story we were told on the tour was that labourers received extra pay for wearing a kilt. 

Probably true, but it seems a shame that the place is being left to rot and appears to have no viable future. 

In reply to Harry Jarvis:

Essentially owned by us the tax payer and going to ruin. While it’s technically in the care of NatureScot it would swallow all of their yearly funding and more, probably for at least a decade to try and preserve. They probably can’t even afford to take everything out and transfer to storage

So out of sight and mind it’s left to slowly rot. Virtually impossible to crowd fund for….hardly anyone’s heard of it and access is limited by its geographic situation, so would never recoup. Can’t see the public purse renovating and a rich private individual would be politically inconvenient given the island’s history.

In reply to ScraggyGoat:

It was very nearly purchased by a rich private individual recently, Scottish government blocked it at the last minute after a bit of an outcry (the right  decision in my opinion).

They could knock it down, sell off all the stuff inside first and reinvest it in the community, you could throw vast sums of money at it and it still would need more for upkeep.

In reply to climbingdon:

As everyone else has said Rum is a magical island and the Rum Cuillin is a fantastic day or 2 with a night in Dibidl bothy. If the weather is clear keep your eye out for Eagles, seen Golden eagles in the hills every time I've been.

Some of the route finding can be interesting, particularly on Askival and Trollval.

Lots of ticks, loads of ticks, possibly only out numbered by the midges. 

One last thing, there is an option to get the ferry one day a week (think it's Saturday) where you go from Rum back to Mallaig via the other 3 islands and on a nice day it's an amazing cruise, often see Minke whales and dolphins from the boat and the cafe onbaord isn't bad either.

In reply to climbingdon:

Don't know if you're a paddler but probably my best adventure trip ever was open canoe from Kinloch down to Dibidil (we sailed using a tarp most of the way), a night in the bothy with some wild dutch family, the Cuillin loop, bivvy on the side of Trollval to witness the return of the Manx Shearwaters (a true wonder of nature) and a couple of days wild tarp camping amongst the abandoned villages on the North coast overlooking Skye.

And then the completely bewildering contrast of touring the castle whilst waiting for the ferry; the much renowned electric pipe organ producing the most awful sound imaginable.

An amazing island to visit.

In reply to climbingdon:

Been around most of the coast of Rum, other than the NE quarter. Excellent island for wandering.

Orval/Ard Nev/Bloodstone are fine wee hills too.

My previous trips are found on link below:

https://kinleyhazel.wordpress.com/small-isles-trips/

Enjoy, hoping to get back out there this year too.