Island of the week: Rum

Location: Inner Hebrides, located 7.5 miles west of Point of Sleat on Skye.

Population: 22 people, all living in the small village of Kinloch.

Gaelic name: Rùm

Rum is now managed by the Scottish National Heritage after it was identified as an important heritage site, holding some of Scotland’s most beautiful natural sites and wildlife; visitors will be guranteed to see eagles, shearwaters and red deer. Rum has now also become a top sight for research in ecology, especially red deer. The climate is very similar to those of the other small isles, with cool summers and mild winters. It is very unusual for the Inner Hebrides to experience a hot summer.

History: Rum was identified as one of the first human settlement sites in Scotland, this was discovered by Caroline Wickham-Jones during the 1984-86 archaeological dig for Historic Scotland. The reason for a large amount of people visiting the site was due to the amount of bloodstone it held. During the stone age, this stone was used for making tools as a replacement for flint which very rarely occurs in the Inner Hebrides. Therefore, Nomads would visit Bloodstone Hill, situated in the west of Rum to mine this valuable commodity.

Attractions: As Rum is well known for its wildlife and scenery, most of it’s attractions are outdoors. The main place to visit is the small town of Kinloch situated at the east coast of the Island. Kinloch has a castle, craft shop and a quaint tea room. There are also guided walks available to allow visitors to see the Island’s natural beauty and of course, the core of the ancient volcano forming the ‘Rum Cullins’. The Island’s beautiful beaches and costal views should also be mentioned.

Places to stay: There are a selection of B&Bs, as well as a camp site and a hostel.

How to get there: It is easy to reach Mallaig by either bus, train or car. Then a ferry will have to be taken to cross the water to the Isle of Rum.