Bed and Breakfast
With Fiona Talbot and family having left the island in 2007 there is currently no Bed and Breakfast accomodation available.
Castle Hostel
Kinloch Castle is also the location for the Hostel and Bistro. The Hostel is located at the 
back of the castle in what used to be the servants quarters. You can stay as self catering or full board, dining in the Bistro. The Bistro (see below) is open to non residents and those partly self catering.
There is also the opportunity to stay in one of the Oak rooms that have gothic/mock tudor style four poster beds at extra cost (see pic below).
The Hostel and Castle are looked after by very helpful and enthusiastic team. They also form an important element of the island community and can help with what to do and see.
Guided tours are available; See below for details.
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Hostel Rates:Oak Room Double £50 per room per night ++Please note that all the rooms have shared facilities++ Meals – 3 course dinner and tea/coffee - £15 per person Group discounts availble for bookings of 15 or more people. |
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Castle Tours
Summer Tours – Our tour times are chosen to fit in with the ferry sailings to Rum. So the summer tour times are valid during the Summer Calmac Timetable – Late March to Late October – please see the links pages for ferry websites.
Monday 1.15pm
Tuesday 2pm – when Shearwater ferry is operating
Wednesday 1.30pm
Thursday 2pm – when Shearwater ferry is operating
Friday 2.30pm
Saturday 2pm
Sunday 2pm
Winter Tours – Tours over winter can be arranged – please call or email to arrange a tour in winter (late October – late March)
£6 adult £3 children
Facilities
Castle facilities include a public laundry, free wifi, public payphone, self catering kitchen and Reading Room. There are also postcards, maps and castle guidebooks available for sale at reception (right).
Bistro, Bedrooms and Bathrooms
Pictures from top left: Bistro, bistro, Reading room, William Bass bedroom, Oak room, Double bedroom, Hostel room, hostel room, Twin bed hostel room, Shower room, Bathroom, Shower room. Note; there is another bathroom and shower unit not pictured.
Castle Common Room Bar
The castle has a bar in the former common room for that pre and after dinner drink (or two) by a nice open fire. Open to non residents. Opening times: 5 - 11pm.
Communal Kitchen
There's a well equipped communal kitchen in the castle on the ground floor, with everything you might need (except your food of course). A gas cooker, fridges, toaster, sink and places for you to store food with labels to mark your own.
Remember there's a well stocked shop and fresh eggs available.
Community Campsite
The Isle of Rum Community Trust Campsite is open for the 2010 summer season. This year the campsite fees are £5 per adult and £2.50 per child 16 and under.
The campsite has the following facilities:
2 x toilets
2 x hot showers (£1.50 per shower for non-campers)
2 x Wooden camping shelters
2 x picnic benches
2 x fresh water taps
2 x washing up basins – with a great view!
The campsite is located on the waterfront between the pier and Kinloch Castle – 10 minutes walk from the pier and 10 minutes walk from Kinloch Castle. The small village shop on the island is another 5 minutes walk past the castle.
It's very advisable to bring a Midge net and insect repellant, the midges can be very persistant.
Wild Camping
Wild camping is permitted on the island but please notify the reserve office before heading out. Also remember that Rum is a National Nature Reserve and is special not just for its landscape but also its wildlife. Please avoid camping near the lochans between April and end July so not to disturb breeding red throated divers.
Fires are NOT permitted while wild camping.
Bothies
Bothies. There are two bothies, at Dibidal and Guirdal (right) run by the Mountain Bothy Association.
These are great places to stay if you can manage the long walk to them.
However, for those not familiar with bothies it must be remembered that they are usually very basic. You will need to provide your own cooking equipment and sleeping mats etc. For further information see the Mountain Bothies Association website.
images © George Logan, Isle of Rum Community and Laurie Campbell (bottom).
text © George Logan and IRCT.
