Rum welcomes its newest residents - the Goddards from Sussex - who were successful with their croft application earlier in the year. They've already been out exploring the island, experienced their first Rum ceilidh and taken part whole heartedly in community events.They've also been getting used to the 'Rum factor' and finding their feet and from the looks on their faces, they're definately enjoying themselves. The 'Goodards' are certainly Good value! - welcome to Rum  – we wish you all the best with your new life on your Rum croft.

To follow the Goddard's blog, click here

‘I was sitting out on the hill, tucked in tight as the weather was pretty poor for the time of year when I spotted a man entering Shamhnan Insir from the east.  This is in no way unusual, other than causing some disturbance to the deer that I was observing and I waited for him to pass through the area.  I thought nothing more of it until he started walking into the middle of the gull colony.  I began watching him more intently, wishing he would move on quickly so the gulls would be off their eggs for the shortest possible time.  However, he began acting very strangely, dashing about in the colony, picking up eggs for some minutes before disappearing into a black-house.’ 

Being out of radio contact with the rest of her team and with a very patchy mobile phone signal, Ali continued with her deer checks despite being very nervous and spending the rest of the day looking over her shoulder.  On her return home late that night after a long calving season day, Ali told her husband, Sean, of the bizarre scene that she had witnessed earlier in the day and he immediately told her to phone the police.   

The following morning, Ali and Sean Morris met with Richard Kilpatrick, the Scottish Natural Heritage National Nature Reserve Manager to inform him of the situation.  After several conversations with the police and keeping an eye on the suspect man, the police decided to come over to have a chat with him.  On arrival at the Rum Ferry Terminal, and asking the man for his details the Wildlife Crimes Officer immediately placed Matthew Gonshaw under arrest.

Matthew Gonshaw has served three previous terms in prison for egg theft and a raid on his house in London, as a direct consequence of his arrest on Rum, revealed almost 700 clutches of eggs, some from highly protected and vulnerable species. This resulted in his fourth jail term of 6 months imposed by Thames Magistrates Court on 13 December 2011.  On 24 February 2012 Gonshaw was issued with an ASBO at Stratford Magistrates Court banning him from visiting Scotland during the bird breeding season for the next 10 years.  He was also banned from visiting any RSPB or Wildlife Trust land for the same time period.

Gonshaw appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court on 11 May 2012 charged with the offences committed on Rum.  The court heard how Gonshaw had gone to the Isle of Rum, a National Nature Reserve in May 2011.  Later police searched him and found 20 eggs and an egg blowing kit in his rucksack.

Gonshaw admitted illegally taking and destroying seven meadow pipit eggs, and five others that could have been reed bunting or blackcap as well as eight Manx shearwater eggs.

Sheriff Margaret Neilson told Gonshaw “You have been unable to provide any explanation for your twisted behaviour and have shown no remorse whatsoever. You may call yourself a wildlife collector. You are in fact a wildlife destroyer.”  Sheriff Neilson jailed Gonshaw for the maximum 6 months allowed by law, his 5th jail term for wildlife crime offences and banned him from visiting Scotland during the bird breeding season for life.

If it had not been for the vigilance of local residents and in particular, the attention to detail from Ali Morris who was only in the location due to her job with the Edinburgh University Red Deer Research Project, Gonshaw would have got away with his mission.  It is a credit to the community of Rum to have caught such a prolific egg thief.

It is an opportunity to become a member of the Rum community and experience island life first hand.

Also, Isle of Rum Community Trust have been busy at the Ferry Terminal, installing a composting toilet.  This project, funded by IRCT, LEADER and HIE, consigns mad dashes into the bushes to use the 'loo with a view' are now a thing of the past.   This new toilet is to be found on the south (far-away) side of the boat sheds.

Finally,  new signs have been popping up throughout Kinloch Village and the NNR providing useful information for Visitors.  There are also markers for different trails around the Village.

A new guidebook to Walking on Rum and the Small Isles, which also covers near neighbours Coll and Tiree, is published by the UK's leading outdoor pursuits specialists, Cicerone Press, on June 15th 2012. The author, Peter Edwards, spent much of the first half of 2011 carrying out his field 'research' walking the length and breadth of the isles in his attempt to produce the definitive walking guide to a region that he believes offers some of the finest walking to be had anywhere in the UK. However, compared with many areas of the Highlands and Islands, the Small Isles remain off the beaten track; as Peter puts it:

It is customary to refer to the Small Isles as the 'hidden gems' of the Western Isles – and with good cause. Though blessed with great natural beauty, an abundance of wildlife and remarkable geological features, the islands tend to be overlooked, literally and metaphorically, by the many visitors drawn to the famously scenic grandeur of Skye, their renowned and imposing neighbour.

The relative dearth of visitors is partly due to the Small Isles having few roads  and visitors only being allowed to bring vehicles by special arrangement. Furthermore, though the islands' amenities are generally of a good standard, they are far from extensive. Therefore, planning a walking trip to the Small Isles requires a degree of logistical forethought – just getting here can be an undertaking in itself.

The upside is the real sense of remoteness that is found among the hills, along the rugged coastlines and beach-garlanded shores of these wonderful islands;  they are a haven for those who like to get away from the madding crowd and enjoy the peace and freedom of walking through landscapes unaffected by large-scale tourism.

Rum, the largest of the group, is just 14km north to south by 13.5km east to west. Yet in this relatively small area the island provides remarkable scope for the adventurous and experienced walker. The distinctive chain of volcanic hills comprising the Rum Cuillin is the obvious and immediate draw for outdoor enthusiasts, whether for hill-walking, scrambling or rock climbing. A round of the Rum Cuillin makes for a challenging day in the hills and usually features somewhere on the 'to-do' list of Scottish mountain afficianados. This is the first guidebook to provide a detailed route description of this remarkable mountain walk using Ordnance Survey mapping.

However, for the adventurous walker there is much more to Rum than the Cuillin. This guidebook includes detailed route descriptions for seven walks on the island, with variants, including the Cuillin traverse; the Dibdil horseshoe; a challenging and sublime two to three-day walk around the coast, and circular routes around the remote western hills – as well as several shorter routes.

The guidebook also covers the other islands of the Small Isles archipelago – Eigg, Canna and Muck – as well as their near neighbours, Coll and Tiree – the Hebridean Twins. Unsurprisingly, many of the routes included are coastal walks traversing extremely varied terrain from rugged, rocky shores and vertiginous cliffs to vast expanses of flower-carpeted machair and white sandy beaches. These coastal landscapes teem with wildlife and remarkable geological features, including raised beaches, caves, natural arches, sea stacks and basalt dikes. Many traces of the islands' histories, both ancient and more recent, are found around these coastlines; from Bronze Age duns (fortifications) perched on rocky promontories to the abandoned settlements, bearing mute testament to the Highland Clearances.

Details of the job description can be found here.

Applicants are asked to submit their CV and covering letter to development@isleofrum.com by May 11th.

The cabins are beautifully basic.  With mattresses to sleep up to four people and ample space for kit, they will provide a welcome retreat from the Rum midges later in the season!  They also have solar lighting and spectacular views out over Loch Scresort.

Development Officer, Vikki Trelfer who is in charge of this project says  “This is a really exciting project for the community on Rum; we’re now able to offer visitors a greater variety of accommodation. This wouldn’t have been possible without support from the LEADER programme and Highlands & Islands Enterprise, and is a first step towards greater economic sustainability for the island.”

The project owes a massive debt of gratitude to Peter Crocket for his time and dedication to numbers and angles and to Dave Beaton for stepping into the breach and creating the most magnificently sculpted strainer post bases that no-one will ever see, but we know are there!

Further information on how to book the Cabins is available here.  Alternatively, e-mail RumKabins@gmail.com or call Jinty at Rum Shop 01687 460 328.

We can't wait to sample her selection of soup, sarnies, toasties, tray bakes and other home baking.  Summer is truely here!

For more information have a look at her section of the website here

For more on this story and some superb photos have a look at Mike the Ranger's blog here.

Jinty has been working hard this winter, renovating and improving Rum Post Office and Shop thanks to a Post Office Diversification Fund grant.  

Outside, the front of the shop now has a covered over area and an all access ramp.  Jinty plans to set up some secure cabinets in this area to increase her stock area.  The ramp is great for access and for deliveries and the local children love running and cycling up and down it. Inside, changes have also taken place; there are two new glass fronted fridges and one freezer so you can see what goodies there are before taking them out, the floor has been re-tiled and the interior has had a lick of paint.  Most recently, a chip and PIN payment system has been installed so it is now possible to pay by card and get cash back at Rum Shop.

Thank you to Douglas King who has sent us a photo of the former Rum flit boat the  'Rhouma'. He took this photo (right) in Oban in June last year and she had 'Rhouma Oban' painted on her stern. This flit boat was no longer needed on Rum with the advent of the new pier and roll-on roll-off vessel, the MV Loch Nevis. Visitors to Rum prior to the new pier being completed will remember the climbing aboard the 'Rhouma' before landing at the Old Pier. We are pleased to see her looking so good.

And here is the original 'Rhouma 2' (left) as owned by Sir George Bullough of Kinloch Castle. She is now called the M/Y 'Madiz' and is still going strong at over one hundred years of age.  For more information on her illustrious career click here.

Sean Morris, one of IRCT’s Directors involved in interviewing the crofters, is pleased that the island’s population will receive a welcome boost: “Nic and Ady are incredibly enthusiastic about moving to Rum, and have not been put off by the logistical challenges posed by life on a remote island, or by the hard work that will be involved in making the croft work. They convinced us that they have some really good, innovative ideas, but that their feet are firmly on the ground and they are aware of the tough realities of island life. They seem to have a good network of contacts, and hopefully this will be beneficial to the whole community.” The Goddards have been writing a blog about their recent year-long search for a different way of living, which culminated in a visit to Rum and the start of a whole new adventure.

To follow their blog click here

The Rum community look forward to welcoming them to the Island and wish them every success with their new adventure.

Because Jinty has limited space - as you’ll see when you visit the shop - this order form doesn’t cover all the items that she has for sale and is subject to change.  If you would like anything in particular, would like to place a bulk order, or are just plain curious, contact Jinty on 01687 460 328 or e-mail rumshop@isleofrum.com.

In April 2010, Sean was diagnosed with coronary heart disease and underwent a double-heart bypass operation.  He was 42.  Since then, Sean has remained utterly focussed and has become fitter than ever, which makes it even harder for those of us who go out on the hill with him!

Sean had donation tins in the Castle, Village Hall and Shop in a bid to maximise his collection, but most money was raised by friends and family donating through his virgin money giving web page.  This page eventually closed in November and the grand total was declared.  Sean initially hoped to raise £2,000, but ended up raising a staggering £3,337.90 after gift aid was added to the online donations.  This money will be used by the BHF to continue funding research into coronary heart disease and helping patients and families of those affected by this silent killer.

Sean would like to thank everyone who sponsored him for their generosity and support in completing this challenge.  Together we can beat heart disease.

Temporary visitor accommodation may be installed on the Isle of Rum following concerns about the hostel in the island's Kinloch Castle.

Most of Rum is owned by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and managed as a national nature reserve.

Kinloch Castle, also owned by SNH, is a major visitor attraction and the main provider of visitor accommodation. However the building requires major investment, well beyond the reaches of SNH's budget. SNH has spent over £1 million on the castle in the past few years. But despite this and major efforts by staff the hostel is unable to offer accommodation to the standard visitors expect of a modern hostel.

Last year SNH announced it may have to close the hostel part of the castle within two or three years due to increasing repair and maintenance costs, and began talks with the local community about business opportunities in visitor facilities.

SNH is now looking into the possibility of installing high quality temporary visitor accommodation in case the hostel has to close before the community is ready to take advantage of the business opportunity.

Sarah Bentley, SNH operations manager, explained: "We have had numerous problems with the hostel, including the discovery of dry rot in part of the building, falls and weakness in some of the plaster ceilings and difficulties with the boiler. The facilities require significant investment to bring them up to a reasonable standard. We are therefore exploring the best option to ensure we can continue to provide facilities for people to visit the island and enjoy the spectacular beauty of the national nature reserve and the principal wings of the castle.

"We have been working closely with the Isle of Rum Community Trust to develop plans for longer term accommodation and facilities on the island. This is progressing well, with a feasibility study due to start in January. However, given time scales for funding, planning, construction etc, it is unlikely that any new facility would be ready for two or three years.

"Accommodation for visitors next season will either be in the castle hostel as normal or in temporary visitor accommodation of an even higher standard. The temporary accommodation will reduce the risk of an emergency closure leaving Rum with no visitor accommodation. As new accommodation develops it will allow us to focus our resources on conserving the castle itself."

Vikki Trelfer, the Isle of Rum Community Trust's development officer, said: "Kinloch Castle and its hostel is a real draw for visitors to the island, but the community has been aware for some time that there is uncertainty over its future. Closure of the hostel will create space for much-needed business opportunities both for private individuals and for the Community Trust to generate an income by providing accommodation and services for visitors."

Ewan Macdonald, Chair of Kinloch Castle Friends Association, said: "It is important that visitor access to the Castle and reserve is maintained and we welcome the plan to provide alternative temporary accommodation. We are committed to to the conservation of the Castle and its contents and would prefer that its state was such that visitors could continue to use the hostel. We appreciate that SNH has allocated considerable funds to essential maintenance in the past few years , but that has not been enough to prevent deterioration. It is therefore important that this new unplanned expenditure will not divert funds from the necessary work in the Castle."

Even if the hostel closes, SNH will continue to run tours of the main wings of Kinloch Castle, showcasing the Edwardian interior. The organisation is also developing a conservation plan for the castle to conserve the fabric of the building. Works are currently being carried out on the castle roof as part of this plan.

The largest living collection of rare fan mussels in British waters has been discovered around Scotland’s Small Isles. More than 100 of the mussels, a species that fishermen used to believe fed on the bodies of drowned sailors, were located during a series of surveys of Scottish waters over the last year. Mussel fans were one of several rare species to be uncovered in waters where they were either unknown or hardly ever seen. They are the largest shellfish in British waters – growing up to 48cm long – and are among the rarest and most threatened.

Sailors once believed them to eat the bodies of the drowned because they have thin, silk-like threads that look like golden human hairs. The threads allow the mussels to hold on to the sea bed by clinging on to objects as small as a grain of sand. In previous centuries the threads were prized for use in gloves – Henry VIII was reputed to have worn a pair. The mussels, which get their name from being fan-shaped, protrude from the surface of the sea bed and they are especially vulnerable to destruction from scallop dredging. Numbers have also fallen because in previous years they were a popular souvenir among divers. Scotland’s largest horse mussel bed was pinpointed near Noss Head, Caithness, during the 15 surveys this year that covered 2,000 square kilometres of the sea.

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Horse mussels are regarded as a vital component of the marine ecosystem because they stabilise the sea bed which allows other creatures to colonise an area. They can live up to 50 years but are also vulnerable to bottom trawling – in Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland horse mussel beds were virtually wiped out by scallop dredging. Other unusual species found include Amphioxus, a small eel-like and faceless fish which has virtually no brain and is regarded as a living copy of some of the first animals which evolved backbones. It was found off Tankerness in Orkney.

Richard Lochhead, Scotland’s environment secretary, welcomed the knowledge brought by the surveys and is planning for more to take place in 2012 to help build up an accurate picture of the marine habitat. He said: "In an age where the lands of the world have been mapped out and recorded, it's amazing how many discoveries are waiting to be found under the waves. "The waters around Scotland are rich in such fascinating biodiversity and it's our responsibility to protect this fragile environment.” Susan Davies, director of policy and advice with Scottish Natural Heritage, added: "Scotland's seas really are a fantastic asset. The findings from these surveys will help us to manage them sustainably and ensure future generations can also enjoy the benefits of a healthy and diverse marine environment."

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MPA for the Sound of Canna? - October 2011

IRCT Newsletter October 2012

On the 28th of September, Richard Luxmoore a Senior Nature Conservation Advisor for the National Trust for Scotland held an open meeting on Rum to discuss a proposal of a Marine Protected Area in the Sound of Canna.

Research surveys in the sound in 2010 and 2011 carried out by Marine Scotland, to identify the locations of priority marine features, have shown that there are a large number of species that have become extremely rare elsewhere in Scotland concentrated in a very small area. These include the spectacular Fan Mussels, which can grow up to 43cm long, and that have previously only been found in groups of 1 or 2. Here in the Sound of Canna, there is a bed of several hundred. They are extremely vulnerable to damage from trawl nets and dredges, a single pass potentially causing damage that could take 50-100 years to recover. Other priority species include the Northern Feather Star and Burrowing Anemones. The Scottish Government are currently searching for sites containing such priority species that would qualify as Marine Protected Areas under the new Marine (Scotland) Act. It is highly likely that the Sound of Canna will fulfil the criteria and be officially proposed during 2012.

A Marine Protected Area is not necessarily a No Take Zone and, rather than stop all fishing altogether, it could allow sustainable techniques, such as line fishing and creeling, while prohibiting more damaging techniques such as the use of scallop dredges and trawl nets. This would allow the species and habitats to regenerate and improve.

The Marine Act also makes provision for local communities to propose sites for Marine Protected Areas. If the Rum, Canna and Small Isles communities were to make such a proposal, it would improve the chances of it becoming a reality.

Click here to see fan mussel information on the SNH website

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SNH biologists search for sea species off Canna - June 2011

fishnewseu.com - 22/06/2011

Exploration of the seas around the island of Canna is set to continue as marine biologists return to study the largest known fan mussel bed in UK waters. This rare mussel has a shell which measures up to 48 centimetres and, though once common off British coasts, has virtually disappeared from waters above 50 metres. The scientists will try to establish how far north of Canna this bed of fan mussels extends. Marine biologists from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) started work last week (15 June) aboard research vessel Sir John Murray, owned and crewed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Drop-down video cameras are being used to capture undersea footage and small samples collected from the seabed in a bid to capture the scientific marvels under the water. And SNH will return to carry out further research around Canna next month (July) to team up with the British Geological Survey (BGS) aboard the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) boat NLV Polestar. The team will collect acoustic multibeam data which will be used to help create detailed maps of the seabed around the island. This year's survey area is larger than in 2010 during which surveyors searched for habitats and species of high conservation importance. That work revealed the presence of marine habitats and species including burrowing sea anemones, northern sea fans, seagrass beds and burrowed mud communities. These feature on Scotland's Priority Marine Features list. Laura Clark, SNH's project manager for the survey, stressed: "This year's survey programme aims to make best use of existing Scottish research capabilities, with much of the work being carried out using partner organisation vessels, such as SEPA's Sir John Murray.

"The findings from all the surveys are helping to improve our knowledge of the fantastic marine biodiversity which lives in Scotland's seas. This will enable us to give the best possible advice to Ministers and help Scotland fulfil its international commitments to designate a network of MPAs in the seas around Scotland."

And Sandy Downie, SEPA's marine ecology unit manager, said: "We are pleased that SEPA can help SNH carry out this work. Scotland's seas are an important asset and working together is essential to ensure we build a comprehensive understanding of our seas, record environmental change, manage the environment, advocate improvements and inform sound regulation."

The survey is one of a series taking place around Scotland in 2011 as part of the Scottish Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Project, an initiative comprising Marine Scotland, Historic Scotland, SNH and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). SEPA is represented on the steering group. Other collaborative surveys planned for 2011 under the Scottish MPA Project will study the Southern Trench and Noss Head off the north-east coast, areas of the Minch and Lochs Linnhe, Etive, Leven and Eil on the west coast. The Canna surveys are expected to be complete by July and final reports of the findings will be published next spring.

Click here to read about Scottish MPA Project info

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A record year for country's largest bird of prey

December 2011: This year has proved another record breaking year for breeding pairs of Scotland's largest bird of prey. White-tailed eagles soared to new heights despite heavy storms throughout the 2011 breeding season. Conservationists, and many sea eagle enthusiasts, had been concerned that the high winds felt across Scotland in May could have had a detrimental impact on breeding white-tailed eagles at the vulnerable part of the season when most nests contain small chicks. Indeed, some nests failed including that of BBC Springwatch star, nicknamed Itchy, who experts fear lost his chicks in the storm.

However, the bad weather failed to blow the species off course. Recent survey figures for the 2011 breeding season reveal that there were 57 territorial pairs in Scotland, an increase of ten per cent on the previous year. A total of 43 young fledged successfully from these nests.

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Extinct in Britain at start of 20th century
White-tailed eagles finally became extinct in Britain at the beginning of the 20th century, due to human persecution and collecting of eggs and skins. A reintroduction programme began in 1975 on the Isle of Rum in the Inner Hebrides , aimed at returning these majestic raptors to the Scottish skies.

Since then, the species' population has been steadily recovering, and conservationists believe there are now as many 'flying barn doors', as they are affectionately known, in the UK as there were 150 years ago.

An adult bird has an impressive 8ft wing-span and striking white tail, making the white-tailed eagle a spectacular sight, and a tourist magnet for areas such as Mull and Skye. On Mull alone, white-tailed eagles, boost the local economy by more than £5 million every year.

The successful breeding season on the west coast comes as a further 16 white-tailed eagle chicks, from Norway, were released from a secret location in Fife in August.

'It's fantastic to see them back where they belong'
The chicks are part of a six-year project, now entering its final year, to increase and expand the range of this iconic species into its former haunts in the east of Scotland .

Duncan Orr-Ewing, head of species and land management at RSPB Scotland, said: ‘The white-tailed eagle is part of Scotland's rich natural heritage and it is fantastic to see them back where they belong and gradually increasing in numbers and range on the west coast. They are improving biodiversity in this country and bringing in important economic benefits to the communities they soar above.

‘Now with the east coast reintroduction entering its final year, we are anticipating the first steps towards the establishment of a breeding population of sea eagles on the other side of Scotland. There is plenty of suitable habitat and natural wild prey to support a healthy population.'

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They went in search of the Good Life and believe they have found it on a remote Scottish island. After nine months of travelling the country in a 30-year-old campervan, working on farms and crofts, the Goddard family from Sussex are ready to put down roots and have set their hearts on becoming nearly a tenth of the population of Rum.

##more##Ady Goddard, 47, his wife Nic, 38, and children Davies, 11 and Scarlett, nine, have applied for one of the first crofts created on the island after living an “off grid” lifestyle, travelling across the UK in an activity known as WWOOFing (Willing Workers On Organic Farms), using a network of hosts to facilitate placements on organic farms. The family recently visited Skye and the community-owned island of Eigg where they learned islanders on Rum were offering new croftland to help increase the population and stimulate the economy. The Goddards are now among those whose applications will be considered by tomorrow’s closing date with potential crofters due to be interviewed in January or February.

The crofts have also attracted inquiries from Edinburgh and even the Czech Republic, as well as existing islanders, despite being little more than rough ground at present.

Mrs Goddard, who previously worked in retail management and marketing, said: “I believe everything we have been doing over the last year has been leading up to this. “It’s down to the people of Rum whether we are successful with our application, but we feel we are right for the island.” “Over the last ten years we have been moving away from conventional life towards self sufficiency. We had ideas of an idyllic life but we wanted to see for ourselves what it would be like so we could go into it with our eyes open. “Undoubtedly there is a lot of work to be done building the croft, but there is a certain attraction starting something from scratch.”

She said the family also like the idea of being part of a population that makes its own decisions. While most of Rum is owned by Scottish Natural Heritage, the village of Kinloch is run by the Isle of Rum Community Trust on behalf of the 38-strong population. She added: “We have learnt so much this year about living off the land. We know what the important things are to consider when looking at land, what crops are worth growing, which animals are worth keeping. We have practical skills such as fencing, building, growing. We have vastly extended our knowledge base on animal keeping, harvesting, tending to livestock and crops.

“We have learnt so much about alternative building methods, green energy, off grid living, low impact lifestyles.” The two crofts on offer are located to the west of Kinloch and the trust admits they will both require a “significant amount of work” to improve the area beyond rough grazing. Vikki Trelfer, Rum’s development officer, said the trust has a vision for the island as a vibrant and viable community for people of all ages and a sustainable and diverse economy. She said new residents with children would help to keep the school open. At present there is only one P7 pupil in the school, one three-year-old in the nursery, and two children under three, while three teenagers go to secondary school in Mallaig. “New residents will bring different skills and expertise to assist development of the community on Rum. Also, there are a number of opportunities for providing visitor services on the island in the private sector,” she said.

“Rum needs people with skills and drive to take advantage of its huge potential as a major visitor destination.”

The only other croft has already been let to Rum residents.

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Friends of Rum:

• Receive 2 newsletters per year with updates on what we’ve been doing
• Get a 10% discount on IRCT accommodation (just the campsite at the moment)
• Have achance to be part of Rum’s development by putting
  forward ideas and providing valuable feedback
• Enjoy opportunities to join our special Friends events
• Are able to volunteer for specific practical projects and become part of the community
• Demonstrate their commitment to the vision of the Isle of Rum Community Trust

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Annual subscriptions are £10 for an individual or £20 for a family. Download a membership form here. Simply send a cheque made payable to Isle of Rum Community Trust with the completed form or you can contact the Office if you would like to pay by standing order.  We prefer to send communications by email, so please indicate if you would prefer to receive updates by post – remember to tell us if the subscription is a gift for someone else!

Contact:

Friends of Rum
Isle of Rum Community Trust Office
Isle of Rum, PH43 4RR, UK

Phone: 01687 462 404
Email: info@isleofrum.com

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The 8th of December brought high winds to Rum and most of Scotland. Luckily no-one on Rum was injured but we had lots of trees come down in the village.  We were very lucky to have the Scottish School of Forestry Inverness visiting at the time who were amazing at clearing trees and brash in the village.

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We also had help from Billy Cowan who had his big green machine to move some logs from across the upper road. Robbie and Ian, who were working on the Old Pier, helped out by clearing the lower road of a windblown tree and put a replacement roof on one of the shop sheds. A very big thank you goes to Richard the reserve manager for helping out and co-ordinating the clean-up. Unfortunately there was some property damage too - roof tiles at Harris Lodge came off and Sean and Ali lost their greenhouse, garden shed and chicken coop!

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Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is to maintain a healthy and viable population of feral goats on the island of Rum, even though some are being culled to protect the island's fragile habitats. The goats are thought to have been on Rum for at least 200 years and, along with eagles, red deer and Manx shearwater, have become an established wildlife feature of the island's national nature reserve. Over the past ten years there has been a marked increase in the size of the feral goat herd, for reasons that are not entirely clear. This has been shown to have a negative impact on protected fragile heaths and grasslands.

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Richard Kilpatrick, SNH reserve manager on Rum, said that while they will need to reduce the size of the goat herd, a healthy population will be maintained. He said: "We had a herd of almost 250 feral goats on Rum for many years, but over the past decade this has increased notably to more than 350. We're not sure why goat numbers have risen but what has become clear is the increasingly negative impact they are having on some of our more fragile habitats on the island. We are confident that a herd size of around 270 will be compatible with other interests on the island and will therefore reduce the herd to around that size." Mr. Kilpatrick dismissed, as absolute rubbish', some claims made this week about how goat carcasses were being disposed of on the island. "Where possible we have been recovering the carcasses and selling them to a local game dealer", he said. "Where it is simply too dangerous to recover carcasses, we are leaving them where they are to become fodder for the island's eagles. This is completely acceptable practice on both welfare and health and safety grounds."

Author: Calum Macfarlane
Contact: SNH Press Office

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The Isle of Rum Community Trust was set up as a vehicle for change and development, and to enable community ownership of land, and houses on the Isle of Rum. Following a phased transfer of assets from Scottish Natural Heritage in 2009 & 2010, the Trust now owns around 35 hectares of land and 11 residential properties in and around Kinloch Village. The Trust aims to manage community land and assets for the community and the public in general, and to promote sustainable rural regeneration.The current tiny shop provides a vital lifeline to the island's community, which only has a ferry service 4 days a week. A bigger shop could stock a wider range of goods, and become more economically viable. An ad-hoc tearoom operates in the Community Hall, but dedicated premises would present a more viable business opportunity for local residents. Accommodation on the island is very limited, both for residents and guests, and restricts the number of people who can stay on our lovely island.

We are applying for the RBS Community Force Award funding to help with the costs of a carrying out feasibility study for the Byre Redevelopment – this will find out what we need to do, what it will cost, and to develop a design in consultation with the community. Please follow the link below and vote for our project. http://goo.gl/4E3s7 Voting starts on the 26th of September 2011 – please show your support by VOTING NOW!

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Available to buy at Kinloch Castle and at the Rum Community Shop, paperback, RRP £9.99.  Published by Birlinn, 2011.

Take a moment next time you’re there to lean on the rail and watch the river flow by!