Kinloch Castle Tours
No visit to Rum is really complete without a visit to Kinloch Castle. Tours are timed to be ‘between boats’ from April – October, making it possible to visit this amazing Edwardian time capsule on a day trip or before you return home after a longer stay.
Tours take approximately 45 minutes and start promptly from the front door - which is up the steps on the seaward side of the castle.
Booking is not necessary, and if the arrival of the ferry is delayed for any reason we do try and start the tours a little later than advertised when possible. However, you will not be able to join the tour once it has begun.
During tours visitors are welcome to take photos. Kinloch Castle guidebooks, postcards, and books can be purchased in the castle at the end of a tour, or from Kinloch Hostel at other times.
Private tours can be arranged for groups of 10 or more (smaller groups will be charged a minimum of £90.00), subject to staff availability.
For more information or to book a private tour please contact us on the details below.
What people have said about their visit to Kinloch Castle:
"Ross the guide is absolutely brilliant. Full of stories and very knowledgeable on the history. He is also a ghillie and knows the whole island very well. Ask him about the wonderful Orchestrion in the Castle." Tripadvisor May 2017
"Kinloch Castle isn't your average stately home. It isn't really a stately home at all. It's pretty much in the same state it was in when the owners handed it over to Scottish Natural Heritage. It's a bit of a time capsule really. This makes it much more interesting than most old buildings as you sort of feel as though you shouldn't be there." Tripadvisor Aug 2016
"We visited Rum on a hot June day. Beautiful Isle. All whom we met were so friendly. None more so than the guide of the castle. He made the tour so interesting, informative and at times hilarious. Such was his wit. Loved the organ under the stairs. The art works stunning. A memorable day for all the right reasons." Tripadvisor June 2016
"What made it for us was the tour guide whose enthusiasm and knowledge brought it all alive" Tripadvisor Aug 2014
"The entrance fee was only £9. It was a truly stunning experience" Tripadvisor Jul 2014
Tours April - October 2019
Monday: 1315
Tuesday: 1400
Wednesday: 1400
Thursday: 1415
Friday: 1430
Saturday: 1400 (except Sat 13th July - no tour that day but Sun 14th July tour possible, email ranger@isleofrum.com to book)
Tours are available outside these times by prior arrangement and subject to staff availability
Prices (cash payment only)
Adults £9
OAP's/Students £8
Children (6-12 year olds) £4.50
Groups (15+) £8 per person
Location
Kinloch Castle is a 20 minute walk from the ferry terminal along a flat unsealed road. If you have mobility issues there is a shuttle service that will bring you to Kinloch Castle (charges apply).
Contact
SNH Reserve Office
Isle of Rum, PH43 4RR, UK
Phone: 0131 314 4181
Email: kinlochcastle@nature.scot
Page updated 1 july 2019
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Walks
BE PREPARED.
With so much to see and do on Rum, planning your visit can feel a bit daunting.To help you out, we’ve put together some suggested itineraries to so you can make the most of your trip depending on how long you have to spend on the island.
The itineraries include walking times from the pier but there is also a shuttle service available for a small charge between the Pier and the village.
There is a Tea Shop in the Village Hall from April to October, serving hot and cold drinks and light snacks, which makes a good beginning or end to any visit!There is also a craft shop on the shore road which is open all year.
Shorter walks - under 2 hours
Northside nature trail
Otter hide 
This is a short (30 min) return walk along through Loch Scresort’s southside woods. Starting from the ferry terminal and although initially steep, this is a gentle walk is along a good quality, but unsealed, path and can be enjoyed by all and passes some of the islands initial settlements. The path continues (approx 40min) along past the otter hide to the abandoned settlement of Port na Caranean, but becomes increasingly rough so is better suited to the more adventurous. Click HERE to download a guide for this walk.
Kinloch Castle
Kinloch Castle is a 20 min stroll from the Ferry Terminal and runs tours, lasting approximately 40 minutes daily throughout the Summer season. Click HERE to download a guide for your walk to the Castle.
Bird/wildlife watching
Although there are no specific areas set aside in Kinloch Village to bird or wildlife watch, you never know what is going to appear where or 
when, so if you are a keen naturalist it is vital to keep your binoculars to hand. Otters and seals are often seen from the ferry terminal whilst waiting for the Loch Nevis to arrive and time spent sitting and looking around the village can often give some spectacular views of white-tailed (sea) eagle and golden eagle soaring overhead. Walking along the shore road and listening to the eider ducks, oystercatchers and curlew going about their daily routines is also a pleasure to the senses, along with watching our flocks of resident greylag geese flying in and out to feed. Red-throated divers can often be heard calling in the bay, and Common Sandpipers often pipe along the shore. For more information on the bird and wildlife of Rum go to our Wildlife section and for info on guided walks and talks see our Ranger section.
Longer walks - 2 hours or more
Kinloch Glen Waterfall
Walk up out of Kinloch Village and along the road into Kinloch Glen to get a taste of the Rum National Nature Reserve. On this approximately 8km walk, you will have a chance to see Golden Eagle and Red Deer. It is also the same route as to go to Kilmory or Harris, so if you have longer, you can just keep going.
Click HERE to download a guide for this walk.
Kilmory
Harris
Dibidil
Guirdhil
Rum Cuillin Ridge Walk
Be aware!
There is NO Mountain Rescue Post on the Isle of Rum. The nearest teams are on Skye and in Lochaber and there will be a considerable delay before any of these teams could be on scene at an incident.
Further Reading and Maps
Click on the image to see the item for sale online.
OS Landranger Map 1:50,000 Rum, Eigg, Muck and Canna Sheet 39
OS Explorer Map 1:25,000 Rum, Muck Canna and Sanday Sheet 397
For more books about Rum, please see our Further Reading section here
Page updated 25 June 2019
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Crafts
Rum Crafts
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Tattie House Crafts
Croft 3 In The Shed
Page updated 25 June 2019
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Cycling on Rum
Rum is a great place to bring your bicycle and it's free to take them on the ferries! All of the roads on Rum are unsealed so they're more suitable for mountain bikes but people have used road bikes here too. There are about 2 miles of roads around the village and about 11 miles of roads outside the village into the National Nature Reserve. The walking tracks on Rum can be fairly boggy or rocky in places making it very difficult to ride on, so we recommend sticking to the roads.
Click on the Kinloch Village Map to see the roads in the village
Click on the Map of Rum link and zoom in to see the roads on the rest of Rum in greater detail.
Cycling to Harris Bay - 16 miles / 26km return
Harris Bay is on the south west of Rum and there is a 4WD road all the way there. The Harris road is fairly smooth with some rough patches and it's just under 8 miles one way. You take the road out of the village up 2 miles to the crossroads, then take the left branch. It's a gradual climb up, up, up! to the highest point in the road, then it's a brisk freewheel down into Harris Bay. There are great views over the bay and you are likely to see the Rum ponies, red deer, feral goats and the Highland cows. At Harris Bay you will also see the Bullough mausoleums (see the Kinloch Castle section for more info on the Bulloughs) and old farming remains of 'lazy beds' (see the Human History section for info about historic settlements on Rum)
Cycling to Kilmory - 10 miles / 16km return
Kilmory is located on the north coast of Rum and there is a road that you can take to get there. It's about 5 miles one way and it was re- surfaced in 2015. You take the road out of the village up 2 miles to the crossroads. Here you take that right branch and go down into Kilmory Glen where you will have lovely views of the Skye Cullin and you will enter the Kilmory Red Deer Project study area, so are likely to see many red deer. See the Deer page in the Wildlife section for more information on the project. You will be able to see the old Bullough laundry house and also be rewarded with lovely sandy beaches: Kilmory has the best beaches on Rum!
Bike Hire
Bikes are available for full day hire from Rum Crafts. For more information on tarriffs please e-mail fliss@isleofrum.com or call in at Rum Crafts. Booking preferred but not essential.
page updated 25 June 2019
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Deer stalking
Stag Stalking available throughout the 2019 season.
Come and join us for a truly unique Stalking experience on this beautiful Island surrounded by some of the most spectacular landscapes and scenery anywhere in the world.
For further information please contact Toby Fichtner-Irvine
at lodge@isleofmuck.com or give him a call on 01687 462 365.
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Fishing
Sea and Coast Fishing
No permit is required if responsible fishing is carried out anywhere along the coast.
Loch Fishing
River fishing
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Boat trips
Previous trips have seen Minke whale, basking shark, harbour porpoise, bottle-nosed and common dolphins!
We may even be lucky enough to encounter rarer species like the sunfish, orca or leatherback turtle
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Kayaking and Canoeing
Rum is a great destination for canoeists and kayakers and is an ideal method for seeing much of the marine and birdlife of the island close up in its natural environment. With approximately 30 miles of varied coastline, including secluded beaches and rocky shores, there are plenty of places to stop, admire the view and watch the world go by.
The Mountain Bothy Association bothies at Guirdhil and Dibidil, provide places to stop and rest; see the Places to Stay section for more information on all the accommodation options on Rum. Kinloch Village is a good base for exploring the island as canoes and kayaks travel free on the ferries, and they can be safely left at the Ferry Terminal when not in use.
If you do come to Rum with your canoe or kayak, please check the weather forecast and tidal conditions to ensure a safe trip as conditions can change rapidly in the waters surrounding the islands.
Useful Links
Here is a link to Met Office weather forecast for Mallaig
Here is a link to XC Weather Forecast showing wind forecasts
Here is a link to a tide timetable for Rum
Here is a link to Arisaig Sea Kayak Centre for kayak hire
Here is a link to their Small Isles Expedition
Here is a link to a blog about kayaking around Rum and Canna
Click on the Map of Rum and zoom in to explore the coastline in detail
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