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.

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.

Tours 

Tours take place daily throughout the summer months. Check back for Summer 2020 times.

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 track. 

Contact

SNH Reserve Office
Isle of Rum, PH43 4RR, UK

Phone: 0131 314 4181

Email: kinlochcastle@nature.scot

Page updated nov 2020

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Walks

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, this is a gentle walk through the woods and can be enjoyed by all, passing some of the islands initial settlements. Click HERE to download a guide for this walk.

Bird and 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 track into Kinloch Glen to get a taste of the Rum National Nature Reserve. On this approximately 8km return 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.

Kilmory

Harris

Dibidil

Guirdil

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.

For more books about Rum, please see our Further Reading section here
Page Updated Jan 2020

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Crafts

Rum has several little shops selling locally made crafts, so there is a souvenir to suit all budgets.

Rum Crafts

Cycling on Rum

Cycling on Rum is hard work and not for the faint-hearted! The track out of Kinloch Village is very rough and steep in sections.  All routes are rough tracks and are more suited to mountain bikes. If you are not too confident on wheels, walking around the island might just be a better option. However, if you have your bike and are ready to go, the further parts of Rum are opened up to you much more quickly.

There are about 2 miles of tracks around the village and about 11 miles of tracks outside the village into the National Nature Reserve. Away from the 4WD tracks to Kilmory and Harris, 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 tracks.

The Kinloch Village Map is now available as a download, price £1. All proceeds go to the Community Trust. Click on the buy now link and follow the instructions.

Click on the Map of Rum link and zoom in to see the roads on the rest of Rum in greater detail.

Harris - 16 miles / 26km return

Harris Bay is on the south west of Rum and there is a 4WD road all the way there. It is a 16 mile rough cycle over to Harris and back with 250m of ascent each way, best suited to mountain bikes. You take the road out of the village up 2 miles to the junction, then take the left branch. It's a gradual climb up, up, up! to the highest point in the track, then it's a brisk freewheel down into Harris Bay. The great news is that you can dump your bike on the roadside and walk the rest of the way, if all that uphill becomes too much! 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 mausoleum (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)

Kilmory - 10 miles / 16km return

Kilmory is located on the north coast of Rum and there is a track that you can take to get there. It's a 10 mile rough cycle, best suited to mountain bikes. You take the track out of the village up 2 miles to the junction. Here you take the 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 building.

Mountain Bike Hire

Bikes are available for full day hire from Ivy Cottage. For more information on tarriffs please e-mail fliss@isleofrum.com or call in at Ivy Cottage.  Booking preferred.

Page Updated Jan 2020

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Deer stalking

Stag Stalking available throughout the 2020 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

Loch and River Permits are needed between 1st April and 15th Oct, throughout the fishing season.  These are provided free of charge and all we ask in return is that you adhere to the restrictions and return the catch form.

River fishing

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Boat trips

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