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The Small Isles
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Overlooking Loch Scresort, a sheltered bay halfway up the east
coast where the ferry arrives, sits the reddish form of Kinloch Castle, an extravagant Edwardian dream,
built by wealthy industrialist George Bullough in 1900. It was featured in the BBC 'Restoration' competition in 2003.
Guided tours take place most days (cost about £5 for adults £1 for children) - phone 01687 462 037 to avoid disappointment.
Hostel accommodation and meals available (see below).
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 Photo copyright Joanne Mackenzie-Winters 2007 - More photos |
It is thought that George Bullough changed the island's original Gaelic name from Rum to Rhum because he didn't want the island associated with the alcholic drink and it was then changed back to its original name in 1991 by the then Nature Conservancy Council.
Accommodation on Rum:
- Kinloch Castle Hostel (tel: 01687 462 037). Parties of up to 45 can be accommodated in the hostel at a rate of £13 per day (2006 prices) plus Breakfast (£5). All bed linen included. Dormitory style rooms from twin bedded up to 6 bedded rooms. There are 4 double bedrooms costing £30 per person per night including linen, towels and breakfast. Evening meals are available in the Bistro (£12). The bistro is also open to non residents, however to avoid disappointment it is advisable to book. Packed lunches (£5) are also available by arrangement. Open March - October.
- Camping: there is a basic camping area, with toilets and running water by the shore of Loch Scresort, within 10 minutes walk of all facilities. Phone 01687 462026 for more details from the SNH Reserve office. Can get midgey when it's not windy!
- Lea Cottage B&B, telephone Fiona on 01687 462036.
There is a well stocked shop in the village. Owned and run by the community, it has limited opening hours but is always open in the evenings after 5pm. Apart from groceries it also sells local crafts, postcards, stamps and souvenirs.
The Village Hall is always open for people to use to escape from the rain or midges or both!! A cafe/teashop is available there several afternoons a week during the summer. It offers tea/coffee, cake, soup and other home made food. Phone 01687 462026 to checking opening times.
A small art gallery at the Whitehouse, adjacent to the Reserve office, sells original artwork, prints and local crafts.For additional information, visit the new community web site: www.isleofrum.com
Photos and more info on the Road to the Isles web siteFor local news, read the report from Rum every month in the local community newspaper West Word.
For Books about Rum - see below.
From 'The Castles of Scotland' series, there is a video which features Kinloch Castle, Edinburgh Castle, Fort George and Culzean Castle - more info.
EIGG
Photo copyright Joanne Mackenzie-Winters 2007 - More photosEigg is the second largest in the Small Isles group. Its distinctive outline is provided by a sloping ridge of lava known as the Sgurr which runs down the island like the backbone of some prehistoric creature. In fact the name Eigg comes from the Gaelic word meaning 'notch'.
If you walk along the road from the pier through the moors, you will reach Laig Bay. About a mile to the north are the Singing Sands of white quartz. There are also a few historic ruins on the island including Iron Age forts, a 6th century Christian church and Viking burial mounds.
The island has been bought and sold several times over the last 10 years. Not all of the owners have been particularly liked by the 60 or so inhabitants whose supplies are transported on the ferry from Mallaig. After many empty promises, the present owner - a German who bought it in 1995 - put the island up for sale. In August 1996, the islanders launched a public appeal to raise money so that Eigg could be properly managed by the islanders themselves in partnership with the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Highland Council. In April 1997 their offer of 1.5 million pounds was finally accepted and they happily took possession on 12 June 1997. In June 1998 a new pierside complex was opened with tea room and restaurant, craft shop and information centre.
To find out what's happening on the island today, read the news report from Eigg every month in the local community newspaper West Word.
Photos and more info are on the Road to the Isles web siteAccommodation on Eigg:
- Sue Kirk, Lageorna, Isle of Eigg PH42 4RL. Tel: 01687 482 405 (guest house and caravan).
- Kildonan Farm Guest House, Kildonan House, Isle of Eigg PH42 4RL. Tel: 01687 482 446
- The Glebe Barn. Field Study and Outdoor Centre and self-catering independent hostel (24 beds), 1 mile from harbour. Contact Karen Helliwell. Tel: 01687 482 417.
- Camping by arrangement with the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust which has designated an area 10 minutes walk from the pier at Galmisdale Bay (tel: 01687 482 486 or ask at the craft shop on arrival). Or contact Sue Hollands about camping on her croft at the north end of Eigg (tel: 01687 482480).
More details are given on the official Eigg web site.
For Books about Eigg - see below.
MUCK
Photo copyright Joanne Mackenzie-Winters 2007 - More photosRun as one large farm, the island is the smallest and flattest of the group, but there is still lots to see and do for those who enjoy getting away from it all. The craft shop and restaurant have a wide range of meals available (open March - October).
Muck School has its own web site with local info.Accommodation on Muck:
- 4 self-catering cottages (sleeping 10, 5, 5-6 and 6-7), plus a replica Mongolian 'Yurt'. Phone 01687 462362 or email info@isleofmuck.com
- Port Mor House Hotel is situated near the pier. It has 8 bedrooms and excellent food. Contact Toby Fichtner-Irvine and Mary MacEwen. Tel: 01687 462365.
- Godag House: Offering full board or B&B, this house is half a mile north of the harbour. Contact Julie and Glenn MacFadzean on 01687 462371.
- The Bunk House: Basic, comfortable accommodation in 3 bedrooms for individuals or groups. Contact Rosie Soutter. Tel: 01687 462042.
- Camping on the island is free of charge but check at the Craft Shop for good sites.
For more info and photos of the island visit the Muck web page on the Road to the Isles web site, and the community web site: islemuck.com
CANNA
Photo copyright Joanne Mackenzie-Winters 2007 - More photosThe furthest of the Small Isles from the mainland. From afar, it appears small and whale-shaped, with a solitary stack rising out of the sea near the east coast. Currently in the care of the National Trust for Scotland and with a population of around 16. Looking out over to Skye sits Compass Hill, so called because the iron in its basaltic rock affects compasses up to three miles away.
Wendy MacKinnon runs the Harbour View Tearoom and Craft Shop (tel: 01687462465 / 01687460041). The licenced tearoom serves lunches and dinners (open March - October). Pony-trekking is also available.
CannaFolk.com sells greetings cards with photos of the Small Isles.
Saint Columba's Presbyterian Church was built in 1913 and has a very nice ornamental wrought-iron gate. Rarely used nowadays, it is called the 'rocket church'. The Roman Catholic church, originally built around 1770 is St Columba's and has a plaque in memory of Margaret Fay Shaw and John Lorne Campbell.Connected to Canna by a wooden bridge is the tidal island of Sanday. St. Edward's Chapel and Point House were granted half a million pounds of lottery money to turn the chapel into a study centre. For more info see The Hebridean Trust web site.
Canna Primary School has its own web site with local info.
Also see Terry Williams' article and photos.Accommodation on Canna:
- The National Trust for Scotland has several properties on the island which are available for self catering holidays.
- B&B - details coming soon
Canna photos and more info can viewed on the Road to the Isles web site
Books about Canna:
- Canna: The Story of a Hebridean Island was written by former owner John Lorne Campbell who deeded the island to the National Trust for Scotland. Available as a paperback from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
- His widow, an American lady called Margaret Fay Shaw (Campbell), who lives in Canna House, wrote her autobiography From the Alleghenies to the Hebrides. First published in 1995, it is recommended as a very good read. It is available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk (January 2000 paperback edition).
- The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland published a small guide to Canna in 1999. Costing just £2 it contains highlights of an archaeological survey undertaken by RCAHMS in conjunction with the National Trust for Scotland from prehistoric times to the present day. It is available from Amazon.co.uk
Books
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The Small Isles
For many a spectacular skyline and magnificent scenery is their first awareness of the islands off Arisaig and Mallaig, yet their history is as central as their geographic situation to the story of the Hebrides. It was their misfortune that economic change and historical accident led to their marginalisation and the loss of so much of that extraordinary past. This is the first book ever to be written on the collective history of these 4 islands. It provides a wide ranging, fresh and provocative analysis of these islands and their history. Includes maps, population tables, details of stone crosses, some b/w photos. Author: Denis Rixson. Paperback. 223 pages. Published in June 2001. Order your copy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk |
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Rum: Island of Deer
This new book by John A. Love reveals the human story of the island of Rum, both in the tragedy of the clearance and in the interlude of the Bullogh period when the folly at Kinloch was built. It also covers the history of the island stretching back to the mesolithic period and the earliest settlements in Scotland. Includes sections of old b/w photos, colour photos and portraits. Hardcover. 317 pages. Published in July 2001. Order your copy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk |
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Rum: Nature's Island
Review by HIGHLAND NEWS: If you have already been to Rum, then this book will make you return. If you have never been to Rum you will just have to go to this magical island. Written by Magnus Magnusson and published in co-operation with Scottish Natural Heritage to mark the 40th anniversary of the acquisition of Rum by its predecessor, The Nature Conservancy. Description by the publisher: Thoroughly researched and written in a lively accessible style, the book includes comprehensive coverage of the island's geology, animals and plants, and people, with a special chapter on the Edwardian extravaganza of Kinloch Castle. There is practical information for visitors to what was once known as the Forbidden Isle; the book provides details of bothy and other accommodation, walks and nature trails. It closes with a positive vision for the island's future: biologically diverse, economically dynamic and ecologically sustainable. Order your copy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk |
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Eigg: the Story of an Island
Written by Camille Dressler (a French resident on the island). Following the ownership battle for the island in 1997, this text tells the story of Eigg, from its earliest inhabitants to the present, detailing its recently-acquired independence and community ownership. The book draws extensively on oral history from the islanders themselves and from local archives, with stories of clans, pastimes, wartime, childhood and crofting. Paperback. 228 pages. Order your copy from Amazon.co.uk |
Other accommodation is available on the mainland around Mallaig, Morar and Arisaig.
See the Road to the Isles web site accommodation page.
Visitor Information Centre:
The Watersedge by the Pier, Main Street, Mallaig
External Links:
The Hebridean Trust
Local news from the islands each month
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Last update: July 2008