This enjoyable nature trail serves as a good introduction to Kinloch and Rum. Starting from the ferry jetty it passes Rum's crumbling castle before following a waymarked trail around the croftland at the foot of Kinloch Glen. The walk could be shortened if starting from the castle or the shop.
Waymarked tracks and paths.
Ferry to Rum.
Kinloch ferry jetty, Isle of Rum.
Beginning from the Calmac ferry pier, follow the landrover track which curves round the coastline of Loch Scresort. It passes the primary school and later forks; take the right hand branch. This leads down through trees to rejoin the coast at the old pier; keep left here, passing the island's visitor centre and toilets and later the bunkhouse, wigwams and campsite.
At the next junction keep ahead on the track signed for the castle. This soon passes the front of the impressively ornate Kinloch Castle. Built in sandstone shipped in from Arran and appearing utterly out of place on such a remote island. Rum was once the private domain of the wealthy industrialist Bullough family who bought the island in 1879 as a private shooting estate. The castle was built as their holiday home in 1897, it is now in a state of managed decline, its unique construction having not stood up to the damp, west coast climate.
Shortly after the castle a crosstracks is reached. Go straight ahead across a bridge. Immediately after the bridge turn left on another track (detour ahead to visit the island store). Otherwise follow the yellow eagle waymarkers soon turning right through a gate onto a grassy path that heads uphill along the edge of the wood between two fences.
At the top of the hill the path goes through a gateway in a stone wall and then curves left through the trees. The whole island became a National Nature Reserve in 1957 and was managed by the state (recently by Nature Scot). The island is an important habitat for manx shearwaters, white tailed eagles and has hosted a long running study on red deer. Over a decade ago Kinloch and the surrounding area was bought by the community on Rum and they now manage most of the island infrastructure except the power plant. Further on the path crosses a bridge and continues to mostly contour the slope, with a stone wall on your left overlooking more open ground towards the Hallival and Barkeval seen across the glen.
The open ground is divided into three crofts set up in recent years to try to strengthen the community although they have yet to be successfully crofted. Eventually a yellow marker post indicates where the path turns downhill, along the edge of the croftland, passing a waterfall. At the bottom of the hill the route swings left, close by the Kinloch River. Eventually this crosses a wooden footbridge over the river. Cross this and follow the track to the left on the far side; when this meets the main Kinloch Glen track, turn left.
The track leads down to the signposted crossroads of tracks reached earlier. This time, go straight ahead to follow a track that curves right and then runs alongside the shore of Loch Scresort, with a beautiful outlook. Eventually the outward route is rejoined again; turn left to follow the track past the campsite and hostel, eventually heading back to the ferry jetty.
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