Rum has to be one of the most special of the Scottish islands. The largest of the Small Isles, with plenty of space to roam and the most beautiful wild hills, but small enough so that one can see the ocean enveloping the island from its airy green summits.
The summits of the steep and craggy hills are so unexpectedly green due to the presence of a quarter of the world’s population of Puffinus puffinus which, of course, is the… Manx Shearwater (strange people these biologists, maybe they were having a laugh with this particular naming convention). They spend their days at sea and return to their burrows at night where they rear their young. But enough of the tricky taxonomy of troglodytes, how does the MMC fit into all of this?
Those lucky enough to escape the greedy clutches of employment on Friday, 2nd May gathered at Mallaig for the Small Isles ferry. Simon and Sue arrived with enough time to enjoy tea and scones in the sunshine before joining others on the pier while Carol and Kat emulated the Dukes of Hazzard, racing down the Great Glen, dumping the car on a pavement in Mallaig and sprinting for the ferry, arriving with seconds to spare, a tad rosy cheeked.
The weather on Friday was beautifully clear and calm. The only downside to the ferry crossing was the assertion that “we coulda kayaked there” but this was tempered by the slightly disturbing thought of “but I’d need a pee half way across…” There wasn’t quite enough time to set out along the Rum Cuillin but plenty sunshine and daylight to make a day of it.
“Glorious Leader” Kat was psyched for some cranking on the gabbro boulders that Rum has become famous for, and Graeme had come armed with a bouldering mat and a guidebook printed off t’interweb. And so it was that Maggie, Katrina, Joe and Sheila joined the Glorious Leader and Bouldering Guru for an expedition to Coire nan Grunnd. Good fun was had by all. Some delicate highball problems, a bit of heel hooking here and there, some sore fingertips and a cheeky beer in the sunshine before the walk back to Kinloch.
Sue and Simon walked along the coast to the otter hide. A pleasant walk and a lovely purpose-built hide but instead of spotting otters they were “treated” to some very loud and obtrusive music coming from a cruise ship that parked itself in the bay. George, on the other hand, was the only member of the group to climb a hill on the Friday, reaching the summit of Barkeval and basking in the afternoon sunshine amidst the views across Atlantic Coire to the rough boulder-strewn slopes of Trollaval and the steep imposing face of Askival.
Bob, Fiona and Sheena didn’t manage the Friday sailing and were too honest to develop any “illnesses” requiring them to stay away from work on the Friday preceding a Bank Holiday weekend but they had a very fine day on the Saturday “Set off in high spirits and sunshine for Dibidil bothy where we thought we were making okay time until we met a chap who’d done the Cuillin Ridge in four hours – ridiculous.” The group then climbed up Sgurr nan Gillean and followed the ridge along to Ainsheval, thus completing the Rum Cuillin, for Fiona at least, 15 years after starting it!
Dan, Jane and Martin also arrived on the Saturday ferry. Apparently they embarked on a tour of native wild flowers, taking a particular interest in “Angel’s Posies”. However we have two versions of their day out so in fairness to the authors both are reproduced below.
Version One.
“’tis a long drive (and ferry) to Rum… but what a wonderful place. No cars, no lorries and best of all, no bloody campervans! We left our campsite near Mallaig at 6am and were heading into the Rum Cuillin by 10 with a big rucksack full of climbing gear. Our destination was Archangel Route (120m, VDiff) on the west face of Trallval. As usual, the guidebook sketch map and the mountain failed to line up and the “obvious” crack was somewhat open to interpretation. Martin led off and Jane followed… A slight pause at the “spread your legs” bit and then the big belay ledge was reached. Another couple of good pitches and then the final long pitch. Dan discounted the easy slabs and set off straight up. Rain set in as the final belay was set up, but Jane and Martin soon yomped up and all the gear packed for the journey home. Bit damp on the walk back but a great day out.”
Version Two.
“Slick”
Sue walked to Kilmory Bay on Saturday, saw lots of red deer and a hairy caterpillar. She enjoyed fine weather and views on the beautiful beach and pottered there for a while before returning to beat the rain, but only just.
Bouldering guru Graeme decided to leave the mat, rock shoes and chalk bag behind and went for “a wee walk over the Rum Cuillin, doon to Harris via Ruinisval, then a long pleasant walk back along the track. Good times.”
Kat, Carol, Sheila, Joe, Simon, Maggie and Katrina all set off in the direction of Hallival. While most of the party was happy to merely walk up the hills, Kat and Simon had bold plans to attempt a climb. Simon had come prepared with the recently published posh new guidebook, a rope and “not particularly big but perfectly suitable rack”. The duo found their line and Simon “manfully” led off up Allival Slab. They were both happy to gain the summit, have lunch and listen out for Manx Shearwaters before dumping the climbing gear, popping up Askival and starting the long trek home. OMK rating 8/10!
The rest of the party walked over Hallival and on to Askival, at which point the first of the cloud was beginning to brew up from the Atlantic. From this, the highest point on Rum the views were only partially, and temporarily obscured by swirling cloud which served to make the hills even more spectacular. The sea could be seen on all sides, dotted with many islands and countless hills on the mainland stretched far and wide. Maggie and Katrina descended to Dibidil but Carol, Joe and Sheila gazed down at the long undulating path from Dibidil to Kinloch and decided to retrace their steps down the north side of the hill to find a more direct route back. On the descent they passed an area close to the summit where Manx Shearwater chicks were hiding away in their burrows and creating a very eerie and surprisingly loud noise.
George “walked out West onto Ard Nev, Orval and Bloodstone Hill. There was not a soul to be seen. Fantastic views of Canna speckled with little white croft houses. Then down to lonely Guirdil Bothy sitting on the shore, with deer grazing outside. Then a long trudge back to Kinloch for a welcome Colonsay beer. Scoffed a bottle of Ardbeg and enjoyed the wonderful company. Slipped off to bed when we all lapsed into Bulgarian.”
It should be added that the Ardbeg did not disappear by the efforts of George alone, nor did it evaporate by processes as yet unbeknown to physics. The club is very good at ably assisting efforts to dispose of alcoholic beverages, especially good quality single malt whisky and George’s Ardbeg was certainly no exception.
On Sunday morning most of the party enjoyed a tour of the magnificent castle, full of the toys and stories of the indulgent millionaire Bulloughs who owned the building and used it as their holiday retreat.
After coffee, Graeme, George, Maggie, Katrina, Fiona and Bob walked out to Kilmory in the pouring rain. On the way, they viewed the dam built by kilt clad workers to divert the river to improve the fishing. This was promptly washed out in the first flood, ruining two years work. Sunday lunch was taken in the hide used for filming “Autumnwatch” on the TV and certain ornithologically educated types saw stonechats, wheatears, dunlin, knots, ring plovers, eider ducks, various gulls and a shell duck.
Joe and Jane followed in the same direction but only after more coffee and indecision. After perhaps more Saturday night refreshments than strictly necessary, and having gone to bed after the dawn chorus had begun they weren’t entirely hill fit and reached Kilmory Bay in a slightly altered state of consciousness. They basked on the beach in the sunshine, paddled in the sea to cool off and saw hundreds of puffins and sea eagles all flocking together like starlings. Or bees. Or penguins. In fact there were some bees and penguins too, and one of the penguins was handing out free cans of good Kentish ale which quenched the thirst delightfully.
Martin chose to go against the northerly grain and cycled south to Harris. He was accompanied by his attorney, Mr R Sagar, just in case.
Sheila, Kat and Carol spent the day around Kinloch, visiting the castle, the craft shack, the shop, campsite, campsite showers and toilets, visitor centre, old ruins of the black houses on the shore, otter hide and back to the shop, even returning in time for a wee nap before dinner.
Dan and Sheena had the most adventurous day of anyone on Sunday, as recorded in the Book of Climbs. “It rained, we went to Guirdil. There was bog, mist and more rain. We came home… Wet!”
On Monday the weather had improved and there was enough time for a wander, but nobody wandered far. No dawn raids were made on the Rum Cuillin, and instead a leisurely breakfast was followed by short walks, with a group making their way out past the otter hide to the ruined village of Port na Caranean. This was followed by tea and cake before the ferry back to Mallaig where some ex Moray Mountaineers were encountered, who were interested to hear of the recent discovery of the old lantern slides of the club’s old days which have been digitised and will be shown one evening when the nights start drawing in.
The club’s May Day island trip is a fine tradition, and Rum is a fine island. Last year we were battered in a storm-bound Coruisk Hut, and next year we will hopefully be sunning ourselves on southern granite when we take the ferry to Arran. And where for May 2016…? Perhaps Eigg, Rum’s smaller, lower, but not necessarily inferior, neighbour would be another fine island for the Club to visit for a long weekend.
Author: Joe
Photos: Dan and Kat