Short Break in Rum

The castle originally surrounded by impeccably tended gardens, is still furnished with the family’s belongings, an extraordinary juxtaposition with Rum’s rugged country which was created by a massive volcanic eruption 60 million years ago.

We crossed to Rum earlier this summer from Arisaig on a peerless day which gave us views of snow-covered peaks and a mirror-calm sea. Sailing towards Eigg and its distinctive Sgurr we hugged the coast of Rum before entering Loch Scresort. Kinloch Castle is at the centre of the main village surrounded by woodland and carpets of wildflowers.

With only just over three hours before our boat left, and wanting to visit the castle, we walked round the village’s surroundings but did not venture far. The island’s challenging mountains with their superb views demand time as well as physical fitness.

Sir George Bullough died suddenly in 1939 and his wife, Monica visited from time to time until 1957 when, concerned for the estate, she sold the island to the nation. She insisted the castle remain intact with all its contents. Monica may have been responsible for putting the ‘h’ (now removed) into the island’s name; she was a teetotaller!

Nature Reserve
Now in the care of Scottish Natural Heritage, Rum, including the castle, is their premier national nature reserve. Since the late 1950’s tree-planting has been actively pursued. Many plant species, birds and insects have re-appeared and, in the case of the white-tailed sea eagle, successfully been re-introduced.

One of the early research projects was on the island’s deer, and the findings were valuable to many involved in deer management in Scotland and elsewhere. There are also feral goats, and hardy Rum ponies possibly introduced by the Vikings.

The most prolific species is, without doubt, the Manx Shearwater. 60,000 pairs fly from Argentina and Brazil to nest in burrows high in the island’s mountains, making it one of the world’s largest colonies.

George Bullough’s grandfather, James, established the family fortune by inventing improvements for power looms. He was co-founder of the highly successful Globe Works in Accrington. His son moved into spinning, the workforce grew to 2,000, and the extrovert John assumed the role of a Victorian philanthropist.

Having already bought Meggernie Castle, he purchased Rum in 1888. John kept on only three of the island families, importing staff from other islands and from Meggernie. Three years later he was dead and his 21-year old son, George, inherited Rum.

Gadgets
George began building Kinloch Castle in 1897. It is of red sandstone transported from Annan in Dumfriesshire while 250,000 tons of Ayrshire soil were imported for the lawns and formal gardens. Hot-houses contained southern European fruit, and a palm house was home to humming birds, turtles and alligators (shot after escaping).

George Bullough was fascinated by gadgets. Electricity was generated by a hydro turbine, there was central heating and air-vents in the billiard-room removed the cigarette smoke. In a cupboard under the stairs is an orchestrion, a forty-piece brass band worked by electricity. It was made for Queen Victoria who died before it was delivered. Our informative guide gave a vivid and entertaining picture of this Edwardian time capsule, describing characters who stayed there until their idyll came to an end in 1914.

Our visit to Rum was brief but full of contrasts: the beauty of the island, the ever-increasing diversity of its wildlife thanks to its present owners, and the glimpse of pleasure-loving Edwardian society bringing to Rum all the luxuries to which they were accustomed.

The Bulloughs owned Rum for under seventy years. I wonder how many generations of shearwaters have made their lengthy annual journey to the island?