2015

Sat 2nd - Fri 9th May

Don't see the dates you want? Let us know when you would prefer to travel & we will see if we can reorganise our programme to fit you in!

About this holiday

Having lived and worked on Rum as a ranger for 3 years, your leader - Mick Blunt - knows (and loves!) these islands better than most. This Small Isles are rightly famous for their beautiful landscapes, dramatic light and abundant wildlife. This holiday samples the best of Eigg and Rum, the two largest islands, and combines a fascinating mixture of nature and history.

Note that the itinerary below is a guide - when visiting any islands you are always subject to the vagaries of the weather, and this is even more true in the case of the Small Isles. We will try to keep to the itinerary where we can, but be prepared for changes if the weather is wild!

DAY 1 - ARRIVE IN INVERNESS

After meeting at Inverness train station, we will take the famous Road to the Isles to Mallaig, from where we will catch the afternoon ferry to Eigg.


DAY 2 - EIGG: LAIG BAY

A great start to the week: a leisurely stroll over to the west coast of Eigg, with a visit to the gorgeous beach at Laig Bay. Beautiful views over to the Rum mountains.

DAY 3 - EIGG: THE SGURR

The Sgurr of Eigg gives the island its classic sloping profile, making it so distinctive in views of the Inner Hebrides. It is not high, but it does make a great walk, with tremendous views of the other Small Isles and the west Highlands.

DAY 4 - RUM: PORT NA CARANEAN

Today we take the ferry to Rum, where we will have a short and leisurely afternoon stroll to the evocative abandoned village of Port na Caranean.

In the evening we will be taking head torches and heading up the slopes of Hallival to visit the Manx Shearwater colony, home to thousands of these amazing seabirds, which nest in small burrows in the friable volcanic soil. This is an amazing experience, and one that you will remember for a long time!

DAY 5 - RUM: KILMORY GLEN

We'll have a good lie in after our late night out on the mountain side, then head over to Kilmory Glen on the north side of the island. Here we'll see the red deer (made famous by the BBC's AutumnWatch series) and walk along the sandy bay, from where we will have memorable views over to the Skye Cuillin mountains.

DAY 6 - RUM: ORVAL & THE WESTERN HILLS

The Rum Cuillin mountains may not be as famous as their Skye namesakes, but they are still reasonably well known. Far fewer people know about Rum's fine western hills.

This was my favourite walk when I lived on Rum, a delightful high level stroll on short cropped turf, with Cuillin mountains both to the north and the south! It's a long day, but well worth the effort...

DAY 7 - DEPART

Grade: Moderate - you will need a basic level of fitness for this holiday. We will go at a gentle pace, but some of the walks (especially on Rum) can be quite long days, so you need to be able to walk for 7 - 8  hours. Only a few days will be this long, however.....and they will be well worth the effort.

Start: Inverness

Cost: £840

Please note that prices are based on two people sharing a twin room on Eigg, and for a shared bunkhouse room on Rum. Single occupancy may be available for a £15 per night supplement on Eigg, but limited accommodation means that single occupancy is not possible on Rum.

What's Included: 6 nights accommodation, 5 days walking. Full board at local quality guest houses on Eigg and in Rum hostel on Rum. Full Scottish Breakfast, packed lunches and home cooked evening meals are all provided.

All transport during the holiday, including ferries to Eigg and Rum. The services of a qualified and experienced Mountain Leader.

What's Not Included: Transport to and from Inverness. If you need help arranging travel to Inverness, just let us know and we will do our best to help.