Boat Trips To The Enchanting Island of Rum

The Isle of Rum is a great island to visit when on an Isle of Skye Boat trip. Rum is the largest of the Small Isles , being around 10,463 hectares but it only has around 22 people living on the island.  Everyone who lives on the island lives in the village of Kinloch on the East coast. Taking a boat trips to Rum is a great family day out as there is much to do and see on the island. First is Rum’s famous eccentric Castle known as Kinloch Castle, which was built in 1900 by George Bullough using sand stone. When the castle was build it is said that George Bullough paid the builders extra if they would wear kilts while working on it. Along with the castle there were extensive grounds that included a 9 hole golf course, tennis and squash courts and heated ponds for turtles and alligators. George employed around 100 people to work on the estate and they too were paid extra for wearing kilts. George also had a road built around the island so that his sons could race their Bentley cars. If you visit the island one of the axels of one of the Bentleys can still be seen on the beach.

Rum is similar to the other Small Isles as it too boasts amazing scenery, wildlife and beaches. When on the island there are plenty of walks to suit every ability, including both coastal and mountain walks and there are also some guided walks. When on your boat trip to Rum there is plenty of wildlife around for you to see. On the island there are around 900 red deer so there is a high chance you might see one of them. There are also around 18 highland ponies that can be seen galloping freely around the island. If you look a bit higher up there is also around 250 feral goats which can usually be spotted on the higher ground. Lastly there is the White tailed Sea-Eagle which is often seen on the Isle of Rum as Rum was one of the first places to reintroduce it.

When on your boat trip to Rum there are a number of different places that you can visit. There is the visitor’scenter which can tell you all about the islands features and what walking opportunities there are. There is also The Rumbling Tums Café which is situated in the village hall. Here you will find all sorts of yummy treats including home made soup, cakes, scones and biscuits. The perfect end to a day full of adventures on the Isle of Rum. If you are planning more than just a day trip to Rum then there is also the village shop which is small but very well stocked with a wide range of groceries.

If you are serious in using a boat trip  to rum then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at Skye boat trips so we can arrange a date and time.

Adventures and Romance with Skye Boat Trips

Skye Boat Trips is a family ran business out of the beautiful village of Elgol on the Isle of Skye. The business is owned by Local manAlisdair Mackinnon and his family.  Alisdair is a fisherman who was born and brought up in Elgol so he knows a great deal of information about the village of Elgol and the surrounding Small Isles. Alisdair employs Oliver who is from the Isle of Soay, one of the Small Isles, to skipper the boat. Oliver is also a fisherman so between the two of them they have vast amounts of information as well as their own stories to tell about the islands.

Skye Boat Trips run a number of different trips from Elgol pier. The most popular trip to do is to take a trip to Loch Coruisk. It is only a short 20 minute boat ride away but it is well worth the trip as Loch Coruisk is famous for its absolutely stunning scenery. It is so stunning in fact that a large amount of people choose to get married over there. Having a wedding in Loch Coruisk is just like stepping straight into a fairy tale.

 Skye Boat Trips run trips to Loch Coruisk daily at 9:50, 12:45, 14:45 and 16:45, it is best to book in advance, as the trips can be very popular during the summer months. As well as trips to Loch Coruisk, Skye Boat Trips also do trips to the Small Isles including Soay, Rum, Eigg, Muck and Canna. These do not run as often however so it is best to phone and find out when these trips are running. The Small Isles are all unique in their own way but they all boast beautiful scenery and beaches as well as vast amounts of wildlife. Canna for example is famous for its Puffins which can be seen along the islands coasts, and Rum has huge amounts of red deer on the island as well as feral goats. It is on route to the Small Isles that you are most likely to see wildlife such as dolphins, minke whales, basking sharks and porpoise. Last week even an Orca was spotted near Canna. The wildlife is not guaranteed however as it all completely depends upon the day.

Skye Boat Trips also have an under water camera on board their boat which can take you even closer to the wildlife. If you are feeling extremely brave then Skye Boat Trips are also fully equipped to take up to 12 people out on a diving trip. This really will get you as close as possible to the wildlife.

If you are interested in any of these trips then please get in touch with us at Skye Boat Trips as we will be more than happy to help. If you are interest in getting married in Loch Coruisk then please get in touch again as we would love to help you on your special day.

Boat trips to the unique Island of Canna

Skye Boat Trips provide trips to Loch Coruisk as well as to the small isles which surround Skye. One trip, which is a particular favorite, is to take a boat trip to the Isle of Canna. Taking a boat trips to Canna can be a great family day out. It will take about an hour to reach Canna from Elgol pier but this can change depending upon the wildlife which is around on the day. The Skipper of the boat, Oliver, will take you to see as much wildlife that is around on the day as possible. On route to Canna there is a chance you may see a number of different wildlife including Minke Whales, Dolphins and porpoise. It all depends upon what is around on the day though. Canna is famous for its Puffins as these are very often seen nesting on the cliff tops. Keep your eyes peeled when looking for the Puffins as Sea Eagles are very often spotted on the cliff tops too.

Taking a boat trips to Canna can be a great adventure for the whole family. If you have an old fashioned magnetic compass with you, you will notice that as you reach Canna a deflection is created. This is because as you reach the island there is a rock just off to the right known as Compass Rock which has a very high iron content. It means that anyone using an old fashioned compass to guide their boat while near the Isle of Canna has to be quite, really careful!!

On top off Compass rock you will see what is known to the locals as “The Jail”. It is thought that this jail was used in the 17th century by jealous clan chief Donald MacDonald who hid his wife, Marion MacDonald, inside to prevent other men from wooing her. It is thought that the Jail, also known as Coroghan is a possible Dun site meaning that it was once an ancient or medieval fort.

When you are on the island itself you will see that it is linked to neighboring island Sanday by a road and by sandbacks at low tide. You will also see on the island that there is a community shop, which runs on an honesty system where a percentage of the profits are given back to the community to support community projects. When on a boat trip to Canna you must also pay a visit to the Canna café. The Canna Café is a lovely little bistro at the harbor serving fresh seafood, light snacks and refreshments. It is well truly worth a visit.

A boat trip to Canna is a great experience with plenty of things for you to see and do. The Island has amazing views and scenery so make sure you have your camera with you. If you are interested in booking a boat trip to Canna then please get in touch with us at Skye Boat Trips.