Hike and Wild Camp on the Isle of Rùm
A truly wild mini-expedition on a remote island in Scotland's stunning Inner Hebrides
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with local, certified mountain guidesHostel & Wild camping
3 nights wild camping, 1 night in a bunkhouseMeals
Expedition-style meals throughoutTransfers
Return ferry tickets from Mallaig to KinlochEquipment
Expedition tentsSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 10 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
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What's it like?
Traverse the six peaks of the Rùm Cuillin ridge, topping out on Askival (812m) for the ultimate panorama of the Western Isles
Soak up life on Scotland's hidden gem: an island of no roads, forgotten castles and a mere 29 residents
Seek out deserted spots to wild camp under the stars – Rúm is Scotland's first International Dark Sky Sanctuary
Keep watch for eagles, otters, seals, dolphins and the ubiquitous red deer as you explore rocky shorelines
Key Information
Day 1
Hop on the ferry to Rùm and hike to Harris Bay
Hiking
Meet your guide at the port in Mallaig first thing this morning. Hop on the ferry and settle in for the 90-minute crossing, with views of the Western Highlands and the nearby Isles of Skye and Eigg. Arriving at Kinloch on Rùm you'll start the hike straight from the jetty, following an excellent trail cutting through the wild interior with spectacular views of the Rùm Cuillin. End up at Harris Bay, a beautiful spot to wild camp, grab a swim in the sea and explore the nearby mausoleum.
Day 2
Harris to Papadil
Hiking
Tuck into breakfast and coffee overlooking the bay, keeping watch for otters, sea eagles, seals, dolphins and if you're super lucky, orca and basking sharks – both species spend time in the waters around Rùm. Load up the pack for the next hike around the coast, tackling rougher terrain off the trail today with some rocky sections, moorland and bog. You'll definitely see a good number of Rùm's large red deer population around here, and if conditions are good you'll scramble up your first of the island's peaks: Ruinsival. Wild camping tonight is at Papadil, an abandoned settlement on the coast a short walk from Loch Papadil.
Day 3
Papadil to Dibidil
Hiking
Today you’ll continue along an old pony path that steers you through some tricky terrain, it can be slow going as you navigate the rough ground in this wild area. On a clear day, you can see the distant silhouettes of the Outer Hebridean chain of islands; Barra, Uist, Lewis and Harris. Skirt around the edge of Sgùrr nan Gillean as the full arc of the Rùm Cuillin comes into view while you descend towards Dibidil bothy. The camp tonight is in a beautiful spot next to the Dibidil River which flows down from the Cuillin, forming a waterfall into the sea while the Isle of Eigg hovers in the distance. You have your choice of wild swim spots in the river or ocean before some much-needed sleep ahead of tomorrow.
Day 4
The Rùm Cuillin Traverse
Hiking
Today is the big day of the expedition with the aim being a full traverse of the Rùm Cuillin. You’ll take in six peaks with lung-busting climbs, exposed ridges and summit scrambles including to the high point of the island at the top of Askival (812m), rewarding you with 360-degree views back along the Rùm Cuillin, across to the Outer Hebrides and over to the famous Black Cuillin mountains on the Isle of Skye. After high-fives on the top of Askival, embark on a fun frolic to the finish line, scrambling down the boulder-strewn peak, along a ridge, up and over Hallival (722m) and down into Kinloch - the only hamlet on the island and home to 29 people, one of whom will cook you up a sumptuous feast while you sip a well-earned beer overlooking the bay.
Day 5
Wave goodbye to the Isle of Rùm
It's time to say cheerio to your new favourite Scottish island as you head back to the jetty this morning to hop on the ferry back to Mallaig. Stand out on deck for farewell vistas of the Rùm Cuillin which you successfully traversed yesterday. The adventure ends as the ferry pulls into Mallaig at around 14:00.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Mallaig
09:00 on Day 1
Ends
Mallaig
14:00 on Day 5
Transfers
The start and end point of the trip is in Mallaig. You'll need to make your own way to the Mallaig ferry terminal at 09:00 to leave plenty of time ahead of the ferry departing for Rùm. Your host will meet you at the ferry terminal. There is a Co-op store round the corner to grab any last-minute supplies.
Travel options
Rail travellers are in for a treat. You can take the West Highland Line to Mallaig through one of the most scenic rail routes in the world, passing over the Glenfinnan Viaduct – used in the Harry Potter films for the Hogwarts Express. If you're taking the train to Mallaig, you'll need to arrive the day before the trip starts and spend the night in Mallaig as there are no trains that will get you into Mallaig in time for the ferry.
Mallaig is roughly a 3.5-hour drive from Glasgow, or a 4-hour drive from Edinburgh. You can leave your vehicle in the long-stay car park adjacent to the ferry port for free, on the left as you drive into town. There are three rapid electric vehicle charging points available in Mallaig at the West Bay Car Park, approximately 300m from the ferry terminal.
Mallaig is easily reached by bus from Glasgow with a change in Fort William. Shiel Buses operate a service departing from Fort William, which will officially link up with the ferry departure on Day 1.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 3
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 5
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
The food on the trip is proper expedition-style, as there are no shops at all until you reach Kinloch on the evening of Day 4. Your host will bring along lightweight but hearty expedition meals to be distributed so that everyone carries their own food. Expect oats and coffee for breakfast, sandwiches and fruit for lunch and a selection of curries, risottos, pasta and couscous from the array of dehydrated dinners. Make sure to bring along a good supply of your own energy and protein bars. After the big Cuillin traverse on Day 4, you'll be cooked a delicious dinner by one of the locals in Kinloch who runs a small restaurant called Kim's Kitchen. Here you can tuck into venison from Rùm itself, almost certainly the most sustainable meat found anywhere, given the lack of food miles and the need to control the deer population to allow trees and shrubs to regenerate on the island.
Most dietary requirements can be accommodated, including vegetarian and vegan diets.
What is the accommodation like?
Wild Camping
You'll be wild camping at spots on Harris Bay, Papadil and next to the Dibidil River. The locations are stunning and make for a big part of the adventure. You'll stay in a solo tent supplied by your host - you'll need to pack your own sleeping bag and lightweight sleeping mat such as a Thermarest. If you'd prefer a twin tent your host can provide one, please request this at the time of booking.
Rùm Bunkhouse
Your final night is spent at the Isle of Rùm community bunkhouse in Kinloch. You'll stay in 4-bed rooms, or twin rooms depending on group size and availability. The bunkhouse is situated on a gravel track right on the waterfront a short walk from the jetty. It has a spacious and comfortable living and dining area with a log burner, plus all-important hot showers after your days in the wilderness.
Upgrades
Due to the very limited space at the bunkhouse and a lack of alternative accommodation on the island, private room upgrades are not possible on this trip. You will automatically have a solo tent for the 3 nights of wild camping.
This trip has been rated as Challenging
A good level of fitness is recommended – you'll be out for up to nine hours in a mountain environment, moving over challenging terrain and ascending considerable heights on Day 4. The scrambling along the Cuillin ranges from Grades 1 to 3, but all sections are more than doable alongside your experienced and highly qualified mountain guides. Some previous hillwalking experience is recommended for you to get the most out of this trip, and we suggest putting in some light training for this adventure by going on some hikes carrying a backpack in your local area in the lead up.
What will I need to carry?
You will be carrying your gear throughout the hike, including a sleeping bag, tent and food. Your load will be lighter on Day 4 for the big push over the Rum Cuillin. Make sure to bring along a sense of adventure and a willingness to go with the flow!
The weather in the Western Isles can easily offer all four seasons in one day so you should be prepared as such. Your guides will be assessing the weather constantly and will adjust the route based on wind and wet weather predictions. Weather is important for the Cuillin traverse with wet rock taking twice as long to cross as dry rock so this will be factored into the plan for the day. It's important to bring good waterproof clothing, dry bags and ideally Goretex hiking boots - see the kit list for more detail.
Great trip to a special place
As others have said, Rùm is spectacularly beautiful but wild. In our case, we were fortunate that most of the heavy rain was at night but high winds made it too risky to camp the first night – fortunately the bunkhouse and glamping huts had space! Despite another dubious forecast, the winds calmed enough to permit us reaching the summit on the final day which was a highlight in more ways than one: great views, fun Grade-1 scrambling, and a real sense of achievement in excellent company!
The guides (Connor and Micheal) were both outstanding in dealing with the changing weather (and assorted other curve-balls) whilst keeping us active, informed, and safe (as well as suitably entertained!). The supplied kit and food were high quality – I probably slept and ate better than I do at home and barely needed my own supply of energy bars. We missed camping at Harris Bay (though had a nice lunch stop there) but the campsites at Papadil and Dibidil are both amazing locations with "refreshing" on-site swimming options. Perhaps the only drawback in the itinerary is that Papadil and Dibidil are so close together – maybe with better weather we'd have been offered a higher-level route between them but, as it was, we reached Dibidil by lunchtime which didn't feel particularly adventurous (though did leave plenty of time for exploring independently around Glen Dibidil).
Overall, I really enjoyed this trip; the scenery and wildlife (and some of the running jokes) will live long in the memory! If you have a sense of adventure (and are prepared for possible changes in plan), I'd wholeheartedly recommend it to you! Personally, I'm already thinking about a return to Rùm...
Cause I'm on top of the world
I went wild camping for the first time in years, and it was an incredible experience. Despite the challenges of heavy rain and rough terrain, the adventure was worth every moment. Reaching the summit of Askival, the island’s highest peak, felt amazing, with breathtaking views and an unmatched sense of accomplishment. Though the trip lasted only four days, it felt like weeks. Stepping out of my comfort zone and into the true wilderness made it one of the coolest and most rewarding things I’ve ever done.
I booked this trip on
I booked this trip on a whim as a last minute option, without giving it much thought, and it turned out to be a gamble that paid off. The scenery on Rum is simply breathtaking, with vast landscapes that make you feel truly immersed in nature, far from any crowds. Our guides were Connor and Micheal; passionate about the outdoors, quick thinking when re-arranging the itinerary and handling the wild weather challenges. This was an incredible adventure with the company of great like-minded people. And for those who love cheese, there's a delightful surprise in store! 😊
Fantastic Trip
OMG, this was everything I dreamed of and more... When I first booked I thought it was a bit pricey, but it's not as you couldn't do it without the support and the guide. Rum is a beautiful island, completely unspoilt with fantastic views of many other islands from every vantage point, and a great mountain and ridge in the middle. The guide we had Lizzie, was just a super girl, positive, knowledgeable, patient and I got the feeling she was in about 2nd gear at most taking us up the hills. Camping was great, food was better than I ever imagined vacuum packed meals would be, and the whole thing was just a huge adventure and switch off from the real world. You need some basic fitness, and maybe I should have practiced a bit more with carrying a full bag, but it was all OK as I am pretty fit anyway. Would I recommend, yes 100%, saw deer, goats, and an eagle plus the islands of Eig, Muck and Skye from the hills and a lovely bothy ay Dibildil, where I also got to have a cold water dip. Last day is the big day, but Lizzie built us up for Askival summit and we all got there. Do it is my advice
Fantastic trip - highly recommended! Very well planned, with excellent guides. If you want some remoteness with stunning scenery, likeminded company, and don't mind carrying a heavy backpack, then this trip is for you! (Weather not guaranteed unfortunately.....)
Absolutely excellent guides, views and crew - an extremely wild adventure I will never forget!
Excellent adventure.
Rum was unfortunately closed due to bird flu outbreak but we ended up with an equally great trip on knoydart! Our guides Jamie and Rachel were fantastic, the scenery was amazing as well and even though we weren't on rum, the sense of wilderness on knoydart was quite something! Make sure you're happy walking long distances with a heavy pack on this trip!
Looking for great scenery, and not bumping into lots of other hikers, do this trip. Absolutely gorgeous landscapes - I will be thinking about the views and the trip for years to come. Admittedly, we were lucky with the weather, which helped. (Even the train journey from Glasgow - Mallaig has stunning views before you even start hiking).
This was a fantastic trip - I was excited about it and it went far beyond what I expected. Helped along by great weather, but largely that was due to a top leader - in Jeannie - and a great (and eclectic) group! 3 days of trekking and camping without meeting another living sole - you'd have to travel some to match that. Campsites to die for. Challenging peaks. Great swimming holes. Kit better than my own. Top food (if anything too much!) - all rounded off with a local venison steak and wine at the Rum Community Centre. A1+
We didn’t go to the Isle of Rùm due to terrible weather, so we went to the Cairngorms instead- where we ended up camping in a gale! The tents broke, so for the final two nights we were in accommodation in Fort William. Connor was a fantastic guide and helped us to make the most of a trip that definitely didn’t go according to plan!