A walk round the wild island - Isle of Rum excursion

Last week a small group of us from Kilchoan walked a circuit of the Isle of Rum.  From Kinloch to Dibidil on day one, then via Harris to Guirdil and finally up Glen Shellesder and back to Kinloch. This was all done in full sun, high temperatures and a cooling easterly breeze, perfect conditions.

Overnight we stayed in the MBA (Mountain Bothies Association) bothies. These peculiarly Scottish mountain huts are weatherproof, usually have sleeping platforms, a fireplace or stove and resident mouse. There's no running water, no electricity and the toilet is a long walk with a spade. Anyone can use them and there is no charge.

Sounds idyllic but there is a downside.  It's the synchronous stereo snoring of the other occupants. Why is it the snorers don't keep themselves awake? On night two, at Guirdil, I slept outside on the short, springy turf above the beach. Midges weren't a problem because of the breeze, my ex-army bivi bag kept the ticks out and the dew off, waves rolling on to the shore sent me to sleep.

The island is a National Nature Reserve. I t was probably too hot for eagles but the wild flowers were at their peak, the deer were due to calve and we had wild goats peering at us from the crags above Papadil.

The food was good, the weather perfect, the company excellent and the mountain-sea-landscape without parallel. Try it some time!

I should have added...... combined age of the six members of the group 390 years, 65 +or- 8 each.