Frommer's Scotland 8th Edition - To Parent Directory

shearwaters that live on the island in great numbers. Red deer and ponies, alongwith the wildflowers of summer, add color to an otherwise bleak landscape.ESSENTIALSGETTING THERE A passenger ferry from Mallaig, on the western coast ofScotland, leaves about four times a week. No cars are allowed on the island. Forinformation, contact Caledonian MacBrayne (& 01687/462-403 in Mallaig).Sailings are from April to October only, on Monday to Wednesday at 10:30am,Friday at 12:30pm, and Saturday at 6:20am and 12:30pm. A round-trip is£10.30 ($16) for adults. Arisaig Marine (& 01687/450-224) sails from Arisaigto Rhum on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11am. A round-tripticket is £19.50 ($31) for adults, £8($13) for children 12 to 16, and £4($6) for those under 12. Schedules canvary, so it’s best to call for confirmations.It takes about 2 hours to reachRhum from one of these ports.WHERE TO STAY & DINEKinloch Castle Finds You’ll beastonished that in such a forbiddingplace, you can come across a hotel thathas been called “Britain’s most intactexample of an Edwardian countryhouse.” On the seafront in the centerof Rhum’s biggest hamlet, Kinloch, this mansion was completed in 1901 for SirGeorge Boullough, a wealthy Lancashire textile magnate. The castle still containsa ballroom, a massive Adam-style fireplace, and monumental paintings andstuffed animals. (This section is now part of an exhibit; to visit these areas, enterthe front of the castle for a tour.) The former servants’ quarters are now a simpleand functional hostel, while the more elegant private rooms are furnishedwith four-poster beds (these share spacious bathrooms with tubs). Becauseguests spend their days trekking around the island, all lunches are packed picnicsat £4 ($6.40) per person. The restaurant serves breakfasts and hearty dinnersat reasonable prices.Kinloch, Isle of Rhum PH43 4RR. & and fax 01687/462-037. kinloch@highland-hostels.co.uk. 27 units,none with private bathroom; 52 hostel beds. Rooms £60 ($96) double; hostel £12 ($19) per person in roomswith 2–5 beds. No credit cards. Amenities: Restaurant. In room: No phone.5 Eigg & MuckEIGG & MUCK 375Tips Before You Go . . .Before traveling to Rhum, youmust contact Denise Reed, thereserve manager at the ScottishNatural Heritage Nature Reserve,by calling & 01687/462-026. Theoffice will assist you in organizingaccommodations on theisland.Eigg: 6.5km (4 miles) SE of Rhum; Muck: 11km (7 miles) SW of EiggThe tiny islands of Eigg and Muck lie in the Sea of the Hebrides, which separatesthe Inner from the Outer Hebrides. If you’re doing the whirlwind tour ofEurope, Eigg and Muck will hardly top your agenda. They appeal only to naturelovers seeking a variety of Hebridean scenery and a chance to look at life of longago. If your time is limited and you can visit only one isle, make it Eigg, whichhas the most dramatic scenery.ESSENTIALSGETTING THERE Before venturing to either Eigg or Muck, confirm theschedule of the ferry’s return. Because service isn’t every day, you may findyourself staying at least 2 nights on either island. Caledonian MacBrayne