Stars Without Cars 4: The Isle of Rum
A Dark Sky Sanctuary in Scotland's "Car-Lite" Small Isles
This is the fourth installment of the Stars Without Cars series. On the surface, the series comprises a set of guides for would-be visitors to car-free and “car-lite” International Dark Sky Places. On a more abstract level, the examples constitute a “proof of possibility” that compact, active-transportation-friendly communities and dark-sky-friendly communities can exist as one and the same.
The Isle of Rum: Dark Sky Sanctuary in Scotland’s Car-Lite Small Isles
Who wouldn’t want to visit a place called the Isle of Rum? Procol Harum even wrote a song about it: “I’m buying an island, somewhere in the sun. I’ll hide from the natives, live only on Rum.” Okay, that was supposed to be a joke. But at least grant me that the punning opportunities are so much better when visiting Rum than, say, Spiekeroog.
Pun-potential notwithstanding, Rum is the only destination in the series that I have not personally visited. I have, however, stayed at a cabin on the Isle of Eigg with a great view of Rum, and I conducted extensive research for an island-hopping trip. In the end, I decided that Rum was just a bit too spartan for my own preferences. Although electricity, running water, and WiFi can be found on the island, they seem not to come packaged into the self-catering accommodations that I prefer. Nonetheless, Rum – Scotland’s first Dark Sky Sanctuary – deserves an entry here.
Like Anholt, and unlike Sark and Spiekeroog, Scotland’s Small Islands – Rum and Eigg in addition to Canna and Muck – do not ban cars for residents but prohibit tourists from bringing motor vehicles to the islands. Furthermore, Rum has only ~40 residents, so automobile traffic is unlikely to pose much of a nuisance, to say the least.
Getting There
The ferry from Mallaig, operated by Caledonian MacBrayne, sails year-round to each of the Small Isles, including Rum. Tickets can be purchased online. Island-hopping is possible, but be sure to study the somewhat complicated time table; if you choose the wrong for your “hop,” you might find yourself stuck going to Mallaig and back.
The town of Mallaig can be reached by a famous train ride from Glasgow – the West Highland line. There is no need for an additional connection between the train and the ferry, since the harbour is right there next to the train station (although you might find it enjoyable to break up the trip and spend at least one night in Mallaig).
Amenities
Although Rum is very small, the Isle of Rum General Store is open year-round and praised for its good selection of groceries, including fresh produce. Its 40-odd permanent residents have got to eat, after all! I have been told that the Village Hall is a public WiFi hotspot. Otherwise, the island’s amenities are predictably scarce. There is no resident doctor, and while the neighboring Isle of Eigg has a brewery, I don’t believe that Rum even has a distillery – for now, at least.
Accommodations
For the most part, accommodation options on the Isle of Rum tend toward the wild, rustic and primitive, which is the main reason that I decided against an island-hopping visit when I finally made it to Eigg; I don’t mind using a compost loo, but I rely on the Internet for work, hobbies and maintaining social connections as a nomad (it’s just that I prefer to live my tech-addicted life in places with few cars and little light pollution…). That said, Rum does offer some choices of accommodations with indoor running water, electricity and even WiFi – most notably the Ivy Cottage B&B.
Getting Around
On Eigg, I would say that a bike is almost a necessity, especially if you stay at a distance from the harbour. That does not necessarily hold true for Rum, however, even though it is the much larger island — and that’s fortunate for visitors who come from too far afield to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bike), since there is no bike hire on Rum. Whereas homes and holiday homes are dispersed throughout Eigg, and whereas Eigg has a paved road down the length of the island, the “developed” portion of Rum is more compact: most likely, you will be staying within easy walking distance of the harbour and the General Store, and the distance you want to hike is up to you.
