STAGgeringly relieved

The bed at the Rùm bunkhouse is no more than a cluster of springs with a thin old sheet pulled over it. Regardless, I’m in better spirits than when I’m working, because holidays rock.

Today was a walk to Kilmory, another former village and now the focus of a red deer research project, one of the longest-running mammal studies in the world. It was funny seeing so many deer clustered on grassy dunes as they’re not usually associated in my mind with beach habitats, and the fawn gambolling around with a pink monitoring collar was cute. They were quite intrigued by the rustle of my cheese and onion roll, which I’d picked up at the store. The picture is at Kilmory, looking back up the valley that ends at the beach. In the foreground is an old burial ground with gravestones still visible.

We heard about a recent initiative to attract new households to Rùm. Four new homes have been built and there were around 500 applications. Online we found the FAQs for potential newcomers. They state that cats are allowed if neutered. It surprised me that they’d be allowed at all as they still kill wildlife, with or without reproductive capability. Cat scepticism is a regular theme of my blips, but is particularly valid here, on an island that is almost entirely a nature reserve. I imagine at least one of the Board of Directors of the Isle of Rùm Community Trust owns cats.

As I relaxed by Kinloch Castle after a nice ten-miler I received an email with the long-awaited words: ‘Your visa to Mozambique has been authorized.’ What a great spot to realise this long UK limbo will end soon, enhancing the memories of this great island of Rùm.

We went back to the little café for a pre-ferry coffee. Unfortunately it was undrinkable because the pot was covered in congealed soap crystals that hadn’t been washed off. We found chilli jerky was good at neutralising the taste, in case anyone is in a similar predicament.

The ferry back to Mallaig was alternately cold or hot depending on where we were sitting: on deck or in the glass-fronted lounge. You really have to be prepared for all seasons in Scotland; it really keeps one on their toes.

Back in Mallaig, we joined the long queue for fish and chips and enjoyed it sitting on the deck next to the harbour, watched by greedy gulls.