Things you didn't know about... The Isle of Rùm

The Isle of Rùm is privately owned

In the second half of the 19th century, the Isle of Rùm was owned by the Bullough family, flush with the money they had made in engineering. The island has been owned by Scottish Natural Heritage (previously the Nature Conservancy Council) since 1957.

The Isle of Rùm was only inhabited in autumn

Previous owners the Bullough family only used the island in the autumn: for deer stalking and decadent parties.

The Isle of Rùm is home to the infamous Kinloch Castle

Kinloch Castle was built by the eccentric Bullough family on the north-east corner of the Isle of Rùm, specifically for their lavish parties. Despite Rùm being a granite island, the castle is made entirely of red sandstone imported from Annan. The architects they used also created the Admiralty in London.

The Isle of Rùm was perfect for a celebrity party

In its heyday, Kinloch Castle was the perfect party venue, with its elegant ballroom, Great Hall and 14 gardeners (who were paid extra to wear kilts). It also had the first internal telephone system in Scotland.

The spelling of the Isle of Rùm has been a source of much debate

Originally named Rùm, the island was known as "the isle of Rhum" for much of the 20th century. This can pose problems for descendants of the islanders trying to trace their ancestors. Since the Isle of Rùm ceased to be owned by the Bullough family, it has returned to its original spelling.

The Isle of Rùm wasn't always so welcoming

So keen were the Bulloughs on privacy that they used to fire guns at boats that approached the Isle of Rùm, earning the place the nickname "Forbidden Island".

Isle of Rùm doesn't have very many inhabitants, but it had the first in Scotland

Today, there are only 30 residents on the Isle of Rùm. But the island has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Carbonised hazelnut shells found on the island suggest that the Isle of Rùm has been inhabited since the 8th millennium BC, the earliest evidence of human occupation in Scotland.