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Barkeval from Kinloch on Rum

Barkeval from Kinloch on Rum

Start/Finish

Rum bunkhouse.

Distance/Time

8 km.     About 4 – 5 hours.

Peaks

Barkeval, 591 m, NM 375 972.     OS sheet 39: Rum and Eigg.

Introduction

Rum is the largest of the small isles but has a very small permanent population (about 30 in April 2017). For its size, the facilities are surprisingly good. There is the famous Kinloch Castle, seemingly now in decline but parts are still open at times. The old hostel was the servants rooms in the castle but that is now closed since a brand new bunkhouse was built near the shoreline. The bunkhouse is superb with a lovely large lounge, excellent kitchen, lots of small rooms, drying room and showers. It has central heating and is very well insulated. Bed linen (duvets) are provided with towels available to hire. The bunkhouse is so good that it is frequently booked up so plan well ahead and hope the weather will be kind. There is a shop/post office nearby which has limited opening hours so it is advisable to check this in case food has to be taken in. The ferry from Mallaig takes about 90 minutes depending on which route it takes. The mountains on Rum are Black Cuillin, as on Skye, so the principle rocks are gabbro and basalt. Gabbro is an almost perfect rock to scramble on giving much friction when dry. There are two drawbacks to Rum: the midges are very bad in the summer so go prepared and your compass will not work in places owing to the magnetic nature of the rock. Note that Trallval now seems to have been renamed as Trollabhal so expect to come across both spellings. Barkeval could be said to be the forgotten peak on the main ridge of Rum – often seen but rarely climbed. It is worth climbing though! However, this route will be challenging in poor visibility.

Route

(1) From the bunkhouse, walk to the castle and start walking around it. At the first corner is a gate in a fence which is the start of the path. Go through this and head straight for the obvious stream which has flowed down from Coire Dubh. Follow the path (do not cross any bridge) to join a rough track which goes past a stone building called “The Powerhouse” where hydro-electricity is generated and was actually pioneered on Rum. After The Powerhouse, the track becomes a wide, recently created, path. It crosses various tributaries before reaching a small dam where the new path ends. A rough path takes over and continues up the side of the stream, passing a small gorge. Higher up, the remains of a small causeway are reached. Do not cross the causeway but take a faint path going right which heads towards the gap between Barkeval and Meall Breac. The path is easy to follow until it reaches flat ground at about NM 383 978. Head up SW. There is no obvious path but the ground is straightforward and much of the ascent can be on bare ground. There are some huge rocks, crags and boulders but these are easily avoided. The summit area is falt but with many boulders and outcrops however there is only one large cairn, sitting on an outcrop, which is the summit of Barkeval, 591 m. On a clear day, there will be brilliant views to Hallival, Askival, Trallval and Ainshval in an arc from SE to S. Looking NW will be Ard Nev, Orval and Fionchra.

(2) Head roughly E from the summit with little gradient then a flat spot after which the broad crest turns ESE down to the Bealach Bairc-mheall where there is a small cairn on a small outcrop. Descend NNE from here and soon pick up a stream then a fairly obvious path which leads down, steeply initially into Coire Dubh where a short but wet flat section leads to the causeway from where the outward route can be retraced back to Kinloch.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 6th April, 2017. Rum was also visited about 15 years earlier when the ferry times meant that on the first day only Hallival, Askival and Trallval were climbed. On the second day, Ainshval and Sgurr nan Gillean were climbed with a descent to Harris then a long walk back along the Harris track

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