Eerie Scottish island Vikings were convinced was home to trolls

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Located in the Inner Hebrides is the Isle of Rum — an island once thought by Vikings to be inhabited by trolls due to noises in the hills that actually were species of bird

Nestled in the Inner Hebrides is the Isle of Rum —an eerily beautiful place Vikings believed were inhabited by trolls.

Bleak calls from the night sky convinced the Nordic invaders that the high hills of the Isle of Rum were home to trolls – beasts that were central to the mythology of the northern nations. Rather than blood-thirsty beasties, the sounds they were hearing actually belonged to one of the world’s largest colonies of Manx shearwaters.

The medium-sized seabird have straight slim wings, which are black from above and white from below. Each year adult Manx shearwaters return to the boulder fields on the Isle of Rum to have and raise their chicks. The population on the Isle currently stands are around 60,000 pairs, which is about 25 per cent of the world’s breeding population.

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The Manx shearwater nest in burrows on the high slopes of the Rum Cuillin mountains and – when in the vast numbers that they are – create a haunting cacophony that’d get the most steadfast mind racing on a dark, misty night.

Visitors wanting to get a glimpse at the birds are able to sea them from boat trips in the area and also coastal vantage points during migration season, in Spring and Autumn. For those who are experienced hill walkers, there is also a guided trek to the colony.

The dark skies over the Isle of Rum is important because light pollution can disorient fledglings and cause them to crash land. The Isle is also home to Rum Ponies — a rare and ancient breed of pony, which can be seen in the fields outside the castle. Visitors can also enjoy an ice cream or beverage at The Rum General Store.

Taking a walk along the shore of Loch Scresort, travellers will find a small shop called Drift. The craft shop sell local and handmade crafts from knitted goods to fudge.

The Isle of Rum can be seen in the BBC’s new tv series, Scotland The New Wild airing on Sunday October 6, at 8pm on BBC 2. The new series, which won a Royal Television society award Scotland for best cinematography, was filmed in hundreds of locations from remote islands to busy cities, in Scotland.

The three episodes, titled Islands, Lowlands and Highlands will focus on wildlife and the landscapes of Scotland.

Narrator, Thoren Ferguson, said: “Perhaps you think you know Scotland… this land of proud tradition, rugged mountains, sparkling lochs and heather clad hills. But look again, and our country may surprise you… with its vastness, its subtlety and its splendour. For this is a wild country, on the cusp of change, a land where animals and plants are fighting to reclaim their place in the natural order. This is Scotland The New Wild.”