Rùm rest of the British Isles and Scotland, Rùm features a strongly maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. There is a MetOffice weather station at Kinloch providing long term climate observations. The main range of hills on Rùm are the Cuillin, usually referred to as the "Rùm Cuillin", in order to distinguish them from the Cuillin of Skye. They are rocky peaks of gabbro, forming the Rum layered intrusion. Geologically, Rùm is the core of a deeply eroded volcano that was active in the Paleogene era some 60 million years ago, and which developed on a pre-existing structure of
Cuillin ensure its protection from inappropriate development. The areas protected by the designation are considered to represent the type of scenic beauty "popularly associated with Scotland and for which it is renowned". The "Cuillin Hills National Scenic Area" covers 22,726 ha, of which 27,320 ha is on land, with a further 4594 ha being marine (i.e. below low tide level). Due to the rocky nature of the Cuillin they have historically been of little use for agriculture: this contrasts with the majority of the highlands, where the hills were used to provide seasonal grazing for cattle and sheep. Despite the lack