What to see and do on Mull

The Island of Mull has much to offer to the holidaymaker; spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife, sea and sand, a Munro to climb, interesting geology, ancient ruins, and a handful of castles, to name but a few of its attractions.




Sandy beaches

The coastline of Mull has a large number of sandy beaches; some, such as Calgary Bay in the northwest of the island, are near a main road and attract more visitors (but “more” in Mull terms is relative – the busiest beaches would be thought of as almost deserted if you transported them to the mainland!), while others, such as Market Bay on the north coast of the Ross of Mull, are accessible only after an energetic hike, and are quiet and secluded. Most of the beaches are of golden sand, but the beach at Carsaig on the south coast of the Ross is almost black sand, from the colour of the volcanic rock from which it was formed.

The sea around Mull is crystal clear, and on a sunny day, the intense blues and greens of the sea and sky can make the Mediterranean look positively boring. It is possible to swim in the sea if you can stand the temperature; however, from time to time you will find jellyfish in the water, so take care to avoid them. Uisken beach on the south coast is the venue for the annual Uisken games at the beginning of August; this is a very light-hearted affair, with assorted races on the sand and a raft race around the bay on home-made rafts – great fun!

The neighbouring Ardalanish beach is the venue for the annual “shinty” match on New Year’s Day; a motley crew of players shows up, some armed with the most unconventional shinty sticks, and two teams are picked. The rules are a little hard to discern, but after a while, the match is either declared won or drawn, and the exhausted players retire to Ardalanish farm for bread and home-made soup.




Mull Railway and Torosay Castle

Mull has its own miniature steam railway (mullrail.co.uk) that carries passengers from the station near the ferry terminal at Craignure to Torosay Castle. The journey is only a couple of miles, but it makes an enjoyable outing for young and old. The castle is 150 years old, and is itself an interesting place to visit, with pleasantly laid out gardens and interesting exhibits inside.




Bunessan and Salen shows

The Bunessan show takes place in the grounds of Bunessan primary school, usually in the first week of August; the Salen show jist north of the village of Salen on the east of the island, usually the following week. These are traditional village agricultural and produce shows; there is fierce competition for the various cups on offer for livestock, baking, arts and crafts, vegetables, and so on. There are also side shows and stalls; a chainsaw sculptor will carve animals while you watch, Wings Over Mull often bring a selection of their birds of prey and give a flying demonstration, there are food stalls and stalls selling local produce.






Castles

A visit to Scotland would not be complete without visiting a castle or two, and there are several to be found on the island. Torosay is a relatively modern example; close by, just outside Craignure, Duart castle is rather older, dating back 400 years. Duart is still occupied and is the base of the Clan Maclean. In Cromwell’s time, the castle was unsuccessfully attacked by a party of Roundheads; this happened again in the summer of 2006, when Colonel Hugh Fraser’s Regiment of Dragoones successfully repulsed an attack by a rather smaller band of Roundheads. Moy castle on Loch Buie on the south coast of the Ross of Mull is rather smaller than Duart and is now just a ruined shell; Glengorm Castle at the very northern tip of the island is of a similar vintage to Torosay.





Staffa and Fingal’s Cave

The island of Staffa, with its spectacular basalt columns and the cave that inspired Mendelssohn's Hebridean overture, are not to be missed. Boat trips are available from the pier at Fionnphort or Iona.

www.staffatrips.co.uk

www.fingals-cave-staffa.co.uk




Tobermory

Tobermory is the only town on the island, and was famous for its brightly painted buildings long before the advent of the Balamory programmes. There are gift shops and galleries to visit, the home of the famous Isle of Mull Cheddar is just outside the town, and of course, the award-winning mobile fish and chip van can be found on the pier.




Iona

The island of Iona, with its restored abbey that dates back to the early days of Christianity in Scotland, is a short ferry ride from the pier at Fionnphort. The abbey is now maintained by Historic Scotland. In addition to the abbey, there are several gift shops and craft shops on the island, and some lovely sand and shingle beaches. At the southern end of the island is the Iona marble quarry, where stone for the lovely altar in the Abbey was quarried.





Erraid

Robert Lois Stevenson visited Erraid many times, and the island features in his book “Kidnapped”. The island is at the west end of the Ross of Mull, connected to the main island at low tide, when you can walk to it across the sand.

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