|
|
The Isle of Mull is in the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland, with a coastline of around 300 miles (480km) and a climate that is warmed by the Gulf Stream. It has one Ben - that of Ben More at 3169ft (966m) - and many hills. Much of Mull is moorland covered in heather and the scenery and light are constantly changing. The main attraction of Mull as a holiday destination is to get away from all the other holiday makers! The island is extremely tranquil, with places where you can find peace and solitude, and places where you can enjoy the company of others if you want to.
Tobermory is the main town on Mull, and is a beautiful natural harbour with multi-coloured houses clustered around it. It has some great, locally owned shops for browsing in and some very good places to eat - including the only fish and chip van with a Relais Routier award.
There are loads of wildlife and birdlife things to do on Mull. The island is home to over 250 different bird species including the white-tailed (sea) and golden eagles, where they now have a stronghold. Minke whales, porpoises and dolphins are among the sea life that can be seen on boat tours from Mull and you will often find seals just lounging on the rocks only yards from the shore. Staffa Island isn't to be missed with the huge Fingal's Cave and, if you go at the right time of year, its vast resident population of puffins.
There are castles to visit including Duart Castle, the home of the Clan MacLean and used in the film "Entrapment". It's a real castle with battlements and dungeons and alleged secret passageways to the sea. Then there's Torosay Castle, which is a more gentle castle - more of a country house with its sweeping staircase and beautiful gardens. Mull's only railway - a narrow gauge track with steam trains - runs from Craignore to Torosay and is a fun way to get there.
There are also several shipwrecks around the shores which scuba divers can visit. In 1588 one of the ships of the Spanish Armada was moored in Tobermory Bay and blown up there, reputedly with £300,000 of gold bullion on board which hasn't been retrieved.
Iona is a must to visit - a tiny island off the southwest of Mull, it was where St. Columba arrived from Ireland in 563 and, along with his twelve followers and their successors, introduced Christianity to the British Isles.
Mull has been used as a location in a number of feature films over the years. As well as Entrapment these include Highlander, Eye of the Needle, I Know Where I'm Going, Kidnapped (1971) and When Eight Bells Toll. Travelling through eastern Mull to the Lochaline to Fishnish ferrylink may lead you through some of the scenes featured in the Harry Potter films. And also for the younger generation Tobermory is the setting for Balamory - along with a guided tour of the many different coloured houses seen in the programmes.
On the wildlife and birdlife side, Simon King went on location to Mull for the first week of Springwatch 2006 where, along with Bill Oddie, he observed a resident family of white-tailed eagles - a male and female named Skye and Frisa respectively, and their two chicks, Itchy and Scratchy.
If wildlife and birdlife aren't your things, then Mull can offer you some superb walks - both gentle and strenuous. You can sail around the island - either by hiring a yacht or bringing your own. There are two golf courses to play on, numerous ponies to ride and a brand new swimming pool to swim in. There are fish to be caught and bicycles to be ridden. There are deserted white sand beaches to walk on, paintings to be viewed and plays to be seen. And......at the end of the day......there's local whisky to be drunk!
Interactive Map
The red marker indicates the location of Seilisdeir. You can use our interactive map to explore the island.
Use the + and - buttons on the left of the map to zoom in and out and the arrow buttons to adjust the direction of your view. You can also move the map by placing the cursor on the map to grab and drag.
|
