Mull & Iona

Travel to Mull by ferry from Oban, and you feel that you are crossing to another world, passing enchanted caves, fairytale castles and looming lighthouses. You might even have an encounter with a sea monster (basking sharks may be harmless, but they still make an impression).

The wonderful wildlife of Scotland is at its richest and most diverse on the Isle of Mull, and in the waters around it. This is the place where a playful otter could cross your path at any moment, a majestic red deer stag will observe you from his mountain vantage point and golden and white-tailed eagles plummet from the skies before your disbelieving eyes. Out to sea, you can find guillemots, gannets and puffins above the water, especially around Staffa and the Treshnish Isles, while within it swim minke and killer whales, black baleen, harbour porpoises and Risso’s dolphins. Mull’s main port, Craignure, is a short ferry crossing from Oban, close to two imposing castles, the Victorian mansion of Torosay, and Duart Castle, which guards the Sound of Mull. The colourfully-painted northern capital, Tobermory, was the setting for children’s television programme Balamory and has plenty for the more mature visitor too, including the An Tobar Arts Centre which hosts events in a former Victorian primary school, and a distillery, museum and gallery, as well as inviting cafes, pubs restaurants and shops. The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust is a conservation and education charity with its base in the town centre, and the aquarium, at Ledaig, is Europe’s first to operate a policy of catch and release. Mull is an island of geological extremes, from the black volcanic rock of the Burg peninsula, to the sandy Calgary beach and the fertile farmland of Glen Forsa, and it is wonderful walking territory, whether you choose to take a short stroll or an ambitious hike across the island.

For a geological wonder to take your breath away, take a boat trip to the Isle of Staffa, an island created from hexagonal pillars of basalt, dotted with caves and covered with puffins – the sight of which more than justifies the myths that surround it. The Highland Clearances of the 19th century had a huge impact on Mull, where many crofters were forced to flee their homes after landowners realised their ground could be used more profitably for grazing sheep. Evidence of the evictions is still visible in the ruins of hastily abandoned townships such as Kildavie and Shiaba.

There are legends about land giants on Mull, but it is famed as a place to fall under the shadow of a giant of the skies. Thanks to a careful conservation programme, several pairs of rare white-tailed or sea eagles, Britain’s largest and most impressive bird of prey, nest and fish around the island, and golden eagles occupy the high ridges where they feast on mountain hare.

Big name mammals to look out for include red deer, fallow deer, and even wild goats, and be sure to keep an eye out during walks on the beach for the distinctive shapes of both grey and common seals basking on the rocks or bobbing up and down just off shore.

IONA

From Fionnphort at Mull’s southern tip, look across the sound to see St Margaret’s Abbey on the sacred island of Iona, accessible by pedestrian ferry.

Regardless of their faith, visitors to Iona are sure to be touched by this special little island. Once an important Christian community, it was the home of the Irish Saint Columba and the hub from which he established the Christian faith in Scotland.

Iona retains its spiritual atmosphere, and is still a place of pilgrimage today. As well as the abbey, now in the care of Historic Scotland, there are the ruins of earlier monastic settlements and a graveyard, believed to be the last resting place for the ancient Scottish kings, with the chapel of St Oran at its centre. The former Labour party leader, John Smith, once a regular visitor, is buried in St Oran’s cemetery.

A heritage centre on the island reveals more about its past, and a walk beyond the abbey grounds gives a sense of what might have attracted a saint in the first place – the views of Mull’s dramatic coastline and surrounding islands are truly inspiring, whether they follow a 300ft climb up Dun I, or a gentler stroll the creamy beaches of the north shore.

DIARy DATE:

Mull sportive, June 5. a unique cycling event with a spectacular course – mullsportive.co.uk