Lochaline Morvern seen from the Calmac Ferry

The ferry crossing takes about 10 minutes and when you head for Tobermory you enter the longest stretch of “normal road”, the A849, which stretches all the way from Tobermory in the north to Fionnphort in the south-west, gateway for Iona. All the other roads on Mull are single track. The first stretch of our trip took us from Fishnish passing Salen Bay to Tobermory. We had great views over the Sound of Mull towards Morvern and when a heavy rain shower passed we were rewarded with a beautiful rainbow.

Rainbow Sound of Mull

Tobermory is a colourful town, very picturesque and well equipped for visitors and locals alike. Important buildings in the town include Tobermory Clock Tower, a museum, the Tobermory Scotch whisky distillery, the Isle of Mull Brewery, and an arts centre. We had a nice stroll and were lucky that the rain stayed away, in fact the sun came out and we decided to continue our journey to the west.

Tobermory Isle of Mull

The road out of Tobermory to Dervaig is magnificent with Mishnish Lochs on the left while the road climbs higher and higher to Achnadrish. The views are sometimes breathtaking and you feel like being alone on the island. It will probably be different in the summer but in late February it was so very quiet, which was an added bonus. Dervaig is a wee village with a remarkable church tower, all white and rounded off. I haven’t seen anything like it elsewhere in Scotland.

Calgary Bay in the North of Mull

We headed for Calgary Bay in the far north-west of Mull and were lucky that a huge shower had passed just before we arrived. Calgary Bay is beautiful with it’s magnificent sandy beach, blue-green water and surrounding hills. Well worth a visit! We continued south over the B8073 towards Ensay and Tresnhish, probably named after the Treshnish Isles, a couple of miles south-west of Treshnish Point. Usually you get to see the Isle of Coll but another shower arrived so we headed south-east and enjoyed the magnificent road and views.

Mull Loch Tuath and Treshnish Isles in the distance

When you arrive at Tostarie you get to see dramatic views of Loch Tuach and the isles of Gometra, Ulva and further out to sea, to the west, the Treshnish Isles. We enjoyed this stretch of road immensely with its ever changing light, moods and views. There are several places here where you can stop and enjoy the scenery which is what we did as well.

Dramatic Light Sound of Ulva

Just passed Lagganulva which is nothing more than a couple of houses and a school, is a road to the right that takes you to the Ulva Ferry pier. There is no access for cars to Ulva which makes the island even more interesting for a visit, unfortunately we had to save that for some other time. Heading back for the main road towards Salen we stopped on a passing place overlooking the Sound of Ulva with more breathtaking views to the isles of Eorsa, Inch Kenneth and the high cliffs on the left which I believe belong to Creadh Bheinn. The sun broke through some dark clouds which gave extremely dramatic views somehow fitting to the stunning landscape.

Loch na Keal Isle of Mull

The road from Killiemor to Kellan along Loch na Keal usually offers splendid views of Ben More, with 966 metres the highest mountain on the Isle of Mull. Today however clouds covered the summit but the views of the loch and the light conditions made up for that. It was now 4pm and we headed back to Fishnish to catch the last ferry to Lochaline. It was a memorable day and we had a magnificent tour over the most beautiful part of Mull. I’m sure there is a lot more to discover which is all the more reason for a return visit.

A Remote Scottish Island In the Southern Hebrides

‘An island or isle is any piece of land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls are called islets. There are two main types of islands: continental islands and oceanic islands. A grouping of geographically and/or geologically related islands is called an archipelago. The word island comes from Old English ‘watery land’. However, the spelling of the word was modified in the 15th century by association with the etymologically unrelated Old French loanword isle.’

When I think of an island in relation to that special island feeling certain words emerge such as remote, lonely, magic, solitude, scenery, harsh, community, wild and wildlife, secluded beaches, wind swept and inaccessible just to name a few. Have you noticed that words like tropical and palm trees are not included in my list? For me islands have more appeal in a non tropical climate but that’s just a personal preferance. I find that an oceanic climate adds something extra to the island feelings of isolation and loneliness. In connection with dreams and islands I found the following: ‘To dream of being on an island can express the dreamer’s feelings of isolation and loneliness. At times, it can represent the desire to escape the hassle of everyday life.’

Others have tried to capture the magic of islands, and particularly the Scottish islands, in beautifully phrased descriptions such as Hamish Haswell Smith, the author of the book Scottish Islands: “There are few parts of the world which possess such magic and mystery as the seas around Scotland. This is an area of breathtaking beauty with a character formed not only by the proximity of mountains and sea but also by the complexity of the geography and the geology, of the climate and the social history. It is a serene yet chaotic landscape in which every isle has a distinct personality Each is an individual entity with differences so remarkable that the mere crossing of a short stretch of water can be like visting another continent.”

Sunrise over the Isle of Jura seen from Port Askaig Islay

On a Dutch website by Ruud Bijlsma I found another fitting description of islands and its people: “As a result of their prolonged isolation their atmosphere is different from the mainland. On an island you feel somewhat detached from the rest of the world. You can’t get off any moment you like, unless adverse weather prevents it. Other people cannot easily reach you there. That’s why people living on an island are different from ‘mainlanders’. They are more thrown together, more concerned with their own small community than with the wide ‘outside world’.” I think it’s true that island communities are often close knit, specially the smaller islands, which is probably something that remained from the old days when people had no other choice than to rely on each other.

I would like to end this story with a nice description of the Scottish islands, my favourites and probably yours too: “The islands of Scotland are some of the most enchanting places on earth. Even the tiniest of them has its own individual character and charm. Dramatic sunsets, spectacular scenery and a traditional Scottish island welcome are just a few of the things that await you.” Aye to that!