Island Hopping Mull and Iona
Looking out over Tobermory harbour. I
n a year that has been designated a cel- ebration of Natural Scotland, nowhere en- capsulates the wealth of wildlife the coun- try has to offer better than the Isle of Mull. This is the place where a playful otter could cross your path at any moment, a majes- tic 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 the encounters are richer still. You’ll fi nd guillemots, gannets and puffi ns above the water, especially around Staffa and the Treshnish Isles, while within it swim minke and killer whales, black baleen, har- bour porpoises and Risso’s dolphins. Travel to Mull by ferry from Oban, and you cannot help but feel that you are entering another world. You pass enchanted caves, fairytale castles, and if you’re lucky might even see a sea monster (basking sharks may be harmless, but these giant-jawed beasts certainly look like creatures from the depths of an active imagination.) Mull’s main port, Craignure, is a short ferry crossing from Oban, close to two impres- sive castles. A miniature steam train runs from Craignure to the Victorian mansion
of Torosay, while Duart castle guards the Sound of Mull. The northern capital, Tobermory, is known as the setting for children’s television pro- gramme Balamory, though it has also been gaining media and young readers’ attention recently through the saga of the Tobermory Cat. The town has plenty for the more mature visitor too, including the An Tobar Arts Cen- tre which hosts events in a former Victorian primary school, and a distillery, museum and gallery, as well as inviting cafes, pubs and restaurants. Mull Theatre, at Druimfi n, just outside the town, enjoys a national reputa- tion for its works. 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 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 and dotted with caves, the sight of which more than justifi es the myths that sur-
round it. The Highland Clearances of the 19th cen- tury had a huge impact on Mull, where many crofters were forced to fl ee their homes after landowners realised their ground could be used more profi tably grazing sheep. Evi- dence of the evictions is still visible in the ru- ins of hastily abandoned townships such as Kildavie and Shiaba. While there are many legends about land gi- ants on Mull, it is the best place in Europe to fall under the shadow of a giant of the skies. Thanks to a careful conservation pro- gramme, several pairs of rare white-tailed or sea eagles, Britain’s largest and most im- pressive bird of prey, nest and fi sh 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.
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