Mull (Gaelic Muile) is a large island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. It's hilly and thinly populated; most people live on the northeast coastal strip between Craignure and Tobermory. Away from there, it feels very remote even though Mull is so accessible by ferry from the mainland.
You have to travel via Mull to reach the small nearby islands of Iona, Staffa which has Fingal's Cave, and Ulva.
The only non-commercial TIC on Mull is Craignure iCentre next to the pier where the ferry arrives from Oban. Others, eg in Tobermory, are simply marketing tours, which may be what you want.
- Tobermory. is the only sizeable town on the island, with colourful buildings along its seafront, and it's the obvious base for a stay on Mull. Children will recognise it from the BBC Scotland TV programme Balamory.
- Craignure. is the usual point of arrival on Mull, with ferries from Oban. Nearby is Duart Castle.
- Salen. midway between Tobermory and Craignure has accommodation. You also come this way to reach the island of Ulva..
- Calgary. has a fine beach but few visitor facilities; find these in Dervaig..
- Bunessan. and Fionnphort. are two small villages on the southwest tip of Mull. Fionnphort has ferries to Iona..
- Lochbuie. has the UK's smallest Post Office, a prehistoric stone circle, and a stump of a castle.
Tobermory. is the only sizeable town on the island, with colourful buildings along its seafront, and it's the obvious base for a stay on Mull. Children will recognise it from the BBC Scotland TV programme Balamory.
Craignure. is the usual point of arrival on Mull, with ferries from Oban. Nearby is Duart Castle.
Salen. midway between Tobermory and Craignure has accommodation. You also come this way to reach the island of Ulva..
Salen. midway between Tobermory and Craignure has accommodation. You also come this way to reach the island of Ulva..
Calgary. has a fine beach but few visitor facilities; find these in Dervaig..
Calgary. has a fine beach but few visitor facilities; find these in Dervaig..
Bunessan. and Fionnphort. are two small villages on the southwest tip of Mull. Fionnphort has ferries to Iona..
Bunessan. and Fionnphort. are two small villages on the southwest tip of Mull. Fionnphort has ferries to Iona..
Bunessan. and Fionnphort. are two small villages on the southwest tip of Mull. Fionnphort has ferries to Iona..
Lochbuie. has the UK's smallest Post Office, a prehistoric stone circle, and a stump of a castle.
- Isle of Staffa. Dramatic sea cave.
- Treshnish Isles. Group of small islands 3½ miles W of Mull. Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Many species of sea birds including a large colony of puffins (Apr-early Aug). The islands are also home to grey seals and include a number of castles (now ruins).
Isle of Staffa. Dramatic sea cave.
Treshnish Isles. Group of small islands 3½ miles W of Mull. Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Many species of sea birds including a large colony of puffins (Apr-early Aug). The islands are also home to grey seals and include a number of castles (now ruins).
- Castles: the only one you can tour is Duart Castle 3 miles south of Salen. Moy Castle in Lochbuie is an impressive tower but unsafe to enter. Others are either just scraps (eg Dùn Ara near Tobermory), or Victorian pseudo-castle mansions that are private residences - but you can stay in one at Glengorm Castle near Tobermory.
- Prehistoric standing stones: there's a complete circle at Lochbuie, a group of three at Glengorm near Tobermory, and several aligned standing stones near Dervaig on the road to Calgary.
Castles: the only one you can tour is Duart Castle 3 miles south of [[Salen]]. Moy Castle in [[Lochbuie]] is an impressive tower but unsafe to enter. Others are either just scraps (eg Dùn Ara near Tobermory), or Victorian pseudo-castle mansions that are private residences - but you can stay in one at Glengorm Castle near Tobermory.
Prehistoric standing stones: there's a complete circle at [[Lochbuie]], a group of three at Glengorm near Tobermory, and several aligned standing stones near Dervaig on the road to [[Calgary (Scotland) | Calgary]].
- Boat trips run to Fingal's Cave on the Isle of Staffa, Ulva, the Treshnish Isles, Iona, and whale & other wildlife spotting around Mull. They pick up from various points such as Tobermory, Craignure by the ferry pier, Ulva Ferry near Salen, and Oban on the mainland. Operators are:
- Staffa Tours, +44 7831 885985. and
- Turus Mara, +44 1688 400242.
- Climb Ben More, at 966 m (3169 ft) the only Munro on Mull. The simplest ascent is from Dhiseig south of Salen.
- Visit a whisky distillery at Tobermory.
- Diving: the waters around Mull, especially the straits between it and Ardnamurchan, have good wreck diving, see Diving in the United Kingdom. Tobermory is an obvious base, as is Oban or Lochaline. Just don't expect to find San Juan de Sicilia, the Spanish galleon that blew up off Tobermory in 1588. The legend of her treasure has been so pervasive, and 400 years of salvage so energetic, that a marine archaeology survey in 2006 found nothing left on the seabed but a crater.
- Mull Music Festival in late April features folk-rock bands, fiddle, accordion, dance and ceilidh bands. It's held mostly in Tobermory; the next event is 23-26 April 2020.
- Isle of Mull Highland Games are held in Tobermory in late July. The next event is Thurs 18 July 2019.
- The Mendelssohn on Mull Festival commemorates the composer's visit of 1829, when he saw Fingal's Cave on Staffa and was inspired to create The Hebrides overture. It's usually been held in summer but in 2019 will be on 2-7 Sept, with concerts at various venues on Mull and Iona with the closing event in Oban.
Boat trips run to Fingal's Cave on the Isle of Staffa, Ulva, the Treshnish Isles, Iona, and whale & other wildlife spotting around Mull. They pick up from various points such as Tobermory, Craignure by the ferry pier, Ulva Ferry near Salen, and Oban on the mainland. Operators are:
- Staffa Tours, +44 7831 885985. and
- Turus Mara, +44 1688 400242.
Boat trips run to Fingal's Cave on the Isle of Staffa, Ulva, the Treshnish Isles, Iona, and whale & other wildlife spotting around Mull. They pick up from various points such as Tobermory, Craignure by the ferry pier, Ulva Ferry near Salen, and Oban on the mainland. Operators are:
- Staffa Tours, +44 7831 885985. and
- Turus Mara, +44 1688 400242.
Climb Ben More, at 966 m (3169 ft) the only Munro on Mull. The simplest ascent is from Dhiseig south of [[Salen]].
Visit a whisky distillery at [[Tobermory (Scotland) | Tobermory]].
Diving: the waters around Mull, especially the straits between it and Ardnamurchan, have good wreck diving, see [[Diving in the United Kingdom]]. Tobermory is an obvious base, as is Oban or Lochaline. Just don't expect to find San Juan de Sicilia, the Spanish galleon that blew up off Tobermory in 1588. The legend of her treasure has been so pervasive, and 400 years of salvage so energetic, that a marine archaeology survey in 2006 found nothing left on the seabed but a crater.
Mull Music Festival in late April features folk-rock bands, fiddle, accordion, dance and ceilidh bands. It's held mostly in Tobermory; the next event is 23-26 April 2020.
Isle of Mull Highland Games are held in Tobermory in late July. The next event is Thurs 18 July 2019.
The Mendelssohn on Mull Festival commemorates the composer's visit of 1829, when he saw Fingal's Cave on Staffa and was inspired to create The Hebrides overture. It's usually been held in summer but in 2019 will be on 2-7 Sept, with concerts at various venues on Mull and Iona with the closing event in Oban.
Before leaving the mainland, stock up on fuel, cash (ATMs on Mull are sparse and may charge withdrawal fees) and just about anything else you expect to need.
There's a Co-op in Tobermory and Spar convenience stores there and in Salen, Craignure, Bunessan and Iona.
Take usual sensible precautions about safeguarding valuables and driving cautiously on the narrow roads, but the main hazards are natural: cold winds and driving rain any time any day, seas that can turn rough, and in summer midges, midges, midges. They don't mind rain, they scorn repellants, the only sure deterrent is a stiff breeze and shut that door before they all get in.
Mobile phone coverage on Mull is poor. As of early 2019, with Vodafone and O2 around the main villages you'll manage a call but probably not Wifi; with other networks or away from those villages the coverage is flat zero.