[Closed] Mull? Worth staying for a few days?

We went to Staffa with Staffatours this year from Fionnphort, very friendly and informative. We had about 90 minutes on Staffa. You get landed just along from Finals cave and there is a wire hand rail to help getting to it as the ground is uneven. We went during puffin season and spent more time watching them.

I've been to Mull two or three times for a couple of weeks at a time- I haven't done a Staffatours trip but been to Fingals Cave with Turus Mara. They do a trip where you land on Lunga(?) to see the puffins and then take you to Fingals Cave and land there. Was a great trip. They do trips from Ulva ferry terminal on Mull. Basically don't stay on an extremity and there will be things worth doing/walking in most directions. I have stayed at Pennyghael and Ballygown. Let me know where you decide to stay and I can recommend walks in the locality- don't underestimate how long it takes to drive across the island.

Stayed for a week in May a few years ago. Did a whale watching tour from Tobermory, didn't see whales but did see dolphins and sea eagle as well as golden eagle.

Beaches were amazing, definitely worth a visit for a few days in my opinion. Went with my parents and they liked it so much they have been back again since.

Mull is wonderful.

Driving round it is grim. But it's basically all a nice walk.

I would happily spend 4 days there then wish I had another week.

I really like mull - plenty to do ina scenery / outdoors way and a good chance of seeing eagles. I saw half a dozen in 3 days cycletouring

Definitely worth a few days.

Iona is worth a day of pottering about on foot (short ferry from Fionnport) and could easily spend longer. Tobermory is a good, lots of amazing, wild places on the West coast accessible with short walks. Beaches and coast round Fionnport are also worth visiting. We did this sort of pottering with a two year old, child backpack and all terrain pushchair 9 years ago and would love to go back.

As long as you are prepared for plenty of outside time in weathers then could easily use 4 days on Mull.

Edit: take some binoculars as loads of wildlife as well as birds seals and sea otters, etc.

I love mull, we've just come back from a week at Calgary in the north of the island, haven't been to Staffa for years though. There's plenty of lovely coastal walking, a bit rough in places, some wonderful beaches and sea eagles are common enough. Golden eagles are a bit harder to find. Roads are hard work if your not used to single track driving - Fionnphuirt is 40 miles from the craignure ferry and its all single track. Once we're there we don't drive about much. There are three ferry crossings, so you can combine mull with a trip to Ardnamurchan or Ardgour rather than using Oban/Craignure both ways.
Would your mum prefer a longer boat trip or a longer drive? I think i'd actually fancy a longer boat trip if Staffa alone was the goal, boat trips around the inner hebrides are fantastic. Whatever you do I'm sure it'll be great!

I've been. The walking options are fairly limited on the West side where we were. Great for proper wild exploring (which is what I'd like) but not for anything even semi-casual which is what my family needed. There might be more stuff on the East I'm not sure. Kayaking/SUPing would be great there, and the snorkelling was good.

I would prefer a long drive rather than a long boat having had the worst boat trip of my life getting to Lundy one year!

Thanks all, any recommendations of accomodation would be great. I'm thinking maybe a few days on there and then another few around Loch Lomond area.

We used Staffa Trips and they were superb. Dropped us off at Iona for the afternoon and got the main ferry back at about 6pm. If I was going back I might look into hiring a wildlife guide to help find otters as so far I've not had much luck seeing them although we think we saw a couple crossing the road in the distance the day we drove down to Fionnport.

"Mull? Worth staying for a few days?" Is this a joke?

We go for a week every year (until covid hit).

We did a good trip with Turas Mara.
Check out https://mulleaglewatch.com/ and Calgary Beach.

http://www.mullcharters.com/ are amazing.

Lot's of nice walks in the Forestry Commission leaflet:

https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/forests-on-the-isle-of-mull

We were there for a week in September, and could have done two, we stayed in Tobermory.

We did a Staffa tour with, er, Staffa Tours, they were great. Also went to Iona, loved it (wish we'd got up earlier to spend more time there, whoever said that it takes a while to drive around the island is right), Ulva (easily a day's worth of walking there), Calgary etc.

We are no mountaineers, but there's plenty of low-level rambling to be done.

Accomodation wise, we were in a one-bed place so probs not suitable.

Mull is wonderful.

Driving round it is grim.

So much this.

I live in Tobermory, so maybe a bit biased. Whilst there are nice parts outside of Oban, it’s nothing like being on the island. Driving is perfectly fine if you accept that 25mph is a reasonable speed and you might have to reverse to a passing place occasionally. Mull has incredible wildlife, but it’s not a safari park so you might have to seek it out - that said, there are 8 red deer outside my window. The best weather is typically in spring, but if you want to see the puffins on the Treshnish Isles, you need to come later. If you want to make the most of the island, best to split your stay between Tobermory and Fionnphort in the south so you can spend a day on Iona. From Tobermory, you could also do a day trip over to Ardnamurchan via the ferry to Kilchoan - visit the lighthouse, Sanna Bay, also better for spotting otter, pine marten, eagles as it is quieter / more remote.

The cafe on Ulva is great.
We went sea kayaking around Mull and saw otters and a white tailed sea eagle.
Really enjoyed it.

Driving round it is grim.

So much this.

Well, if your definition of grim is driving through beautiful scenery, and occasionally having to pause to let someone past, then maybe.

Dovebiker advised us to book ahead to get into the restaurants in Tobermory. We didn't. He was right 🙁 Luckily the fish van is a-mazing, so the alternative of eating scallop and chips sitting on the jetty wall was not too terrible 🙂

We did get into the restaurant by the distillery, but it was immensely average, so I wouldn't bother (nice bar for a pint though).

If you want an alternative then Tiree Sea Tours do a trip to Staffa and also trips to the puffins on the Treshnish Isles. Tiree is a wonderful island and great for steady walks on big beaches. I love it. But you’d also have a great time on Mull I’m sure.

Well, if your definition of grim is driving through beautiful scenery, and occasionally having to pause to let someone past, then maybe.

Kinda tongue in cheek, what I mean is its a bloody big island, if you wanna see all of it, there's a bit of driving involved! (given the OPs got a passenger, assuming they ain't gonna be biking around)

Mull is magical, we have a friend that moved there from Somerset a few years ago, bought a derelict chalet site at Dervaig and renovated them (Glen Houses Mull), the island is a beautiful experience.

If rooms in the mishnish are as good as the beer in the bar I'd stay there (tobermory). I've only ever slept onboard a mate's boat in the harbour but rowing back out was always fun after a lockin.

Mull. Well worth thinking it over.

Seriously though, one of the most beautiful places I have been.

If rooms in the mishnish are as good as the beer in the bar I’d stay there

To be fair, when we were there in about a month ago the beer in there was pretty poor (all they had was whatever Belhaven thing hadn't run out), but I'm pretty sure that was down to supply problems at the time. Great pub though, nonetheless. And the restaurant looked nice too but, again, we couldn't get in...

Kinda tongue in cheek, what I mean is its a bloody big island, if you wanna see all of it, there’s a bit of driving involved!

Yeah, can't argue with that.

Other good things I remember:

- Producers market in Tobermory on Tuesday(?) mornings was pretty good; not massive, but quality stuff for sale
- Cafe at Glengorm castle was excellent, lovely rambling-type walking around there too
- Calgary beach is pretty special, as is the road all the way down that west coast to Loch Beg
- Whiskey chocolate fudge from the The Coffee Pot in Salen (bought a bag at the market, bought another bag on the way past the cafe...)
- Walks out from Tobermory to the lighthouse and to Aros Park
- Walking around the bay at Dervaig.

Lots of sea and loch swimming spots too, if that's your bag (it's very much MrsIHN's)
Great place, we'll be back

Thanks all, I think we'll definitely stay for a few days at least to get the highlights, not fussed by singletrack roads and driving them, if it were myself and the OH it would be easy as we'd be happy schleping all over but it was more from the aspect of having things to do with my mum in tow really but all sounds good.

Just need to find somewhere to stay now!

The hostel at Craignure is superb.

I've stayed there quite a few times, it is really good and you always meet some interesting folks. It is very far removed from old school hostels.(nice lines, en-suite bathrooms, quiet and comfortable)

I think the smallest room is a four bunk but booking the whole room for your use would still probably work out cheaper than most hotels rooms.

https://craignure-bunkhouse.co.uk/

Our highlights were a curry night at the Cheese Barn near Tobermory, Cullen skink at the Scullery in Tobermory and the fish and chip van also in Tobermory. Port Na Ba beach near Croig is beautiful and the old post office cafe at Lochbuie is a lovely spot for coffee and cake and a gentle walk.

Great wee place with private rooms and shared kitchen etc, had a few days here in summer, good central location between Tobermory and Salen -

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/arle-lodge.html?aid=330631;label=msn-rpl1%2A4rngv1ZkfXf4vEcVg-16812122804%3Atikwd-16283702789%3Aloc-188%3Aneo%3Amte%3Alp4923%3Adec%3Aqsarle%20lodge%20mull;sid=0fb64d7d00b5d88237aa998b7f91cc8e;dest_id=-2609903;dest_type=city;dist=0;group_adults=2;group_children=0;hapos=0;hpos=0;no_rooms=1;req_adults=2;req_children=0;room1=A%2CA;sb_price_type=total;sr_order=popularity;srepoch=1633692139;srpvid=c9734ff4df840055;type=total;ucfs=1&

Aye, fish n chip van in Tobermory is awesome!

Just discovered Mull, spent three days there last month, rained off and on, so no chance of seeing the scenery but was there specifically to go on a Mullcharters photo trip, luckily it was only force 5 but the white tailed eagles visited and got some cracking photo’s, spent the other days looking for Otters, only fleeting glimpses.

I’ve already booked a cottage for next summer and we are going back This November on a 3 day Otter photography course.

So you could say I’ve become a bit of a fan of the island!

<br />json to geojson<br />

Mull is one of the best places in Scotland. A few days is just enough to give you a taste of it. Usual Scottish caveat re weather of course.

Walk out to Erraid (cut off at high tide) and head southwest to the stunning beach Traigh Gheal, really special place.

I spent a week with the family in Tobermory last summer. We loved it: great beaches, cycling, mountain walking, wildlife tours, whisky tasting, restaurants. I'd go back.

The driving is absolutely fine, just allow sufficient time for your journey and don't be a dick about giving way.

Just spent a week camping on Mull, could have easily filled another, it's crazy beautiful without being as busy as Skye. Also did the Staffatours thing to Fingals Cave, we could land because of the swell but still enjoyed it. They're a super nice bunch of peeps, and seemed reliable.

There's two hotels on Iona which do amazing food (we found it hard to get bad food tbh) and the trip over to Ulva to eat at the Boathouse is recommemded too. Lots of amazing beaches, including Calgary and Fidden. Tobermory is very pretty and also has a couple of nice restaurants inc Mishnish and the Fish Cafe

We've been over twice and would love to go back again sometime, Ben More is a good climb, Calgary Bay and the art gallery there are worth a day. Ulva too! Am Birlinn is a lovely place for food as is the Bellachroy Hotel at Dervaig.
Driving is a case of relaxing and going with the pace of the island, sat waiting for a family of highlands cooos to decide to move while driving the coast road is a particularly fond memory! 😊

As always, please post some pictures.

We actually liked the driving, because the scenery is so stunning and it's about relaxing and slowing down to the pace of island life, not 'making progress'

There’s two hotels on Iona which do amazing food

27 years ago on honeymoon we ate at Fionnphort slipway restaurant, spending the last of our budget and having to camp the night overlooking Iona. Still the best fish food meal I've ever had, still the most beautiful sunset we've ever seen. ❤️

We have not been back properly, but plan on visiting at Easter.

[img] [/img]

A bike ride from a couple of weeks ago, Tobermory to Dervaig, the “mountain road” over to Torloisk and then the coast road back around through Calgary, Dervaig and home again. The coast road, by bike or driving is just glorious and the Dervaig road whether descending or climbing is great too.