SCOTTISH ISLAND IDYLLS

The islands of Mull and Iona  are one of my most favourite places on the earth.  So join me  on my island journey recalling  many happy visits. 

 

 I feel this could be in the Greek Islands - but no  it was on Iona, looking across to the hills of Mull on a beautiful  day in September  - not your usual  image of Scotland! 

MULL   is the second largest island in  the inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland and a wonderful place for an "away from it all" holiday.   The Mull song says it all:

'The Isle of Mull is of isles the fairest,
Of ocean's gems 'tis the first and rarest;
Green grassy island of sparkling fountains,
Of waving woods and high tow'ring mountains."

 

Sailing out of Oban on the mainland at the start of our journey- a 45 minute sail where you pass the Lismore Lighthouse and are surrounded by just hills and water.

Lismore Lighthouse 

 

 

 Duart Castle is  the first sight on approaching Mull  by the the Ferry  - the 13th century ancestral home of the Clan McLean guarding  the entrance to the Sound of Mull

 

Landing at Craignure, we then travelled 50 miles on a single track road to Fionnphort,  the most westerly point on the island  -  a tiny village of some 70 residents with  one pub, one   shop,  one cafe, one seafood cabin, and the ferry office, gateway to the islands of Iona and Staffa.  

The first time I had seen such a sign!  

 

 

  From Fionphort looking across to Iona

 

At Fionnphort is  the ferry to Iona.  It is is only a 10 minute crossing, but can get surprisingly choppy in poor weather.  Only Iona residents can take their car across.  Despite  the number of   tourist that visit the island, it is amazing how quickly you can get away from them and often find yourself on your own on one of the many beaches. 

 

 

 

 

There is something very special about Iona and the peace and tranquillity you can experience there.   It is only  1.5 miles wide by 3 miles long, with a population of around 120 permanent residents, but everyone talks about  the magical nature of this   seat of Scottish Christianity where St. Columba founded his Abbey in 563AD. Later it became a place of pilgrimage and learning,   and over 40 of Scotland's earliest kings were buried there. The restored medieval abbey continues to hold daily services  and 48 kings of Scotland are reputed to be buried in the grounds. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Deep peace of the running waves"

(A line from John Rutter's Gaelic Blessing) 

 

 

 Iona War Memorial

From Fionnphort, one day, we took the small boat trip out to Staffa. Besides going in the cave, we also climbed the rather precarious steps up to the top of the  island, with a rope to hold on to  as a safely aid, and saw whales swimming.  

Its most famous feature is Fingal's Cave,  a large sea cave located near the southern tip of the island some 60 feet high.   The sight  of the rocks and the sound of the sea inspired composer Felix Mendellsohn to capture his visit  in 1829 in "The Hebrides Overture". Other famous visitors made the journey there  - John Keats, Sir Walter Scott, Joseph Turner and Robert Louis Stevenson.  Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were rowed into the cave on the royal barge in 1847.

 

 Highland Cattle freely roam the village of Fionphort

  

 

One hungry  cow decided to take a nibble from the garden of our holiday cottage, so I dashed out to take a photograph. 

 

This young cow  stood motionless at the side of the road, very happy to pose for the visitors walking down to the ferry across to Iona.

                                             

 

 Two shop signs in  Tobermory - the principal village was the setting for the children's TV series "Balamory".  It  was built as a fishing port in the late 18th century and is   noted for its brightly painted buildings along the main street to the pie

 

 

And So Farewell to Mull

Did You Know? 

• Calgary in Canada takes its name from Calgary on Mul

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