Calgary, Mull
Encyclopedia
The wide sand beach at Calgary is possibly the best in Mull
, and its idyllic location makes it one of the finest in Scotland
. Calgary Bay is located on the north west of Mull about 5 mi (8 km) past Dervaig, 12 mi (19.3 km) from the island's capital Tobermory, and is framed by low hills, partly wooded. A broad area of machair (a grassy meadow growing on calcareous
sand) lies between the land and the beach. As the tide falls a river meanders across the sands, and the adjacent car parking area and public toilets make this ideal for camping (small campsite as of 2006 with limited sites).
The name comes from the Gaelic
, Cala ghearraidh, meaning Beach of the meadow (pasture). "Cala" is the word specifically used for a hard, sandy beach suitable for landing a boat, which relates plausibly to the location. A small stone pier, originally built to allow "puffer
s" (small steam driven cargo boats) to deliver coal to the Mornish Estate, was also used to take sheep to and from grazing on the Treshnish Isles
and gives a further possible reason for the name of the bay.
Calgary village is a small community of houses close by the bay, and tourist accommodation is available. Just up the hill from the bay the deserted village of Inivea remains as roofless stone ruins, an atmospheric relic of the Highland clearances
. David Tennant
(a former Doctor Who
) traced his family back to here in the BBC programme, Who do you think you are?
On the East side of the bay Calgary House, now called Calgary Castle
, was built in 1817 extending an earlier Calgary Estate laird's
house. Its gardens include 150 species of rhododendron
and several specimen trees which were planted by Col. Eric and Elizabeth Mackenzie between 1948 and the early 1970s and who created the woodland garden which is still famous today.
Colonel James Macleod
, Commissioner of the North West Mounted Police, was a guest here and shortly afterwards on returning to Canada
suggested its name for Fort Calgary
which gave rise to the city of Calgary, Alberta a metropolis of 1,071,515 citizens and the Greater Calgary Region
- population: 1.3 million.
Isle of Mull
The Isle of Mull or simply Mull is the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute....
, and its idyllic location makes it one of the finest in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Calgary Bay is located on the north west of Mull about 5 mi (8 km) past Dervaig, 12 mi (19.3 km) from the island's capital Tobermory, and is framed by low hills, partly wooded. A broad area of machair (a grassy meadow growing on calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
sand) lies between the land and the beach. As the tide falls a river meanders across the sands, and the adjacent car parking area and public toilets make this ideal for camping (small campsite as of 2006 with limited sites).
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
, Cala ghearraidh, meaning Beach of the meadow (pasture). "Cala" is the word specifically used for a hard, sandy beach suitable for landing a boat, which relates plausibly to the location. A small stone pier, originally built to allow "puffer
Clyde puffer
The Clyde puffer is essentially a type of small steamboat which provided a vital supply link around the west coast and Hebrides islands of Scotland, stumpy little cargo ships that have achieved almost mythical status thanks largely to the short stories Neil Munro wrote about the Vital Spark and her...
s" (small steam driven cargo boats) to deliver coal to the Mornish Estate, was also used to take sheep to and from grazing on the Treshnish Isles
Treshnish Isles
The Treshnish Isles is an archipelago of small islands and skerries, lying west of Mull, in Scotland. They are part of the Inner Hebrides. From north to south, the larger islands include:* Cairn na Burgh Beag* Cairn na Burgh Mòr* Fladda...
and gives a further possible reason for the name of the bay.
Calgary village is a small community of houses close by the bay, and tourist accommodation is available. Just up the hill from the bay the deserted village of Inivea remains as roofless stone ruins, an atmospheric relic of the Highland clearances
Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
. David Tennant
David Tennant
David Tennant is a Scottish actor. In addition to his work in theatre, including a widely praised Hamlet, Tennant is best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 TV serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch, Jr...
(a former Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
) traced his family back to here in the BBC programme, Who do you think you are?
On the East side of the bay Calgary House, now called Calgary Castle
Calgary Castle
Calgary Castle, also known as Calgary House, is a 19th century castellated gothic mansion at Calgary on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. The mansion house was built in 1817 by Captain Alan MacAskill.Calgary Castle was owned by Col...
, was built in 1817 extending an earlier Calgary Estate laird's
Laird
A Laird is a member of the gentry and is a heritable title in Scotland. In the non-peerage table of precedence, a Laird ranks below a Baron and above an Esquire.-Etymology:...
house. Its gardens include 150 species of rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
and several specimen trees which were planted by Col. Eric and Elizabeth Mackenzie between 1948 and the early 1970s and who created the woodland garden which is still famous today.
Colonel James Macleod
James Macleod
Lieutenant-Colonel James Farquharson Macleod , born in Drynoch, Isle of Skye, Scotland, was a militia officer, lawyer, NWMP officer, magistrate, judge, and politician in Alberta. He served as the second Commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police, from July 22, 1876, to October 31, 1880...
, Commissioner of the North West Mounted Police, was a guest here and shortly afterwards on returning to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
suggested its name for Fort Calgary
Fort Calgary
Fort Calgary was established in 1875 as Fort Brisebois by the North-West Mounted Police, located at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers in what is now Calgary, Alberta.-History:...
which gave rise to the city of Calgary, Alberta a metropolis of 1,071,515 citizens and the Greater Calgary Region
Calgary Region
The Calgary Region is an area centred around Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It consists of the City of Calgary, Rocky View County and the municipalities it encloses, and the Municipal District of Foothills No. 31 and the municipalities it encloses. The Calgary Census Metropolitan Area and Calgary...
- population: 1.3 million.