Isle of Mull
Encyclopedia
The Isle of Mull or simply Mull (Scottish Gaelic Muile, ˈmulə) is the second largest island
of the Inner Hebrides
, off the west coast of Scotland
in the council area of Argyll and Bute
.
With an area of 875.35 square kilometres (338 sq mi) Mull is the fourth largest Scottish island and the fourth largest island surrounding Great Britain.
In the 2001 census
the usual resident population of Mull was 2,667; in the summer this is supplemented by many tourists. Much of the population lives in Tobermory, the only burgh
on the island until 1973, and its capital.
Tobermory is also home to Mull's only single malt Scotch whisky distillery, Tobermory (formerly Ledaig)
.
, from around 6000 BC. Bronze Age
inhabitants built menhir
s, broch
s and a stone circle
with examples of burial cairns, cists, standing stones, stone circles, pottery and knife blades providing compelling evidence.
Between 600 BC to 400 AD Iron Age
inhabitants were building protective forts, duns and crannogs. The early Christian
period began in the 6th Century, with 563AD being a pivotal point as it is believed that Christianity was brought to this part of northern Britain by St. Columba, when he arrived from Ireland to set up a monastery on the Island of Iona just off the south-west point of Mull.
In the 14th century Mull became part of the Lordship of the Isles
. After the collapse of the Lordship in 1493 the island was taken over by the clan MacLean, and in 1681 by the clan Campbell.
Legend has it that the wreck of a Spanish galleon, laden with gold, lies somewhere in the mud at the bottom of Tobermory Bay - although the ship's true identity, and cargo, are in dispute. By some accounts, the Florencia (or Florida, or San Francisco), a member of the defeated Spanish Armada
fleeing the English fleet in 1588, anchored in Tobermory to take on provisions. Following a dispute over payment, the ship caught fire and the gunpowder magazine exploded, sinking the vessel. In her hold, reputedly, was £300,000 in gold bullion. Other sources claim the vessel was the San Juan de Sicilia (or San Juan de Baptista), which, records indicate, carried troops, not treasure. According to that account, the island's chief, Lachlan Mor Maclean
, struck a deal with the Spanish commander to reprovision and refit the ship in return for military intervention on the side of the MacLeans in their feud with enemies on nearby islands. Whatever the true story, numerous searches for the wreck, and its rumored treasure, took place from the mid-17th century to the end of the 20th century. No significant treasure has ever been recovered in Tobermory Bay.
In 1773 the island was visited by Samuel Johnson
and James Boswell
during their famous Tour of the Western Islands.
During the Highland Clearances
in the 18th and 19th centuries, the population fell from 10,000 to less than 3,000.
The whole island became a Restricted Area during World War 2. The bay at Tobermory became a naval base commanded from HMS Western Isles
. The base and the Restricted Area were under Commodore (later Vice Admiral) Sir Gilbert Stephenson
, whose strict discipline and ferocious temper earned him the nickname "The Terror of Tobermory". The base was used to train Escort Groups
in anti-submarine warfare. 911 ships passed through the base between 1940 and 1945.
Mull boasts such historic buildings as Duart Castle
and Torosay Castle
, both open to the public from Easter to September. (Torosay Castle is to open Easter until end of June 2011(subject to change due to sale of castle.) Moy Castle
is a small distressed castle on the shore of Lochbuie. The mausoleum of Lachlan Macquarie
, Governor of New South Wales
from 1809 to 1822, may be found in the village of Gruline on the island (Macquarie had been born on the nearby island of Ulva
).
A notable 17th-century poetess Mary Macleod (Mairi Nighean Alasdair Ruaidh) was said to have been banished here.
. The island has a mountainous core, the highest peak on the island being Ben More
, which reaches 966 metres (3,169.3 ft). Various peninsulas, which are predominantly moorland
, radiate from the centre.
The Aros peninsula to the north includes the main town of Tobermory, which was a burgh
until 1973 when burghs were abolished. Other settlements include Salen
and Calgary
. The Ross of Mull
lies to the south west and includes the villages of Bunessan
, Pennyghael, Uisken
and Fionnphort
. Lochbuie
, Lochdon and Craignure lie to the east.
Numerous islands lie off the west coast of Mull, including Erraid
, Inch Kenneth
, Iona
and Ulva
. Smaller uninhabited islands include Eorsa
, Gometra
, Little Colonsay
, the Treshnish Isles
and Staffa
of Fingal's Cave
fame. Calve Island
is an uninhabited island in Tobermory Bay.
Two outlying rock lighthouses are also visible from the south west of Mull, Dubh Artach
and Skerryvore
. The Torran Rocks
are a large shoal of reefs, islets and skerries, approximately 15 square miles (38.8 km²) in extent, located two miles (3 km) to the south west, between the Ross of Mull peninsula and Dubh Artach. Frank Lockwood's
Island near Lochbuie
is named after the brother-in-law of the 21st MacLean of Lochbuie, who was Solicitor General
from 1894-5.
Part of the indented west coast of Mull and some of the offshore islands there are part of the Loch Na Keal
National Scenic Area
, one of 40 in Scotland.
ash (used in the manufacture of soap
and glass
) were the main economic activities on the island until the 19th century. Tobermory was built by the British Fisheries Society in 1788 as a planned settlement to support the fishing industry. In the mid 19th century the Highland Potato Famine and the Highland Clearances
reduced the population by two thirds and the island economy collapsed. In the early 20th century there were more sheep than people.
The economy began to revive when the construction of Craignure pier in 1964 started to bring tourists. Tourism is now the mainstay of the island economy. Ecotourism
became popular from the 1990s and the re-introduction of White-tailed eagle
s in 2005 became a particular ecotourist drawcard.
There is a small amount of farming, aquaculture
and fishing, and Forestry Commission Scotland
has several plantations on the island. Tobermory also has one whisky
distillery and one brewery
. The brewery makes beer named after aspects of island history, such as Terror of Tobermory
Dark Ale, Galleon Gold Ale and Red Monk of Iona
Amber Ale.
Ferry
links to Mull from the mainland include Oban
to Craignure (approx. 45 minutes), Kilchoan
to Tobermory (approx. 35 minutes) and Lochaline
to Fishnish
(approx. 15 minutes). Although advance bookings are not required for the Kilchoan or Fishnish ferries, access does require driving on single-track roads on the mainland side.
There are ferry links from Fionnphort
on Mull to the neighbouring island of Iona
and from Oskamull to Ulva
. In past years there were direct sailings to Oban (calling at Drimnin, Salen, Lochaline and Craignure), and Barra, Coll and Tiree from Tobermory. During the summer there was also a sailing to Staffa and Iona from Oban which called at Tobermory.
The Isle of Mull Railway
runs from Craignure to Torosay Castle
. The service closed in October 2010 apart from a one off closing special day on 4 December 2010.
It is possible to fly to Mull in a private light aircraft using a landing strip near Salen. There was a sea plane that linked Tobermory with Glasgow and Oban. The regular scheduled service terminated in 2009. Loganair operated a scheduled service to Glasgow in the 1960s from Glenforsa.
Buses are operated by Bowmans Coaches (Mull) Ltd.. Services operate from Tobermory to Calgary
via Dervaig (Service 494), Tobermory to Craignure
via Salen
(Service 495), and Craignure
to Fionnphort
via Bunessan
(Service 496). Limited services operate to Lochbuie
and Gruline.
A minibus service also operates seasonally from Craignure to Duart Castle
.
between Oban and Grass Point in 1871. There were telegraph offices at Tobermory, Dervaig, Calgary, Craignure, Pennyghael, Tiroran, Fionnphort, Bunessan and Iona.
The Post Office
built an experimental wireless telegraph station on Meall an Inbhire near Tobermory in 1892.
AM radio
, broadcast from Oban, came to the island in 1930 and television in 1954. New AM radio and UHF
television transmitters were constructed on Druim Mòr, 1 mile west of Torosay Castle
, in 1978. Digital transmissions commenced on 15 November 1998 and analogue transmissions ceased on 27 October 2010. The digital transmitters have 21 relays on Mull, surrounding islands and parts of the mainland. They are collectively called the Torosay Transmitter Group.
, Highlander: Endgame
, Eye of the Needle
, I Know Where I'm Going
, Kidnapped
, When Eight Bells Toll
and Blooded
was filmed in the more remote parts of the Island. Mull also served as the location for The Sea Change, which began filming towards the end of 2008.
The BBC children's TV series Balamory
features the town of Tobermory on the island. This increased tourism as it offers a range of activities to do around the island.
Mull Theatre is a professional theatre company based in a new (2008) theatre production centre on the outskirts of Tobermory. Funded by the Scottish Arts Council
, the company commissions plays, tours throughout Scotland and beyond and runs an education and outreach programme. It started at the "Mull Little Theatre" at Dervaig in 1966 and was the "Smallest Professional Theatre in the World" according to the Guinness World Records
. The National Theatre of Scotland
were in residence at the Mull Theatre in April 2009. AN TOBAR, based in Tobermory, is the only publicly funded multidisciplinary arts centre in Argyll. Established in 1997, it is a centre for visual arts, crafts and music.
Wildlife film-maker Simon King
went on location to Mull for the first week of Springwatch with Bill Oddie
, where he observed a resident family of white-tailed eagle
s – a male and female named Skye and Frisa respectively, and their two chicks, Itchy and Scratchy. Wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan
recently returned to his native Mull to film a year in the life of the wildlife. First broadcast in 2005 for the Natural World series, "Eagle Island" focuses on sea eagles, golden eagle
s, otter
s, basking shark
s and the cetaceans found off the coast.
The singer song writer Colin MacIntyre
famously once used the name Mull Historical Society
as a pseudonym. Born on the island he took the name from the actual Historical Society who have since changed their name to Mull Historical and Archaeological Society
.
, which was reintroduced
in the nearby Island of Rùm
and migrated to Mull, where it now has a stronghold. Minke whale
s, porpoise
s and dolphin
s are among the sea life that can be seen on boat tours from Mull.
event held on the island every October. While some well off competitors benefit from superior cars, the locals benefit from their knowledge of the roads and thus anyone can win. "The Best Rally In The World" is the title of a book written by the founder of the event, Brian Molyneux. Previously sponsored by Philips
, it has been sponsored since 2005 by Tunnock's
, the Lanarkshire biscuit manufacturer.
There are several shipwreck
s around the shores which offer scuba diving
.
There is an Isle of Mull Cycling Club.
Mull Runners organise a half marathon and 10K run each August. It is run between Craignure and Salen.
Rugby is played at Garmony (beside the Craignure to Salen road 6.5 miles north of Craignure). The Mull Rugby 7s Competition takes place annually in May at The Isle of Mull R.F.C's rugby club.
There are golf courses at Tobermory (Erray Park), Craignure (beside the Craignure to Salen road a mile north of Craignure) and on the Isle of Iona.
Mull Highland Games are held each August in the grounds of Tobermory Golf Club (Erray Park). Events include Heavy Weights, Light Field, and Highland Dance. See the Scottish Highland Games Association website for dates.
There is a swimming pool at the Isle of Mull Hotel, Craignure open to the general public at advertised times.
There are tennis courts in Tobermory. Apply at the Argyll and Bute Council Offices, Breadalbane Street, Tobermory for details.
was created to identify key goals for the communities of Mull and Iona
. Mull & Iona Community Trust (MICT) was formed in 1997 and published a comprehensive "Community Regeneration Strategy" for the islands. They have purchased the only butchers' shop on the island (closed February 2010), created a community run Countryside Ranger service, instigated various recycling initiatives and provide a fundraising and training consultancy.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of the Inner Hebrides
Inner Hebrides
The Inner Hebrides is an archipelago off the west coast of Scotland, to the south east of the Outer Hebrides. Together these two island chains form the Hebrides, which enjoy a mild oceanic climate. There are 36 inhabited islands and a further 43 uninhabited Inner Hebrides with an area greater than...
, off the west coast of 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...
in the council area of Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
.
With an area of 875.35 square kilometres (338 sq mi) Mull is the fourth largest Scottish island and the fourth largest island surrounding Great Britain.
In the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
the usual resident population of Mull was 2,667; in the summer this is supplemented by many tourists. Much of the population lives in Tobermory, the only burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
on the island until 1973, and its capital.
Tobermory is also home to Mull's only single malt Scotch whisky distillery, Tobermory (formerly Ledaig)
Tobermory (whisky distillery)
Tobermory is a Scotch whisky distillery situated on the Hebridean island of Mull, Scotland in the village of Tobermory. The distillery, which was formerly known as Ledaig, was founded in 1798 and has changed hands several times, having undergone a number of periods of closure. The only distillery...
.
History
It is widely understood that Mull was inhabited shortly after the end of the last Ice AgeIce age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
, from around 6000 BC. Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
inhabitants built menhir
Menhir
A menhir is a large upright standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top...
s, broch
Broch
A broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland. Brochs include some of the most sophisticated examples of drystone architecture ever created, and belong to the classification "complex Atlantic Roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s....
s and a stone circle
Stone circle
A stone circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle. Such monuments have been constructed across the world throughout history for many different reasons....
with examples of burial cairns, cists, standing stones, stone circles, pottery and knife blades providing compelling evidence.
Between 600 BC to 400 AD Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
inhabitants were building protective forts, duns and crannogs. The early Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
period began in the 6th Century, with 563AD being a pivotal point as it is believed that Christianity was brought to this part of northern Britain by St. Columba, when he arrived from Ireland to set up a monastery on the Island of Iona just off the south-west point of Mull.
In the 14th century Mull became part of the Lordship of the Isles
Lord of the Isles
The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
. After the collapse of the Lordship in 1493 the island was taken over by the clan MacLean, and in 1681 by the clan Campbell.
Legend has it that the wreck of a Spanish galleon, laden with gold, lies somewhere in the mud at the bottom of Tobermory Bay - although the ship's true identity, and cargo, are in dispute. By some accounts, the Florencia (or Florida, or San Francisco), a member of the defeated Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
fleeing the English fleet in 1588, anchored in Tobermory to take on provisions. Following a dispute over payment, the ship caught fire and the gunpowder magazine exploded, sinking the vessel. In her hold, reputedly, was £300,000 in gold bullion. Other sources claim the vessel was the San Juan de Sicilia (or San Juan de Baptista), which, records indicate, carried troops, not treasure. According to that account, the island's chief, Lachlan Mor Maclean
Sir Lachlan Mor Maclean
Sir Lachlan Mór Maclean or Lachlan the Great, was the 14th Clan Chief of Clan MacLean from late 1573 or early 1574 until 1598.Mór or Mor translates as great in English, or magnus in Latin, when added to a name in Scottish Gaelic....
, struck a deal with the Spanish commander to reprovision and refit the ship in return for military intervention on the side of the MacLeans in their feud with enemies on nearby islands. Whatever the true story, numerous searches for the wreck, and its rumored treasure, took place from the mid-17th century to the end of the 20th century. No significant treasure has ever been recovered in Tobermory Bay.
In 1773 the island was visited by Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
and James Boswell
James Boswell
James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland; he is best known for the biography he wrote of one of his contemporaries, the English literary figure Samuel Johnson....
during their famous Tour of the Western Islands.
During 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...
in the 18th and 19th centuries, the population fell from 10,000 to less than 3,000.
The whole island became a Restricted Area during World War 2. The bay at Tobermory became a naval base commanded from HMS Western Isles
HMS Western Isles
Batavier IV was a passenger ship taken into in the Royal Navy as the Command Ship HMS Western Isles.As the passenger ship Batavier IV she had previously provided a service between the Western Isles of Scotland...
. The base and the Restricted Area were under Commodore (later Vice Admiral) Sir Gilbert Stephenson
Gilbert Stephenson
Sir Gilbert Owen Stephenson CMG CB KBE DL was a British Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy, a pioneer of anti-submarine techniques in World War I, and most famous as an important Naval training commandant during World War II....
, whose strict discipline and ferocious temper earned him the nickname "The Terror of Tobermory". The base was used to train Escort Groups
Escort Group (naval)
Escort Groups for convoy protection were a British development in the war at sea during World War II. They were a tactical innovation by the Royal Navy in anti-submarine warfare, to combat the threat of the German Navy's "wolfpack" tactics....
in anti-submarine warfare. 911 ships passed through the base between 1940 and 1945.
Mull boasts such historic buildings as Duart Castle
Duart Castle
Duart Castle or Caisteal Dhubhairt in Scottish Gaelic is a castle on the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland, within the council area of Argyll and Bute...
and Torosay Castle
Torosay castle
Torosay Castle is a large house situated 1½ miles south of Craignure on the Isle of Mull, in the Scottish Inner Hebrides.It was designed by architect David Bryce for John Campbell of Possil in the Scottish Baronial style, and completed in 1858...
, both open to the public from Easter to September. (Torosay Castle is to open Easter until end of June 2011(subject to change due to sale of castle.) Moy Castle
Moy Castle
Moy Castle is an extant, but badly damaged castle near Lochbuie, Mull.-History:Moy Castle was built in the 15th century by Hector Reaganach Maclean, 1st Laird of Lochbuie, brother of Lachlan Lubanach Maclean of Duart. It has a three level tower with a garret. The ground floor contains a well...
is a small distressed castle on the shore of Lochbuie. The mausoleum of Lachlan Macquarie
Lachlan Macquarie
Major-General Lachlan Macquarie CB , was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of the colony...
, Governor of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
from 1809 to 1822, may be found in the village of Gruline on the island (Macquarie had been born on the nearby island of Ulva
Ulva
Ulva is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, off the west coast of Mull. It is separated from Mull by a narrow strait, and connected to the neighbouring island of Gometra by a bridge. Much of the island is formed from Tertiary basalt rocks, which is formed into columns in places.Ulva has...
).
A notable 17th-century poetess Mary Macleod (Mairi Nighean Alasdair Ruaidh) was said to have been banished here.
Schooling
There is one secondary school on the island,based in Tobermory, and several primary schools. Secondary pupils (age 11 - 18) from Iona, Bunessan and Fionnphort in the south west attend Oban High School, staying in an Oban hostel from Monday to Thursday.Geography
Mull has a coastline of 480 kilometres (298.3 mi) and its climate is moderated by the Gulf StreamGulf Stream
The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates at the tip of Florida, and follows the eastern coastlines of the United States and Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean...
. The island has a mountainous core, the highest peak on the island being Ben More
Ben More (Mull)
Ben More is the highest mountain and only Munro on the Isle of Mull, Scotland....
, which reaches 966 metres (3,169.3 ft). Various peninsulas, which are predominantly moorland
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
, radiate from the centre.
The Aros peninsula to the north includes the main town of Tobermory, which was a burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
until 1973 when burghs were abolished. Other settlements include Salen
Salen, Mull
Salen is a settlement on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. It is on the east coast of the island, on the Sound of Mull, approximately halfway between Craignure and Tobermory...
and Calgary
Calgary, Mull
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 past Dervaig, from the island's capital Tobermory, and is framed by low hills, partly wooded. A broad area of...
. The Ross of Mull
Ross of Mull
The Ross of Mull is the largest peninsula of the island of Mull, about long and makes up the south-western part of the island. It is bounded to the north by Loch Scridain and by the Firth of Lorne to the south. The main villages are Bunessan and Fionnphort with smaller settlements including...
lies to the south west and includes the villages of Bunessan
Bunessan
Bunessan is a small village on the Ross of Mull in the south of the island of Mull, on the west coast of Scotland...
, Pennyghael, Uisken
Uisken
Uisken is a settlement on a sandy bay on the Ross of Mull in the south of the Isle of Mull, on the west coast of Scotland. Originally a small hamlet of farmers in the Scottish farming tradition called crofting, the area had several running crofts until the 1900s.The population is roughly...
and Fionnphort
Fionnphort
Fionnphort is the principal port of the Ross of Mull, and the second largest settlement in the locale . Fionnphort is the base of the ferry service between 'mainland' Mull and Iona, and also boat trips to Staffa...
. Lochbuie
Lochbuie, Mull
Lochbuie is a settlement on the island of Mull in Scotland about west of Craignure. The name is from the Scottish Gaelic Locha Buidhe, meaning "yellow loch".-Geography:...
, Lochdon and Craignure lie to the east.
Numerous islands lie off the west coast of Mull, including Erraid
Erraid
The Isle of Erraid is a tidal island approximately one mile square in area located in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. It lies west of Mull and southeast of Iona. The island receives about of rain and 1,350 hours of sunshine annually, making it one of the driest and sunniest places on the western...
, Inch Kenneth
Inch Kenneth
Inch Kenneth is a small grassy island in the parish of Kilfinichen and Kilvickeon, Argyllshire. The island is situated at the entrance of Loch Na Keal, off the west coast of the Isle of Mull, Scotland, to the south-southeast of Ulva...
, Iona
Iona
Iona is a small island in the Inner Hebrides off the western coast of Scotland. It was a centre of Irish monasticism for four centuries and is today renowned for its tranquility and natural beauty. It is a popular tourist destination and a place for retreats...
and Ulva
Ulva
Ulva is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, off the west coast of Mull. It is separated from Mull by a narrow strait, and connected to the neighbouring island of Gometra by a bridge. Much of the island is formed from Tertiary basalt rocks, which is formed into columns in places.Ulva has...
. Smaller uninhabited islands include Eorsa
Eorsa
-Geography:Eorsa lies in Loch na Keal on the west coast of the Isle of Mull, to the east of Ulva. It is part of the Loch Na Keal National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland.-History:...
, Gometra
Gometra
-Etymology:According to Gillies Gometra is from the Norse gottr + madr + ey and means "The good-man's island" or "God-man's island". Mac an Tàilleir offers "Godmund's island".-Geography:...
, Little Colonsay
Little Colonsay
Little Colonsay is an uninhabited island west of the island of Mull in Scotland. The geology of the island is columnar basalt, similar to that on neighbouring Staffa. It is part of the Loch Na Keal National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland....
, 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 Staffa
Staffa
Staffa from the Old Norse for stave or pillar island, is an island of the Inner Hebrides in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The Vikings gave it this name as its columnar basalt reminded them of their houses, which were built from vertically placed tree-logs....
of Fingal's Cave
Fingal's Cave
Fingal's Cave is a sea cave on the uninhabited island of Staffa, in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, part of a National Nature Reserve owned by the National Trust for Scotland. It is formed entirely from hexagonally jointed basalt columns, similar in structure to the Giant's Causeway in Northern...
fame. Calve Island
Calve Island
Calve Island is an uninhabited island on the east coast of the Isle of Mull in Argyll and Bute on the west coast of Scotland. It provides some shelter for Tobermory Bay and is separated from Mull by a tidal channel. The island is a mile in length...
is an uninhabited island in Tobermory Bay.
Two outlying rock lighthouses are also visible from the south west of Mull, Dubh Artach
Dubh Artach
Dubh Artach is a remote skerry of basalt rock off the west coast of Scotland lying west of Colonsay and south-west of the Ross of Mull.A lighthouse designed by Thomas Stevenson with a tower height of was erected between 1867 and 1872 with a shore station constructed on the isle of Erraid...
and Skerryvore
Skerryvore
Skerryvore is a remote reef that lies off the west coast of Scotland, 12 miles south west of the island of Tiree...
. The Torran Rocks
Torran Rocks
The Torran Rocks are a group of small islands and skerries located between the islands of Mull and Colonsay in Scotland.-Geography:The main rocks are Dearg Sgeir, MacPhail's Anvil, Na Torrain, Torran Sgoilte and Torr an t-Saothaid although there are numerous others including the southernmost of...
are a large shoal of reefs, islets and skerries, approximately 15 square miles (38.8 km²) in extent, located two miles (3 km) to the south west, between the Ross of Mull peninsula and Dubh Artach. Frank Lockwood's
Frank Lockwood
Sir Frank Lockwood was an English lawyer and Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1897....
Island near Lochbuie
Lochbuie, Mull
Lochbuie is a settlement on the island of Mull in Scotland about west of Craignure. The name is from the Scottish Gaelic Locha Buidhe, meaning "yellow loch".-Geography:...
is named after the brother-in-law of the 21st MacLean of Lochbuie, who was Solicitor General
Solicitor General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...
from 1894-5.
Part of the indented west coast of Mull and some of the offshore islands there are part of the Loch Na Keal
Loch Na Keal
Loch Na Keal , meaning Loch of the Kyle, or Narrows, also Loch of the Cliffs, is the principle sea loch on the western, or Atlantic coastline of the island of Mull, in the Inner Hebrides, Argyll and Bute, Scotland...
National Scenic Area
National Scenic Area
National Scenic Area is a designation for areas of natural beauty used by more than one nation.* National Scenic Area * National Scenic Area * National scenic areas in Taiwan* National Scenic Area...
, one of 40 in Scotland.
Economy
Farming, fishing and burning seaweed to kelpKelp
Kelps are large seaweeds belonging to the brown algae in the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera....
ash (used in the manufacture of soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
and glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
) were the main economic activities on the island until the 19th century. Tobermory was built by the British Fisheries Society in 1788 as a planned settlement to support the fishing industry. In the mid 19th century the Highland Potato Famine and 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...
reduced the population by two thirds and the island economy collapsed. In the early 20th century there were more sheep than people.
The economy began to revive when the construction of Craignure pier in 1964 started to bring tourists. Tourism is now the mainstay of the island economy. Ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
became popular from the 1990s and the re-introduction of White-tailed eagle
White-tailed Eagle
The White-tailed Eagle , also known as the Sea Eagle, Erne , or White-tailed Sea-eagle, is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which includes other raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers...
s in 2005 became a particular ecotourist drawcard.
There is a small amount of farming, aquaculture
Aquaculture
Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...
and fishing, and Forestry Commission Scotland
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
has several plantations on the island. Tobermory also has one whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
distillery and one brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
. The brewery makes beer named after aspects of island history, such as Terror of Tobermory
Gilbert Stephenson
Sir Gilbert Owen Stephenson CMG CB KBE DL was a British Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy, a pioneer of anti-submarine techniques in World War I, and most famous as an important Naval training commandant during World War II....
Dark Ale, Galleon Gold Ale and Red Monk of Iona
Columba
Saint Columba —also known as Colum Cille , Colm Cille , Calum Cille and Kolban or Kolbjørn —was a Gaelic Irish missionary monk who propagated Christianity among the Picts during the Early Medieval Period...
Amber Ale.
Transport
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
links to Mull from the mainland include Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
to Craignure (approx. 45 minutes), Kilchoan
Kilchoan
Kilchoan is a village on the Scottish peninsula of Ardnamurchan, in Lochaber, Highland. It is the most westerly village on Great Britain, although several tiny hamlets lie further west on the peninsula .Kilchoan has a population of about 150.-History:Donaldson equates 'Buarblaig' Kilchoan (Cille...
to Tobermory (approx. 35 minutes) and Lochaline
Lochaline
Lochaline is the main village in Morvern. It is situated at the mouth of Loch Aline, on the northern shore. Lochaline is connected with Fishnish on the Isle of Mull by ferry....
to Fishnish
Fishnish
Fishnish is a ferry terminal for the ferry on the Isle of Mull, roughly half way between Tobermory and Craignure. It is owned and operated by Caledonian MacBrayne...
(approx. 15 minutes). Although advance bookings are not required for the Kilchoan or Fishnish ferries, access does require driving on single-track roads on the mainland side.
There are ferry links from Fionnphort
Fionnphort
Fionnphort is the principal port of the Ross of Mull, and the second largest settlement in the locale . Fionnphort is the base of the ferry service between 'mainland' Mull and Iona, and also boat trips to Staffa...
on Mull to the neighbouring island of Iona
Iona
Iona is a small island in the Inner Hebrides off the western coast of Scotland. It was a centre of Irish monasticism for four centuries and is today renowned for its tranquility and natural beauty. It is a popular tourist destination and a place for retreats...
and from Oskamull to Ulva
Ulva
Ulva is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, off the west coast of Mull. It is separated from Mull by a narrow strait, and connected to the neighbouring island of Gometra by a bridge. Much of the island is formed from Tertiary basalt rocks, which is formed into columns in places.Ulva has...
. In past years there were direct sailings to Oban (calling at Drimnin, Salen, Lochaline and Craignure), and Barra, Coll and Tiree from Tobermory. During the summer there was also a sailing to Staffa and Iona from Oban which called at Tobermory.
The Isle of Mull Railway
Isle of Mull Railway
The Isle of Mull Railway is a gauge line, long, which ran from the ferry terminal at Craignure to Torosay Castle, on the Isle of Mull in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. Originally it was known as the Mull and West Highland Railway. The line opened in 1983 and closed in October 2010. A limited...
runs from Craignure to Torosay Castle
Torosay castle
Torosay Castle is a large house situated 1½ miles south of Craignure on the Isle of Mull, in the Scottish Inner Hebrides.It was designed by architect David Bryce for John Campbell of Possil in the Scottish Baronial style, and completed in 1858...
. The service closed in October 2010 apart from a one off closing special day on 4 December 2010.
It is possible to fly to Mull in a private light aircraft using a landing strip near Salen. There was a sea plane that linked Tobermory with Glasgow and Oban. The regular scheduled service terminated in 2009. Loganair operated a scheduled service to Glasgow in the 1960s from Glenforsa.
Buses are operated by Bowmans Coaches (Mull) Ltd.. Services operate from Tobermory to Calgary
Calgary, Mull
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 past Dervaig, from the island's capital Tobermory, and is framed by low hills, partly wooded. A broad area of...
via Dervaig (Service 494), Tobermory to Craignure
Craignure
Craignure is a village and the main ferry port on the Isle of Mull, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.The village is located around Craignure Bay, on Mull's east coast. It has a population of roughly 200 people....
via Salen
Salen, Mull
Salen is a settlement on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. It is on the east coast of the island, on the Sound of Mull, approximately halfway between Craignure and Tobermory...
(Service 495), and Craignure
Craignure
Craignure is a village and the main ferry port on the Isle of Mull, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.The village is located around Craignure Bay, on Mull's east coast. It has a population of roughly 200 people....
to Fionnphort
Fionnphort
Fionnphort is the principal port of the Ross of Mull, and the second largest settlement in the locale . Fionnphort is the base of the ferry service between 'mainland' Mull and Iona, and also boat trips to Staffa...
via Bunessan
Bunessan
Bunessan is a small village on the Ross of Mull in the south of the island of Mull, on the west coast of Scotland...
(Service 496). Limited services operate to Lochbuie
Lochbuie, Mull
Lochbuie is a settlement on the island of Mull in Scotland about west of Craignure. The name is from the Scottish Gaelic Locha Buidhe, meaning "yellow loch".-Geography:...
and Gruline.
A minibus service also operates seasonally from Craignure to Duart Castle
Duart Castle
Duart Castle or Caisteal Dhubhairt in Scottish Gaelic is a castle on the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland, within the council area of Argyll and Bute...
.
Communications
Mull was connected to the mainland by a submarine telegraph cableSubmarine communications cable
A submarine communications cable is a cable laid on the sea bed between land-based stations to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean....
between Oban and Grass Point in 1871. There were telegraph offices at Tobermory, Dervaig, Calgary, Craignure, Pennyghael, Tiroran, Fionnphort, Bunessan and Iona.
The Post Office
General Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
built an experimental wireless telegraph station on Meall an Inbhire near Tobermory in 1892.
AM radio
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
, broadcast from Oban, came to the island in 1930 and television in 1954. New AM radio and UHF
Ultra high frequency
Ultra-High Frequency designates the ITU Radio frequency range of electromagnetic waves between 300 MHz and 3 GHz , also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres...
television transmitters were constructed on Druim Mòr, 1 mile west of Torosay Castle
Torosay castle
Torosay Castle is a large house situated 1½ miles south of Craignure on the Isle of Mull, in the Scottish Inner Hebrides.It was designed by architect David Bryce for John Campbell of Possil in the Scottish Baronial style, and completed in 1858...
, in 1978. Digital transmissions commenced on 15 November 1998 and analogue transmissions ceased on 27 October 2010. The digital transmitters have 21 relays on Mull, surrounding islands and parts of the mainland. They are collectively called the Torosay Transmitter Group.
Media and the arts
Mull has been used as a location in a number of feature films over the years. These include EntrapmentEntrapment (film)
Entrapment is a 1999 American caper film directed by Jon Amiel and starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones.-Plot:Virginia "Gin" Baker is an investigator for Waverly Insurance. Robert "Mac" MacDougal is an international art thief. A priceless Rembrandt painting is stolen from an office one...
, Highlander: Endgame
Highlander: Endgame
Highlander: Endgame is a 2000 fantasy film originally released on September 1, 2000. It is the fourth theatrical release in the Highlander film series, and it serves as both a continuation of the Highlander films and the Highlander television series...
, Eye of the Needle
Eye of the Needle (film)
Eye of the Needle is a 1981 film directed by Richard Marquand, based on the novel of the same title by Ken Follett, and starring Donald Sutherland...
, I Know Where I'm Going
I Know Where I'm Going!
I Know Where I'm Going! is a 1945 romance film by the British-based film-makers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It stars Wendy Hiller and Roger Livesey, and features Pamela Brown, Finlay Currie and Petula Clark in her fourth film appearance....
, Kidnapped
Kidnapped (1971 film)
Kidnapped is a 1971 British adventure film directed by Delbert Mann and starring Michael Caine and Trevor Howard, based on the novel Kidnapped and the first half of the sequel Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson.-Plot of the film:...
, When Eight Bells Toll
When Eight Bells Toll (1971 film)
When Eight Bells Toll is a 1971 action film set in Scotland, based upon Scottish author Alistair MacLean's 1965 novel of the same name. Producer Elliott Kastner planned to produce a string of realistic gritty espionage thrillers to rival the James Bond series, but the film's poor box office...
and Blooded
Blooded (film)
Blooded is a 2011 British independent horror/thriller film. Written by James Walker, and produced by Magma Pictures and Ptarmigan ACP, it is the directorial debut of Edward Boase...
was filmed in the more remote parts of the Island. Mull also served as the location for The Sea Change, which began filming towards the end of 2008.
Balamory
Balamory was a live action television series on British television for pre-school children, based around the fictional small island community of Balamory in Scotland. It was produced between 2002 and 2005 by BBC Scotland, with 254 episodes made...
features the town of Tobermory on the island. This increased tourism as it offers a range of activities to do around the island.
Mull Theatre is a professional theatre company based in a new (2008) theatre production centre on the outskirts of Tobermory. Funded by the Scottish Arts Council
Scottish Arts Council
The Scottish Arts Council is a Scottish public body that distributes funding from the Scottish Government, and is the leading national organisation for the funding, development and promotion of the arts in Scotland...
, the company commissions plays, tours throughout Scotland and beyond and runs an education and outreach programme. It started at the "Mull Little Theatre" at Dervaig in 1966 and was the "Smallest Professional Theatre in the World" according to the Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
. The National Theatre of Scotland
National Theatre of Scotland
The National Theatre of Scotland is a theatre company established in February 2006. The company performs in a wide range of venues including theatres, halls and found spaces across Scotland....
were in residence at the Mull Theatre in April 2009. AN TOBAR, based in Tobermory, is the only publicly funded multidisciplinary arts centre in Argyll. Established in 1997, it is a centre for visual arts, crafts and music.
Wildlife film-maker Simon King
Simon King (television)
Simon Henry King OBE is a British television presenter and cameraman, specialising in nature documentaries.King has been working in the field of natural history film making for over 30 years...
went on location to Mull for the first week of Springwatch with Bill Oddie
Springwatch with Bill Oddie
Springwatch and Autumnwatch Live are annual BBC television series which chart the fortunes of British wildlife during the changing of the seasons in the United Kingdom. The programmes are broadcast live from locations around the country in a primetime evening slot on BBC Two and BBC HD...
, where he observed a resident family of white-tailed eagle
White-tailed Eagle
The White-tailed Eagle , also known as the Sea Eagle, Erne , or White-tailed Sea-eagle, is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which includes other raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers...
s – a male and female named Skye and Frisa respectively, and their two chicks, Itchy and Scratchy. Wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan
Gordon Buchanan
Gordon Buchanan is a Scottish wildlife film maker noted for his contributions to Big Cat Diary, Springwatch, Natural World and the 'Lost Land of the...' series.-Life:Buchanan grew up on the Isle of Mull...
recently returned to his native Mull to film a year in the life of the wildlife. First broadcast in 2005 for the Natural World series, "Eagle Island" focuses on sea eagles, golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
s, otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s, basking shark
Basking shark
The basking shark is the second largest living fish, after the whale shark. It is a cosmopolitan migratory species, found in all the world's temperate oceans. It is a slow moving and generally harmless filter feeder and has anatomical adaptations to filter feeding, such as a greatly enlarged...
s and the cetaceans found off the coast.
The singer song writer Colin MacIntyre
Colin MacIntyre
Colin MacIntyre is a Scottish singer, song-writer, multi-instrumentalist and producer. MacIntyre, with the group Mull Historical Society, has released and toured worldwide three albums: Loss , Us and This Is Hope , and has achieved four UK Top 40 Chart hits and two UK Top 20 Chart albums...
famously once used the name Mull Historical Society
Mull Historical Society
Mull Historical Society is a name under which the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Colin MacIntyre performs. After a period of recording and performing under his own name for several years, MacIntyre's 2011 album 'City Awakenings' will be a Mull Historical Society release...
as a pseudonym. Born on the island he took the name from the actual Historical Society who have since changed their name to Mull Historical and Archaeological Society
Mull Historical and Archaeological Society
Mull Historical & Archaeological Society were originally called simply Mull Historical Society but changed their name to underline the importance of archaeology in their work and partly to avoid confusion with Colin MacIntyre's pop creation....
.
Natural history
The island is home to over 250 different bird species including the White-tailed EagleWhite-tailed Eagle
The White-tailed Eagle , also known as the Sea Eagle, Erne , or White-tailed Sea-eagle, is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which includes other raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers...
, which was reintroduced
Reintroduction
Reintroduction is the deliberate release of a species into the wild in zones formerly inhabited by said species but where it has disappeared from for a number of reasons, from captivity or relocated from other areas where the species still survives in...
in the nearby Island of Rùm
Rùm
Rùm , a Scottish Gaelic name often anglicised to Rum) is one of the Small Isles of the Inner Hebrides, in the district of Lochaber, Scotland...
and migrated to Mull, where it now has a stronghold. Minke whale
Minke Whale
Minke whale , or lesser rorqual, is a name given to two species of marine mammal belonging to a clade within the suborder of baleen whales. The minke whale was given its official designation by Lacepède in 1804, who described a dwarf form of Balænoptera acuto-rostrata...
s, porpoise
Porpoise
Porpoises are small cetaceans of the family Phocoenidae; they are related to whales and dolphins. They are distinct from dolphins, although the word "porpoise" has been used to refer to any small dolphin, especially by sailors and fishermen...
s and dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s are among the sea life that can be seen on boat tours from Mull.
Sport
The Tour of Mull is a closed road rallyRallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
event held on the island every October. While some well off competitors benefit from superior cars, the locals benefit from their knowledge of the roads and thus anyone can win. "The Best Rally In The World" is the title of a book written by the founder of the event, Brian Molyneux. Previously sponsored by Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
, it has been sponsored since 2005 by Tunnock's
Tunnock's
Thomas Tunnock Limited, commonly known as Tunnock's, is a family baker in Uddingston, Scotland.The company was formed by Thomas Tunnock as Tunnock's in 1890, when he purchased a baker's shop in Uddingston. The company expanded in the 1950s, and it was at this time that the core products were...
, the Lanarkshire biscuit manufacturer.
There are several shipwreck
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
s around the shores which offer scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
.
There is an Isle of Mull Cycling Club.
Mull Runners organise a half marathon and 10K run each August. It is run between Craignure and Salen.
Rugby is played at Garmony (beside the Craignure to Salen road 6.5 miles north of Craignure). The Mull Rugby 7s Competition takes place annually in May at The Isle of Mull R.F.C's rugby club.
There are golf courses at Tobermory (Erray Park), Craignure (beside the Craignure to Salen road a mile north of Craignure) and on the Isle of Iona.
Mull Highland Games are held each August in the grounds of Tobermory Golf Club (Erray Park). Events include Heavy Weights, Light Field, and Highland Dance. See the Scottish Highland Games Association website for dates.
There is a swimming pool at the Isle of Mull Hotel, Craignure open to the general public at advertised times.
There are tennis courts in Tobermory. Apply at the Argyll and Bute Council Offices, Breadalbane Street, Tobermory for details.
Community initiatives
Following a research and community consultation process undertaken in 1996/7 a development trustDevelopment trust
Development Trusts are organisations which operate in the United Kingdom that are:*community based, owned and led*engaged in the economic, environmental and social regeneration of a defined area or community...
was created to identify key goals for the communities of Mull and Iona
Iona
Iona is a small island in the Inner Hebrides off the western coast of Scotland. It was a centre of Irish monasticism for four centuries and is today renowned for its tranquility and natural beauty. It is a popular tourist destination and a place for retreats...
. Mull & Iona Community Trust (MICT) was formed in 1997 and published a comprehensive "Community Regeneration Strategy" for the islands. They have purchased the only butchers' shop on the island (closed February 2010), created a community run Countryside Ranger service, instigated various recycling initiatives and provide a fundraising and training consultancy.
External links
- Geology of Mull.
- Geology of Mull and Iona portal
- Tobermory - 360° panoramas
- Mull and Iona Chamber of Commerce
- Mull and Iona Community Trust
- 2300 Club - Tour of Mull
- Isle of Mull website
- The Internet Guide to Scotland - Mull
- Mull Highland Games
- Bird and wildlife on Mull
- Mull Genealogy - for those with family links with the island
- Scotland the Movie - Mull
- Mull Theatre
- Mull's History - A synopsis