Isle of Mull?

Old Jul 25th, 2013, 01:31 PM
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Isle of Mull?

I posted a previous question about travel from Pitlochry to York over 4 days and received very helpful responses from janisj and Gardyloo, among others. So helpful that we have decided to incorporate those suggestions (Durham, Holy Isle, York) into our upcoming trip (September, flying into Heathrow) and spend those 4 days next May in Scotland. This partly due to a vote by our travel companions to see Mull. So. . . new question.

Late May, four 50's-60's adults, traveling by train, more into wine than whisky. We are doing a walking trip ending at Pitlochry. We are thinking of heading to Mull for some beach walk/scenery/wildlife time, maybe a pony trek. I am thinking of something like this:

Day 1 Pitlochry to Stirling, explore the town and castle on foot

Day 2: train to Oban and ferry to Mull

Days 3 & 4 Mull

Day 5 ferry to Oban and train to Glasgow (or Edinburgh) (or Falkirk?)

Day 6 Train to London

Is that too much time on Mull (3 nights)? Should we spend one in Oban instead? Skip Stirling and add a night somewhere else? Stay the last night in Glasgow, Falkirk, or Edinburgh? (We will have been in Edinburgh 2 nights earlier in the trip, so this question is mainly driven by the choice between different train routes to London from Glasgow versus Edinburgh).

Thanks for your help.
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Old Jul 25th, 2013, 01:46 PM
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Since you will be on foot and dependent on the scattered bus service - I'd definitely do the three nights on Mull. It is a lovely island plus Iona plus Staffa (NOT to be missed).

http://www.southernhebrides.com/staffa.html

http://www.welcometoiona.com

http://www.bowmanstours.co.uk/?m=htt...timetables.htm

http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/...e=Iona%20Abbey

http://web.undiscoveredscotland.com/mull/calgary/

This is this year's time table and you'll have to check next year to see if there are any changes but should be similar,

You'd want to spend most of a day exploring Iona, And the boat trip out to Staffa/Fingall's cave. And at least half a day for Tobermory/Calgary Bay. Plus Duart castle, etc. You'll need the three nights (w/ a car you could manage w/ just two nights)
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Old Jul 25th, 2013, 02:06 PM
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To be honest, if it were me, I would spend an extra night in Oban.
Mull is a pretty out of the way place and the scenery is similar to most of the west coast highlands.

As I posted on another thread taking the ferry over to Iona is worth the bother.
No more than a daytrip but the vistas and history, if you are into that sort of thing, are really worth it.
There´s also a boat you can take out to Fingal´s cave on Staffa but you´ll need to check the availability should you decide to go there.

I know Mull only because a mate of mine used to live in Fionnphort and when I visited him I always had a great time there (many a good night was had in the Keel Row).

This does not make me an expert though and others might have better ideas but Oban definitely provides more options.
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Old Jul 25th, 2013, 02:08 PM
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Wonderful, thank you! Would Tobermory be the logical space to stay?
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Old Jul 25th, 2013, 02:19 PM
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>>There´s also a boat you can take out to Fingal´s cave on Staffa but you´ll need to check the availability should you decide to go there.>Mull is a pretty out of the way place and the scenery is similar to most of the west coast highlands.
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Old Jul 25th, 2013, 02:26 PM
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didn't see your second post - I'd probably stay at least one night (but I'd prefer two nights) in Fionnphort. this place is great http://www.seaview-mull.co.uk w/ terrific breakfasts and views across to Iona. Very short walk to the Iona/Staffa ferry dock.

It is next door to the Keel Row.

Then you could stay one night in Tobermory to get easy coverage of both end of the island.

I just heard about this restaurant just outside of Fionnphort on another thread and I'm definitely going to get there my next visit.

http://www.ninthwaverestaurant.co.uk
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Old Jul 25th, 2013, 03:36 PM
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I am filing away all of this information for my trip next year! This site is such a great source of information.
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Old Jul 25th, 2013, 09:20 PM
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So I found a place on the Mull website that rents cars. I think we lcould manage that, just don't want to deal with "wrong side" driving anywhere there is traffic. Seems like a car would open up some opportunities and sae time in getting to the sights and walks.
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Old Jul 25th, 2013, 09:40 PM
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You don't have to worry about any traffic on Mull . . . except on the road between Craignure to Fionnphort when the morning ferry lands and the afternoon ferry departs. That is when the day tripper tour buses from Oban travel to/from the Iona ferry. Almost all roads on Mull are single track and you can get stuck behind one of the coaches heading out to Fionnphort. But except for those two small windows of time, you will go long distances w/o seeing another car.

I've always taken a car on the ferry from the mainland -- but taking the Oban ferry as foot passengers and then renting a car on the island for 2 or 3 days would work great. W/ a car I'd just stay in one place - preferably Fionnphort. You can always drive over to Tobermory on one of your touring days.
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 02:11 AM
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Even with a car I'd stay in 2 places. There are very few roads on Mull and no shortcuts, so it takes a loooong time to get from one end to the other. We stayed in Tobermory for 6 days with a car and didn't make it as far as Fionnphort.

It may not be relevant to you if you'll be there for such a short time, but I highly recommend http://www.discovermull.co.uk/ for an all day wildlife tour of Mull. Arthur has an astounding ability to simultaneously drive, chat and spot tiny specks of golden eagles high up in the sky .
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 05:53 PM
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Mull is lovely! I would definitely recommend at least two nights. The trip to Iona and Staffa was wonderful! We caught a boat to Staffa from Fionnphort and then he left us on Iona on the return. Ferry back to Fionnphort and our car independently (five minutes by ferry which goes frequently).
On Staffa we saw puffins close up. To use a cliché, it was a magical experience. Loved walking on Iona--peaceful. My nephews (11 and 14) loved those two days.
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 08:31 PM
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Must echo the response of Irishface: "Mull is lovely and a magical place" especially the trips to the smaller islands.

It's been a while since our visit to Scotland, but Mull is the place I remember the most. We were also a walking group. Thoroughly enjoyed our day trip to Iona. Simply beautiful: lovely walking, peaceful eating our lunch overlooking the sea and sheep wandered nearby, great opportunities for photos including around the church ruins in town.

We did not go to Staffa so can't comment on that, but absolutely loved the tiny isle of Ulva. http://www.isleofulva.com/ You summon the ferry, actually a medium size skiff, by uncovering a wooden sign visible from the isle. As we were eating lunch on a hill looking down on many levels of green fields, (very hard to describe the view)I commented to DH that "it's one of the top 10 places I've ever been."

We liked staying in Tobermory at the Fairview B&B above the town. You also mentioned beach walks. Did one, perhaps more of a beach run through the rain, on the west side of Mull. If you still need more walking, there is a hill hike in the center of the island.

As you can see, I highly recommend that you don't miss it.
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Old Jul 27th, 2013, 11:16 AM
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Despite the wonderful comments above I would like to add this.

You say you are young at heart adults with a taste for the good life.
Please keep in mind that there are no trains from Stirling to Oban, you will need to travel via Glasgow Queesn Street.
From Glasgow you can travel to Oban where the ferry connects.

This will probably mean you arrive in Craignure somewhere late afternoon / early evening.
If you do this trip in May there will be hours of sunlight left but you will then need to take the road trip to Tobermory or Fionnphort.

My point is not that that Mull is somehow not worth the trouble but do you want a full day training, ferrying and driving on your holiday ?
Oban is not the centre of the universe by any means but there are plenty of restaurants, hotels, B&Bs, pubs etc. to keep you occupied.
Taking the ferry the next morning will give you the opportunity to see some of Oban and maybe even the surrounding area and travel to Mull refreshed.

Likewise the trip back might be more of a trek than you think.
If you come from Tobermory / Fionnphort you have to drive to Craignure, take the ferry to Oban, the train to Glasgow and a connecting train to Edinburgh (which goes via Falkirk by the way).

This was the reason I suggested Oban, not any animosity I might harbor toward the stunning island of Mull !

These links might help you out:

http://www.scotrail.co.uk/
http://www.calmac.co.uk/
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Old Jul 27th, 2013, 11:19 AM
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Glasgow Queen Street that is.
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Old Jul 28th, 2013, 10:18 PM
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Thank you all so much! I love this kind of talk about a beautiful place. After reading the comments and suggestions, and looking at train times, I am thinking we should rent a car in Perth after the walk. ( train there in the morning from Pitlochry). Then we could drive to Oban and ferry over to Mull.

Our traveling companions ( my sister and her husband) are younger than we are and If they are willing to drive I am sure they would do fine with the left side driving. It would be good practice for the trip to New Zealand we want to do next. Since I was the driver for our trip to Alaska last summer, it would only be fair to give them a turn at the wheel next trip.

If we did that, say picking up a car in Perth after lunch, should we head straight to Oban, or is there something we should stop to see along the way. Stirling Castle? Then spend a night in Oban and catch the ferry to Mull the next day? Then we would save time over the train on the return as well. I assume we can drop the car in Glasgow but will check on that.

Does that sound better?
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Old Jul 29th, 2013, 09:03 AM
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A one way rental should be no problem - most of mt rentals in the UK have been one way.

Re Stirling, the castle takes a minimum of two hours so it will be a long day if you don't start til after lunch. It will be a 3+ hour drive. Plus places you might want to see Include Inchmahome priory and Kilchurn. Castle. If it was me, I might not stay in pitlochry at all. Not sure about your plans in pitlochry after the walk, but I'd consider picking up the car and spending that might in/near Stirling. See the castle in the AM, then heading to Oban visiting the Lake of Menteith and Kilchurn and stay in Oban. take the first ferry the next morning.

Just one option.

(Driving will make everything easier since you can detour/stop anywhere that strikes your fancy)
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Old Jul 29th, 2013, 09:08 AM
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Meant to add- if you didn't want to go via Stirling, the drive from Perth to Oban is about 2.5 hours but you wouldn't have the 2-3 hours at the castle or hour or so at Inchmahome. In that case - I'd drive straight to Oban and catch a ferry that afternoon and not stay in Oban at all.
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Old Jul 29th, 2013, 10:27 AM
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How about this one

If you intend to spend time in Pitlochry you can drive across to Oban and take in Finlarig Castle (if you can find it) and maybe the Clan Mcnab burial ground on the little island in the Dochart at Killin, Kilchurn at Loch Awe and Dunstaffnage near Oban.
In Oban you can decide to sail to Mull or spend the night.

If you hang on to the car after Mull you can drive back to Stirling for the night and visit the castle, maybe Doune as well, and Inchmahome depending on how much time you have.

Taking the train to London is just as easy from Glasgow as it is from Edinburgh as far as I know.
There are easy connections to both cities from Stirling.

Not saying this is "better" in any way, just an option.
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Old Jul 29th, 2013, 01:44 PM
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I think we better count on spending one night in Pitlochry as we will have 11 miles of walking that day. Plus my brother-in-law is in the dam business, and I have an interest in salmon habitat/ecosystems, so we will want to see the dam and fish laddder there. But we could depart early the next morning and pick up the car in Perth earlier than I originally thought (i.e., before lunch).

But we will have 5 nights after that and can depart from Glasgow just as well as from Edinburgh on Day 6 if that simplifies the route. I don't know that any one thing is of utmost importance to us to see. Stirling Castle is fine if it fits, but if not we'll visit another castle. The most important things to us are getting outside in beautiful landscapes, nice little villages, a castle or two, a bit of history (although we lack Scottish roots), good food (especially local), and a warm welcome at the end of the day.

Would it work spend the last night in Stirling, dropping the car there and train to London? I better go check train times before I get serious about this idea. . .
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