Author Topic: Mull next week! (Read 6083 times)

Wowbagger · « **on:** 18 May, 2014, 07:30:38 pm »

Jan and I are going to Scotland on Thursday. We have the night of 22nd and 31st May in Edinburgh, but we are intending to spend the rest of the time, or at least, most of it, on Mull.

Anything special we should do/look out for? We are intending to camp, but will not be averse to some time in hostels/B & Bs, if to escape the weather or garner some electrons.

Kim · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 May, 2014, 08:28:09 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 18 May, 2014, 07:30:38 pm

Anything special we should do/look out for?

Midges?

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 May, 2014, 08:39:34 pm »

Quote from: Kim on 18 May, 2014, 08:28:09 pm

Quote from: Wowbagger on 18 May, 2014, 07:30:38 pm
Anything special we should do/look out for?

Midges?

Too early, I hope!

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 May, 2014, 08:44:47 pm »

Sea Eagles.

andrewc · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 May, 2014, 09:01:30 pm »

I'm off to Oban tomorrow ! I will probably be getting the ferry to Mull

I recall you've been to Tobermory before.

The campsite at Fionnphort / Fidden is a lovely spot and the trip over to Iona is worthwhile. There is a nice cafe (The Coffee Pot) at Salen. (they provided Swarfega when I turned up with filthy hands after a mechanical) Calgary beach is nice.

Ruth · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 May, 2014, 09:03:22 pm »

+1 to the Fionnphort campsite.

You lucky gits.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 May, 2014, 09:34:13 pm »

I'm pretty sure we had coffee in Salen before.

I'm just looking up where the shops are. And the pubs. Not to mention the campsites.

I have even found a weaving mill (Ardalanish) which will keep someone happy for a bit, especially if it's wet. Uisken camp site is nearby.

I have earmarked Fidden and Lochbuie for visits. We may well visit Iona, and possibly get the boat to Staffa if the weather is right.

There appear to be some very expensive restaurants: the Ninth Wave seems to be one to avoid. The Old Post Office in Lochbuie does home-made ready meals to take away. Tagine, beef or lamb stew with dumplings, curry, £6.50 for a double-serving... might go there.

Grampa · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 May, 2014, 11:24:17 pm »

Using the Tobermory to Kilchoan and Lochaline to Fishnish ferries enables a scenic day circuit through Ardnamurchan and Morvern.

Vince · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 May, 2014, 01:24:48 am »

The following is from a loooong time ago...

I did discover that its possible to get a bike from Lochbuie to Carsaig along the coast 'path'. Not recommended and I think it would be described as extreme COR, including lowering the bike down a 6' cliff face on a rope! The route by road is about 6 times the distance but takes only a quarter of the time.

Beware the ~~motons~~ Iona Ferry bus drivers running from Craignure to um... Iona.

Highland cattle DO own the road, but will get bored and wander off eventually.

Important one. Check where your water is coming from. The cottage we stayed in just had a pipe to the burn. My father got a bad attack of bacterial arthritis as a result.

matthew · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 May, 2014, 10:55:33 am »

The camp site at Fidden (spelling) on the south western tip of the island was wonderful until the tail of an Atlantic hurricane blew in when I was there in Sept 2012. The site is practically on the dunes in the bay.

Riding the road round the west coast of Mull (B8035) is also recommended, Hilly, but less used than the main east coast road from Craginure (ferry port) to Tobermory.

andrewc · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 May, 2014, 12:27:50 pm »

Train from Queen St to Oban has 6 dangly bike spaces. Remember to get in the correct coaches as the train splits mid journey.

Vince · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 May, 2014, 01:39:13 pm »

They were very clearly labelled "IONA FERRY".

Whether they were driven to Iona, or stopped at Fionnphort to let the passengers get on the ferry I know not.

andrewc · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 May, 2014, 06:11:58 pm »

The nearest campsite to the Craignure ferry terminal is TheShielings. Just turn left out of the ferry terminal & follow the signs. My tent was £13. For £13:50 I could have had one of their permanently erected plastic tents, standing room, beds & electrickery.
I'm a masochist though...

jane · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 May, 2014, 09:22:36 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 18 May, 2014, 08:39:34 pm

Quote from: Kim on 18 May, 2014, 08:28:09 pm
Quote from: Wowbagger on 18 May, 2014, 07:30:38 pm
Anything special we should do/look out for?

Midges?

Too early, I hope!

Well you could be lucky...but I am in Glasgow this evening and the clegs are out in force...warm and humid just what they like, so the midges may not be long in coming. Stick to the coast and the sea breezes will keep them at bay.
Heading north tomorrow....away for a month, no hard and fast plans apart from including the Western Isles, and the Orkneys. Also lots of old mates to catch up with.

bumper · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 May, 2014, 10:04:28 pm »

Just returned from Mull.

The weather was shite!

Calgary bay is great as a camp or lunch stop, nice beach. There's a good restaurant heading north out of Calgary, great food. Ulva is fantastic, the boathouse was worth the ferry trip.

Otters are plentiful on loch na keal, one went past my tent at 6.00am on the pebble beach. It was twenty feet from me, not afraid at all, I was brewing a coffee!

You've got lots of bird life too, Stonechats, wheatears, eagles, pipits, curlews and hundreds of bloody cuckoos! They woke me up at 4.00 every morning and sang me to sleep every night.

Watch out for the TSL?? Construction vans, they need driver training on single track roads. Everyone drove very well except those mother fuckers. They are working in the mountains digging and banging all day and are everywhere.

eck · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 May, 2014, 10:12:40 pm »

You MUST visit the Fishnishpishdish. No, really, you must.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 May, 2014, 11:06:53 pm »

Quote from: eck on 19 May, 2014, 10:12:40 pm

You MUST visit the Fishnishpishdish. No, really, you must.

There's a restaurant called the Mishdish in Tobermory. Is that what you mean? Why the

?

eck · « **Reply #17 on:** 20 May, 2014, 09:04:02 am »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 19 May, 2014, 11:06:53 pm

Quote from: eck on 19 May, 2014, 10:12:40 pm
You MUST visit the Fishnishpishdish. No, really, you must.

There's a restaurant called the Mishdish in Tobermory. Is that what you mean? Why the ?

The Fishnishpishdish is the caff at the ferry, a favourite of all Audaxers Ecosse. Pingu captured the essence of the warm hospitality:
"The welcome at the Fishnish Pishdish was as warm as ever - a locked door kept us waiting in the cold wind for the ferry"

https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/8647313649/in/set-72157633243688312

Wowbagger · « **Reply #18 on:** 20 May, 2014, 08:54:48 pm »

We are gathering things together. I have a choice of trowel. I asked Mrs. Wow to take her pick.

Tomsk · « **Reply #19 on:** 21 May, 2014, 07:56:16 am »

Last time we went you could see from the odd drip/slop where some houses/shops in Tobermory had been painted [to look more Balamory], then the BBC crew had re-painted them back to 'normal'. Some of the colour juxtapositions there are still pretty startling!

Re: midges - take up pipe smoking....

+1 to Lochbuie and Calgary Bay

We had excellent fish wherever we ate out

and Iona was worth the trip alone.

andrewc · « **Reply #20 on:** 21 May, 2014, 10:21:25 am »

The Ninth Wave is £40 for 4 courses. The menu looks good. Booking essential their signs say.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #21 on:** 21 May, 2014, 10:25:39 am »

Their website says £42 for 3 courses & chocolates and coffee.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #22 on:** 21 May, 2014, 08:19:14 pm »

We are mostly packed. We could almost have gone for tonght's sleeper, but tomorrow's 1st class East Coast timetable tells me that we get free food and drink.

The yr.no website is very promising for next week - not especially warm (up to 17°C) but hardly any rain.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #23 on:** 22 May, 2014, 07:27:25 am »

Up and about. Aiming to catch the 9.06 from Southend Central - it works out about £9 cheaper than going from Prittewell. 11.30 from King's Cross, into Edinburgh for 4.15.

It seems that, coincidentally, Mrs. Wow's sister and her husband will be in Edinburgh this evening. We are hoping they arrive early enough for us to go for a meal with them.

andrewc · « **Reply #24 on:** 22 May, 2014, 08:07:37 am »

Don't forget the waterproofs & pack extra thermals! It's cool & damp at the moment!

Author Topic: Mull next week! (Read 6083 times)

Ruth