Sunsets & Wilderness on the Isle of Mull
One place I had wanted to visit for a long time was the Isle of Mull. Sam’s uncle and auntie had spoken fondly of this wild island, and I longed to see it for myself. We managed to book a ferry and a small campsite which would give us just under a couple of days to explore.
It had been an early start as we made our way from the Cairngorms. The sky was sapphire blue, and the sun warmed our faces as we drove past the spectacular Ben Nevis range on our way to Oban. We boarded the ferry to Craignure and couldn’t believe our luck at the weather- it was boiling!
Driving around Mull was stunning, the landscape felt wild and rugged, and it was so quiet compared to some of the days we had had in the Cairngorms. Heading to the colourful coastal town of Tobermory, we soaked up the relaxed and friendly atmosphere before heading to the pier. Here we found ourselves some fish and chips, which always taste better by the coast, don’t they?
After an early start, we were content to sit there and enjoy the view, but there was more to see.
Driving away from Tobermory, we headed to the beautiful Calgary Bay, this stunning beach had some of the whitest sand and clearest sea we had ever seen. With the sun beating down, making the sea glitter, we felt so lucky to be there. Whilst the pup swam, I collected some of natures treasures, filling my pockets with small shells.
Sitting there in the sun, I felt relaxed, this is what life is about, these small moments in beautiful nature soaking it all in. Mull was proving to be as stunning as we expected but the best was yet to come.
As afternoon slipped into early evening, we made our way to our semi wild campsite on the Salen Bay. Pitching up, we were in complete awe of our surroundings. Mountains rose above us in one direction, whilst the bay and sea lay calmly in the other. Making myself a mug of tea, I sat there on the damp grass soaking it all in.
The sky was streaked with pastel shades of pink and orange as the late sun cast a golden glow across the landscape. We found a shore path that led to an isolated bay and the sea, so armed with my camera we pottered along. It really was the most beautiful place I had seen, and we sat on some rocks overlooking many of the rockpools just soaking it all in.
It was a special time, there was no one else around, just me, Sam and the pup. The sound of the sea birds filled the air and we watched as Oyster Catchers and Herons fished along the shoreline. Beyond the rockpools, the sea lapped at the rocks gently and far in the distance, lay the shadows of other islands we had yet to visit.
As the sun dipped lower, we were treated to the most spectacular sunset we had ever seen, the sky looked as if it was on fire and we watched in awe as the sky changed colour and the mountains glowed under the warm sun. We explored the shore, finding footprints in the sand of elusive deer watching as the sun sank lower.
It was my favourite night, we sat up well past midnight with a cheeky dram, watching the sky never quite get dark. It felt as if Mull knew we were coming, so treated us to something dramatic and breath-taking. I didn’t want to go to bed that night, it was just so beautiful, I didn’t want to miss out.
Before snuggling down into my sleeping bag, I went for one last look at the mountains, they stood out against the pastel sky, candyfloss cloud scuddering across the tops of them. Taking a deep breath, I reluctantly made my way back to tent, where I slept like a baby.
It was a cloudy, claggy morning that greeted us, sipping our tea we listened to the sounds of nature as the shore woke up. We ambled along to the bay as we had done the night before, we took big gulps of the fresh sea air, both lost in our own thoughts. I for one, didn’t want to leave and was more determined than ever to come back and explore more.
We made a final visit to Tobermory where we visited the bakery for hot coffee and delicious bacon butties, which we enjoyed as we sat watching the harbour slowly wake up. The sun, thankfully, was trying the breakthrough and we felt content, content and happy. On the drive back to the ferry, we visited the Sgriob-ruadh Farm, where we picked up some yummy Mull cheeses to take back to the Cairngorms with us.
It was a fleeting visit to Mull but we loved every moment, the sunset, the beach and the wilderness was amazing and made a lasting impression on us both. We plan to do an island hopping holiday next year, so hope to return to and explore more of this stunning place.