Hebridean Interlude

Leaving for Mull

Yesterday we checked off one of the things on Sheelagh’s wish list. We left in the dark to catch the 8 am ferry to the Island of Mull. The crossing was only 45 minutes, and it was as smooth as you could imagine an ocean crossing to be. We watched from the top observation deck as treeless, grass covered islets slipped by. From time to time a castle or ruin was perched on the shore.
Mull is a large island. We drove across to the west coast through almost totally uninhabited country. We moved from treed to treeless with the sea on our left and hills sloping up to a high hilltop on our right. The road was a single lane with frequent passing places all the way. There was hardly a car throughout the trip. We made it to Fionnphort with a little time to spare before the small boat came to take us to the Isle of Staffa.


The Atlantic was on her very best behaviour. There were seals bobbing around us and shags, birds that I would have thought were cormorants, were plentiful, as were gannets. The sea was like your proverbial millpond.


Staffa is a tiny, uninhabited islet famous for two things; being the other end of the Giant’s Causeway (not the N. Ireland end) and home to Fingal’s Cave. Felix Mendelssohn heard the waves inside the cave and was inspired to write his Hebridean Suite. The island had been owned by a New York millionaire, who gave it to the National Trust for Scotland in honour of his wife’s birthday. And we thank him.


We stopped at the island of Iona, the Sacred Isle, briefly. This is where St Columba landed and founded a monastery that spread Christianity to Scotland.



The plan after we got off the boat was to drive along west coast of Mull to the village of Calgary so we could have our picture taken there. But the road was only one George wide and we didn’t make it before we had to turn back for the ferry. We did make it to Tobermory and wished we had longer. Got home after dark.




Found the tomb of Lachlan Macquarie, the Father of Australia,  out in the middle of a field in Mull. Strange.

PS Due to technical difficulties, can't show you pics from Staffa today.