Sarah Beech shares her experience of a weekend away in the Isle of Mull...without her waterproofs...
It was images of white sands and clear blue waters that made me choose camping on the Isle of Mull over a cheap flight to Benidorm.
Paradise was just a two-and-a-half drive from Glasgow, and a short ferry trip away. Once we arrived, we had another hour’s drive to the other side of the island to Fionnphort and our home for the next two nights.
If you’re brave, there’s lots of places to ‘wild’ camp on Mull with some fantastic rugged views. But, if you’re like me, you’ll want to know there’s flushing toilets and showers within walking distance.
I’d read mixed reviews about Fidden Farm campsite online. You can’t book, you just arrive and pitch up. The beautiful views lived up to the descriptions on TripAdvisor and we were lucky enough to grab a prime spot with uninterrupted views of the beach and out to sea. Thankfully, we didn’t encounter the grumpy farmer – who has a bit of a reputation online. (The campsite’s a working farm and you’re surrounded by grazing sheep, so if you’re taking your dog, you’re advised to keep it on a lead!)
The weather was glorious when we arrived and we were treated to a beautiful sunset. Unfortunately, it didn’t last – but as the old saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes. And I hadn’t packed anything suitable. So when we woke to relentless rain on our first morning, we decided to take a trip to Tobermory where I promptly bought a waterproof jacket. This gave us an opportunity to see more of the island and we happened across the ‘Scenic Route to Salen’. If you’re lucky, I’ve heard you can spot sea eagles and wildcats on this route, which is popular with cyclists.
By the time we got back to the campsite, the sun was shining again. We jumped on our bikes and cycled to the port in Fionnphort where we caught a 10-minute ferry to Iona. After a short cycle and a long hike, we found ourselves on a remote pebble beach, where I was hoping to see some wildlife (I only spotted a caterpillar). I promised myself when I’m next in the area, I’ll take a boat trip to Staffa to see the puffins.
Back to civilisation, we cycled up to the historic Iona Abbey, described as the birthplace of Christianity. Worth a trip if you like that sort of thing, but we decided to appreciate it from the outside (when we found out you have to pay to get in).
If you’re looking to get away from it all, I’d thoroughly recommend Mull, but here’s my top tips for happy holidaying:
Pack waterproofs and a jumper – it might rain and it’s probably cold. While the pictures on Google images make it look like a Caribbean island, they don’t tell you the temperature – but as long as you have the right clothes it shouldn’t stop you exploring.
If you need to get somewhere by a certain time, leave earlier – especially if you’re not used to driving on single-track roads! We almost missed the ferry home because of my cautious driving.
Put down your phone! There’s no WiFi anyway so you’ll have to wait for the ferry home to post your photos on Instagram – you might as well just enjoy it in real life.
If you fancy an island-hopping adventure to the Isle of Mull, simply check the CalMac ferry timetable - there's regular ferries from Oban all year round.
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