Scottish Tourism Guide - Articles
The Islands of Mull, Iona & Ulva.
The islands of Mull, Iona, and Ulva lie off the west coast of Scotland, served by the port of Oban. The islands are a haven for wildlife, a geologist's mecca, a botanist's paradise, and a traveller's dream.
(Highland cattle framing Duart Castle)
Mull is famous for its eagle population, with both golden, and white tailed eagles (the largest British raptor) being plentiful. Careful observers can also see otters along the magnificent coastline, as well as seals basking on the rocks, and red deer a plenty. To view the elusive corncrake it is necessary to travel to Iona. This is a short ten minute journey that takes you to another world where the pace of life is much slower and the satisfaction so much greater.
For a really exciting trip you can take a small boat to Staffa - home to Fingals cave and a host of puffins. On the way there is a chance of seeing basking sharks, or even a whale. Dedicated whale watching trips can also be had at Iona and from Tobermory.
(Tobermory)
There are more than 4000 plant species on the islands, including many orchids visible during the summer along the roadsides. There are daffodils and primroses, violets and bluebells, foxgloves and thrift to name but a few. My favourite is the grass of Parnassus, a beautiful white flower with green stamens and a perfect form.
There is history everywhere, from the stone circles, to the magnificent fortress that is Duart castle - home of the chief of the clan Maclean. There are forts of a smaller scale (and not so easy to find) built by the Celts, as well as crannogs (dwellings on small islands) and brochs (tower shaped buildings with a double wall that had room enough for a man to walk between them).
(Duart Castle in the snow)
In 563 Columba sailed from Ireland to Iona and set up his monastery there. From Iona he went on missionary journeys across Scotland spreading Christianity to the people. This monastery has since been rebuilt as an abbey which is presently run by Historic Scotland. The carvings inside are very impressive as one of the top schools of stone carving was centred here. There is an excellent museum showing the products of their labours just at the back of the abbey.
Mull was once the middle of the biggest volcanic complex in Europe. This shows in the fantastic scenery that constantly changes as you drive around the island on the little single track roads. Far from being a problem, these are fun to drive on, provided you stick to a few simple rules - always let someone pass if they are travelling faster than you (it could be the doctor, the vet, or the coastguard) - always stop on the left - and don't drive so fast that you cannot stop before the next passing place. There are basalt lava flows, gabbro, dolerite and granites, and the oldest rock of all - the Lewisian gneiss of which Iona was built, 2,800 million years ago. At one time Mull was attached to Canada!
(Highland cattle framing Duart Castle)
Mull is famous for its eagle population, with both golden, and white tailed eagles (the largest British raptor) being plentiful. Careful observers can also see otters along the magnificent coastline, as well as seals basking on the rocks, and red deer a plenty. To view the elusive corncrake it is necessary to travel to Iona. This is a short ten minute journey that takes you to another world where the pace of life is much slower and the satisfaction so much greater.
For a really exciting trip you can take a small boat to Staffa - home to Fingals cave and a host of puffins. On the way there is a chance of seeing basking sharks, or even a whale. Dedicated whale watching trips can also be had at Iona and from Tobermory.
(Tobermory)
There are more than 4000 plant species on the islands, including many orchids visible during the summer along the roadsides. There are daffodils and primroses, violets and bluebells, foxgloves and thrift to name but a few. My favourite is the grass of Parnassus, a beautiful white flower with green stamens and a perfect form.
There is history everywhere, from the stone circles, to the magnificent fortress that is Duart castle - home of the chief of the clan Maclean. There are forts of a smaller scale (and not so easy to find) built by the Celts, as well as crannogs (dwellings on small islands) and brochs (tower shaped buildings with a double wall that had room enough for a man to walk between them).
(Duart Castle in the snow)
In 563 Columba sailed from Ireland to Iona and set up his monastery there. From Iona he went on missionary journeys across Scotland spreading Christianity to the people. This monastery has since been rebuilt as an abbey which is presently run by Historic Scotland. The carvings inside are very impressive as one of the top schools of stone carving was centred here. There is an excellent museum showing the products of their labours just at the back of the abbey.
Mull was once the middle of the biggest volcanic complex in Europe. This shows in the fantastic scenery that constantly changes as you drive around the island on the little single track roads. Far from being a problem, these are fun to drive on, provided you stick to a few simple rules - always let someone pass if they are travelling faster than you (it could be the doctor, the vet, or the coastguard) - always stop on the left - and don't drive so fast that you cannot stop before the next passing place. There are basalt lava flows, gabbro, dolerite and granites, and the oldest rock of all - the Lewisian gneiss of which Iona was built, 2,800 million years ago. At one time Mull was attached to Canada!
