Island in Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Isle of Mull
The painted harbour of Balamory, a Spanish Armada wreck and the beach that gave Calgary its name: all on one Hebridean island.
Key information
- County
- Argyll and Bute
- Nation
- Scotland
- Population
- about 2,800 (2011 Census)
- Area
- about 875 square kilometres, the second largest of the Inner Hebrides
- Known for
- Tobermory's painted harbour, Duart Castle, sea eagles, Ben More, whisky
- Famous people
- Lachlan Macquarie, Sir Fitzroy Maclean
About Isle of Mull
The rainbow harbour that became Balamory
Tobermory's waterfront, a curve of brightly painted houses facing a sheltered bay, is one of the most photographed streets in Scotland. Children across Britain know it as Balamory, the setting of the CBeebies series filmed there in the early 2000s. The town is far older than the television fame. It was laid out in the 1780s as a fishing port, and its name comes from the Gaelic Tobar Mhoire, the Well of Mary. The distillery on the front dates from 1798, which makes it one of the oldest in Scotland. Some people come for the pastel paintwork, others for the whisky, and plenty just to watch the boats.
The galleon that may still be down there
In 1588 a ship from the defeated Spanish Armada sank in Tobermory Bay. The vessel is usually identified as the San Juan de Sicilia, and the legend says she went down loaded with gold. Treasure hunters have been after her for centuries, with many expeditions and few results. The story has lasted anyway, and it gives the harbour a better tale than most. The bay is still a favourite anchorage for yachts, which at least gives the galleon plenty of company.
The castle that came home
Duart Castle stands on a headland at the edge of the Sound of Mull. It dates from the 13th century and became a Maclean stronghold in the 14th century, and the clan's fortunes have gone up and down with its walls. The castle fell into ruin after the clan lost it in the 1600s. In 1911 Sir Fitzroy Maclean, 26th chief, bought it back and restored it. It is now one of the best-known castles in the Hebrides and has appeared on screen, including in the 1999 film Entrapment. On the west coast, Calgary Bay has a different claim. Its white sand and clear water gave the name to Calgary in Alberta, which was christened in 1876 by Colonel James Macleod of the North-West Mounted Police.
Eagle island
Mull is among the best places in Britain to see white-tailed eagles. These huge birds, with wingspans of around two and a half metres, were wiped out in Britain in the early 20th century. They were brought back by reintroduction projects in Scotland, and Mull's coasts and glens now hold a strong population. Golden eagles nest here too, and otters work the shoreline. Boat trips from Tobermory and Ulva Ferry look for minke whales, dolphins and porpoises in summer. Above it all is Ben More at 966 metres, the only Munro in the Hebrides outside Skye. On a clear day it gives a view across to Ulva, Staffa, Iona and the open Atlantic.
Emptied glens and an Australian governor
Mull once held far more people than it does now. Its population topped 10,000 in the early 1800s, then fell sharply during the Highland Clearances, when families were moved off the land to make way for sheep. Ruined crofts in empty glens still mark the old settlements. One of the island's most famous sons left earlier. Lachlan Macquarie was born on the small island of Ulva, just off Mull, and became governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821. He is often called the Father of Australia, and his mausoleum stands at Gruline on Mull. Samuel Johnson and James Boswell passed through on their Hebridean tour in 1773, and Felix Mendelssohn sailed past Mull's shores to Staffa in 1829. His visit to Fingal's Cave inspired the Hebrides Overture.
Tiny theatres and a very fast rally
Mull has a talent for doing things on a small scale. The Mull Little Theatre opened in Dervaig in 1966 with just 43 seats and was billed as Britain's smallest professional theatre. Mull Theatre moved to Druimfin, near Tobermory, in 2008. The island's food is local and fresh. Langoustines, scallops and oysters come out of the surrounding waters, and Isle of Mull Cheddar is made on the island. Each year the Mull Rally closes the single-track roads for Scotland's biggest closed-road tarmac rally, which has run since 1969. Visitors usually arrive by ferry from Oban to Craignure, and many carry on to Fionnphort for the crossing to Iona.