Isle of Mull

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Tobermory with 700 people, the largest settlement on Mull, is home to the only whisky distillery on the island.
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Tobermory with 700 people, the largest settlement on Mull, is home to the only whisky distillery on the island.

The Isle of Mull (or simply Mull; Muile in Scottish Gaelic) is the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute.

Mull is the fourth largest Scottish island and is also the fourth largest island surrounding Great Britain (excluding Ireland). It has an area of 338 square miles.

In the 2001 census the usual resident population of Mull, Iona and Ulva was 1,841; in the summer this is supplemented by many more tourists. Much of the population lives in Tobermory, the only burgh on the island until 1973, and its capital.

Ferry links to Mull from the mainland include Oban to Craignure (approx. 45 minutes), Kilchoan to Tobermory and Lochaline to Fishnish (approx. 15 minutes, suspended in rough weather). The Oban to Craignure link requires car drivers to be there 30 minutes before departure (locals can usually avoid this, but not in busy summer months). While Fishnish is a further drive north (advanced bookings not required), it is often the quickest route if you are confident with single-track roads.

Ferry links from Mull travel to the surrounding islands of (from Fionnphort) Iona and Ulva. In past years there were direct sailings to Oban (calling at Drimnin, Salen, Lochaline and Craignure – daily except Sunday) and Barra (calling at Coll and Tiree – Monday, Wednesday and Friday – returning direct to Oban on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) from Tobermory. During the summer there was also a sailing to Staffa and Iona from Oban which called at Tobermory.

The Isle of Mull Railway runs from Craignure to Torosay.

Contents

[edit] Features

Duart Castle, Isle of Mull
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Duart Castle, Isle of Mull

Mull has a coastline of 300 miles (480 km) with a landscape is primarily moorland, with a few peaks, and its climate is moderated by the Gulf Stream. The highest peak on the island is Ben More (3169 ft / 966 metres).

The island is home to over 250 different bird species including the White-tailed Eagle, which was reintroduced in the nearby Island of Rùm and migrated to Mull, where they now have a stronghold. Minke whales, porpoises and dolphins are among the sea life that can be seen on boat tours from Mull.

Mull has some historic features, such as the Duart Castle. There are also several shipwrecks around the shores which scuba divers can visit. The mausoleum of Lachlan Macquarie, Governor of New South Wales from 1809 to 1822 may be found on the island (Macquarie had been born on the nearby island of Ulva) and serves as a point of pilgrimage for the few Australians who venture there.

[edit] History

Mull has been inhabited since around 6000 BC. Bronze Age inhabitants built menhirs, brochs and a stone circle.

In the 14th century Mull became part of the Lordship of the Isles. After the collapse of the Lordship in 1493 the island was taken over by the clan MacLean, and in 1681 by the clan Campbell.

In 1588 one of the ships of the Spanish Armada, Florenica, was moored in Tobermory Bay and blown up there, reputedly with £300,000 of gold bullion on board.

During the Highland Clearances in the 18th and 19th centuries, the population fell from 10,000 to less than 4000.

Iona, a tiny island off the southwest of Mull, was the base point from which the Irish Celtic Christians re-introduced Christianity to Great Britain in the middle ages. St. Columba arrived here in 563. Columba and his twelve followers essentially re-converted Great Britain. This re-conversion was required because Christianity had been largely obliterated through medieval barbarian warfare on a massive scale.

In 1773 this island was also visited by Samuel Johnson and James Boswell during their famous Tour of the Western Islands. Both Johnson and Boswell wrote famous travelogues of their journey.

[edit] Tour of Mull

The Tour of Mull is a closed road rally event held on the island every October during the 2-week school holidays by the 2300 Club. Entrants are serious competitors in serious cars. While the 2300 Club members benefit from their superior cars, the locals benefit from their supreme knowledge of the roads and thus anyone can win. It has been called by many publications including Motoring News as "The Best Rally In The World".

Previously sponsored by Philips, it has been sponsored since 2005 by Tunnock's, the biscuit manufacturer.

[edit] Media and the Arts

[edit] Cinema and TV

Mull has been used as a location in a number of feature films over the years. These include Entrapment, Highlander: Endgame, Eye of the Needle, I Know Where I'm Going, Kidnapped (1971) and When Eight Bells Toll. Traveling through eastern Mull to the Lochaline to Fishnish ferry link may lead you through some of the scenes featured in the Harry Potter films.

The BBC children's TV series Balamory features Tobermory.

Simon King went on location to Mull for the first week of Springwatch with Bill Oddie, where he observed a resident family of white-tailed eagles – a male and female named Skye and Frisa respectively, and their two chicks, Itchy and Scratchy.

Gordan Buchanan returns to his native Mull to record a year in the life of the wildlife. First broadcast on BBC2 in October 2005 under the title of 'Eagle Island' the programme focuses on sea eagles, golden eagles, otters, minke whales, porpoises, basking sharks and dolphins to be found off Mull. The programme lasts 50 minutes.

[edit] Musicians

The singer song writer Colin MacIntyre famously once used the name Mull Historical Society as a pseudonym. Born on the island he took the name from the actual Historical Society who have since changed their name to Mull Historical and Archaeological Society. Mull features in the artwork of his albums and many of his music videos.[citation needed]

[edit] Theatre

Mull is home to the Mull Little Theatre, the "Smallest Professional Theatre in the World" according to the Guinness World Records.

[edit] Geography

[edit] Settlements

The capital is Tobermory. It was the burgh on the island until 1973 when burghs were abolished. Other settlements on Mull include:

Mull shown within Argyll
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Mull shown within Argyll

[edit] Islands

Mull is surrounded by a number of islands, the largest of which are:

Two outlying rock lighthouses are also visible from Mull:

The Torran Rocks are a large shoal of reefs, islets and skerries, approximately 15 square miles in extent, located two miles to the south west, between the Ross of Mull peninsula and Dubh Artach.

See also the Geology of Mull.

[edit] Community Initiatives

Following a research and community consultation process undertaken in 1996/7 a development trust was created to identify key goals for the communities of Mull and Iona. Mull & Iona Community Trust (MICT[1]) was formed in 1997 and published a comprehensive "Community Regeneration Strategy" for the islands. They have purchased the only butchers' shop on the island, created a community run Countryside Ranger service, instigated various recycling initiatives and provide a fundraising and training consultancy.

[edit] References

  • Currie, Jo. (2001) Mull: The Island and Its People. Birlinn Ltd.
  • Jermy, A.C. and Crabbe, J.A. (Ed) (1978) The Island of Mull a Survey of its Flora and Environment. London. British Museum (Natural History).
  • DTA Scotland Directory of Members

[edit] External links

Sunrise over the Sound of Mull
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Sunrise over the Sound of Mull
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Islands of the Hebrides
Inner Hebrides
Ascrib Islands | Canna | Cara | Coll | Colonsay | Crowlin Islands | Easdale | Eigg | Gigha | Iona | Isay | Islay | Jura | Kerrera | Lismore | Luing | Lunga | Oronsay | Muck | Mull | Raasay | Rùm | Seil | Shuna | Skye | Soay | Staffa | Summer Isles |Tiree
Outer Hebrides
Barra (Isles) | Benbecula | Berneray | Eriskay | Flannan Isles | Great Bernera | Harris and Lewis | North Uist | Rockall | Scalpay | South Uist | St Kilda


Coordinates: 56°27′N 6°00′W

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