Calgary, Mull

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The wide sand beach at Calgary is possibly the best in Mull, and its idyllic location makes it one of the finest in Scotland. Calgary Bay is located on the north west of Mull about 8 km (5 miles) past Dervaig, 12 miles (20 m) from the island's capital Tobermory, and is framed by low hills, partly wooded. A broad area of machair (a grassy meadow growing on calcareous sand) lies between the land and the beach. As the tide falls a river meanders across the sands, and the adjacent car parking area and public toilets make this ideal for camping (small campsite as of 2006 with limited sites).

The name comes from the Gaelic, Cala ghearraidh, meaning Beach of the meadow (pasture). "Cala" is the word specifically used for a hard, sandy beach suitable for landing a boat, which relates plausibly to the location. A small stone pier was used to take sheep to and from grazing on the Treshnish Isles and gives a further possible reason for the name of the bay.

Calgary village is a small community of houses close by the bay, and tourist accommodation is available. Just up the hill from the bay the deserted village of Inivea remains as roofless stone ruins, an atmospheric relic of the Highland clearances.

On the south side of the bay Calgary House, now called Calgary Castle, was built in 1817 extending an earlier Calgary Estate laird's house. Its gardens include 150 species of rhododendron and several specimen trees. Colonel James Macleod, Commissioner of the North West Mounted Police, was a guest here and shortly afterwards on returning to Canada suggested its name for Fort Calgary which gave its name to the city of Calgary, Alberta.