Picture postcards from Mull

A hill climb in the Inner Hebrides

This week I am away on the Isle of Mull and have been busy doing walks research for a new guidebook before the weather broke late yesterday. Spare time has been spent wild swimming, bird watching and visiting Iona, rather than spending time on my laptop writing a Substack post, so I am sending you some ‘postcards’ instead. These are from my first walk on Mull on Tuesday.

Dun da Ghaoithe

This Corbett (hill between 2500 and 3000 feet) in the southeast of Mull rises above Craignure, the main arrival port from Oban on mainland Scotland. For the first half of my climb, I could hear the engines of the ferries plying back and forth. Along with the adjacent summit, Mainnir nam Fiadh, it is a tremendous viewpoint. I could see south to the Paps of Jura and north to Rum and the Cuillins of Skye.

The climb starts from a small car park above Torosay Castle, soon gaining a view to Duart Castle (a prominent landmark seen from the ferry) and the lighthouse on a skerry at the west tip of the Isle of Lismore © Felicity Martin

The walk climbs through the Torosay Hills Atlantic Woodland Restoration scheme, a vast area of newly planted native trees © Felicity Martin

The moorland, although parched dry from lack of rain, is full of wildflowers, including swathes of heath spotted orchids © Felicity Martin

The stony track ends at a communications mast, beyond which I climbed up on to Mainnir nam Fiadh (on the left) before a ridge walk to Dun da Ghaoithe (on the right) © Felicity Martin

The view from the Mainnir nam Fiadh trig point northwards to Dun da Ghaoithe © Felicity Martin

A lovely high-level traverse leads to Dun da Ghaoithe © Felicity Martin

The view west to the highest peak on Mull, Ben More, the island’s only Munro (hill over 3,000 feet) at 3169ft /966m © Felicity Martin

The long, low Isle of Lismore was visible end to end in the east © Felicity Martin

Looking down on the Sound of Mull, running off to the left, where it meets Loch Linhe, stretching away on the right to Ben Nevis © Felicity Martin

Returning the same way to Mainnir nam Fiadh, topped by a large cairn with the trig point to one side, perched above the descent ridge © Felicity Martin

Duart Castle and Lismore Lighthouse lead the eye towards Ben Cruachan, the highest mountain in Argyll © Felicity Martin

After the walk I drove west to the Ross of Mull, pausing at an old bridge on the River Coladoir, which flows into Loch Scridian © Felicity Martin

As I am still travelling you may receive some more ‘postcards’ next week. Although as it is currently pouring with rain, they may arrive a bit soggy.