Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Dervaig
he gently undulating countryside west of Tobermory, beyond the freshwater Mishnish
lochs, provides some of the most beguiling scenery on the island. Added to this, the
road out west, the B8073, is exceptionally dramatic. he only village of any size on this
side of the island is
DERVAIG
, which nestles beside narrow Loch Chumhainn, just eight
miles southwest of Tobermory, distinguished by its unusual pencil-shaped church spire
and single street of dinky whitewashed cottages and old corrugated-iron shacks.
Dervaig has a shop, a bookshop/café and a wide choice of places to stay.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
6
DERVAIG
Am Birlinn
Penmore
T
01688 400619,
W
ambirlinn
.com.
The cross-country road from Dervaig takes you
through Penmore where you'll find this striking wood-and
glass-clad building serving up steaks and seafood of the
highest order: slow roasted lamb shank with apricots and
tomatoes in a chardonnay and herb sauce (£16.95) is one of
the restaurant's typically flamboyant dishes.
April-Oct
Wed-Sun noon-2.30pm & 5-11pm.
The Bellachroy
T
01688 400314,
W
thebellachroy
.co.uk. Rugged early seventeenth-century inn with an
attractive whitewashed interior serving good seafood
(mussels and
frites
for £11.50) and local real ales.
Daily
8.30am-11pm.
Bunkhouse
Dervaig village hall
T
01688 400491 or
T
07919 870664,
W
mull-hostel-dervaig.co.uk.
Somewhat peculiarly located inside the village hall, though
certainly none the worse for it, this clean and welcoming
bunkhouse offers two bunkrooms, one sleeping six, the other
four, each of which has its own wet room. Bedding is provided.
There's also a self-catering kitchen, sittin
g ro
om and washing
machine. Breakfast not included. Dorms
£15
Druimnacroish Hotel
Two miles out on the Salen road
T
01688 400274,
W
druimnacroish.co.uk.
A lovely
country house pleasantly secreted away, with six, amply
sized but very reasonably priced rooms. Breakfast is tak
en in
the conservatory overlooking the gardens.
Easter-Oct.
£64
Calgary
Some five miles beyond Dervaig is
CALGARY
, once a thriving crofting community, now
a quiet glen which opens out onto Mull's finest sandy bay, backed by low-lying dunes
and machair, with wonderful views over to Coll and Tiree. Aside from the beach,
there's a super little
sculpture trail
that begins at the
Calgary Farmhouse
and winds
gently down through the woodland to the beach. It encompasses some twenty cleverly
constructed pieces of artwork hewn from various materials; bronze, copper, steel,
willow and so on - a little map (£1) outlining the trail is available from the farmhouse.
For the record, the city of Calgary in Canada does indeed take its name from this little
village, though it was not so named by Mull emigrants, but instead by one Colonel
McLeod of the North West Mounted Police, who once holidayed here.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
CALGARY
Calgary Farmhouse
Back up the road from the beach
T
01688 400256,
W
calgary.co.uk.
This delightful
farmhouse provides glamorous self-catering
accommodation in studio lofts sleeping between two and
four people. The daytime café and art gallery are both
worth venturin
g to.
Café: daily 7.30am-5pm.
Three-day
minimum stay
£450
Camping
Down by the beach itself, there's a spectacular
and very popular spot for camping rough; the only facilities
are the basic public toilets.
Isle of Ulva
ULVA
's population peaked in the nineteenth century at a staggering 850, sustained by
the huge quantities of kelp that were exported for glass and soap production. hat
was before the market for kelp collapsed and the 1846 potato famine hit, after which
the remaining population was brutally evicted. Nowadays around fifteen people live
here, and the island is littered with ruined crofts. It's great walking country, however,
with several clearly marked paths crisscrossing the native woodland and the rocky
heather moorland interior - and you're almost guaranteed to spot some of the
abundant wildlife.
