Saturday
A four-hour drive, to an on-ferry meeting at Corran resulted in an 1100 meetup at Loch Aline where coffee and considerable filled rolls fortified the participants for their forthcoming adventures.
The small but perfectly formed low-tide beach beside the slipway provided an ideal start. The equally small but perfectly formed group left as the tide turned at 1300 and headed up a slightly windy Sound of Mull, largely following the island coastline and thus avoiding the reasonably busy shipping channel. A five-hour paddle was interrupted only by the necessity to come ashore and empty a boat flooded by an apparent wardrobe malfunction, and we eventually made camp on Calve Island, across the bay from Tobermory, having covered 23.5 km. The temptations of the fleshpots – well chip shops anyway – of Tobermory were resisted, grammar was corrected, and teas were cooked under increasing drizzle prior to turning in.
Sunday
Calmer conditions greeted us as we sneaked out round the rocks on a falling tide at 0900 from Calve Island and headed towards Rubha nan Gall and its Stevenson-designed lighthouse. Here much clothing was divested, sun-cream applied, and the first sea eagle spotted. Progress was smooth until Rubha na Sealbhaig where we began to meet more open water and clapotis from there on across Ardmore Bay and along the northern coast of Mull. Passing the turrets of Glengorm Castle visible through the trees, we took a brief break at the head of Loch Mingary and, as we observed more eagles, an otter hauled itself up on the short edge of our reef, quickly scrambled down and slid into the water off the longer side, only metres away. Replenished, we rounded Quinish Point in heavier water to the entrance to Loch a Chumhainn, a seal nursery judging by the number of pups we saw. We established camp on the western side of the loch – close-cropped machair complete with sheep, nesting sand martins, great views of the Point of Ardnamurchan, the Small Isles and a remarkably impressive tidal range. We’d covered 17.5 km but had now done most of the north coast of Mull.
Monday
Tides suggested a much later start, so a relaxed morning was had by all. By lunchtime some sandy shore was revealed, thus allowing us to avoid a rocky descent and launch. A stiffer southerly wind became much more evident as we rounded Rubha an h-Airde and we toiled across Bagh Chrossapol to a fabulous beach. Despite having travelled only 4.5km, after much discussion group consensus was that we take advantage of the stunning campsite, strewn with wild thyme, which lies high above the beach. The prospect of rounding Caliach Point into the southerly may also have had some influence on our decision. Wheatears abounded and cyclists and wild swimmers appeared at intervals – it was relatively busy for what is quite an isolated area.
Tuesday
OTW at 0830 with a now NNW wind, which gave rise to conditions of some interest before Caliach Point. Round the corner, it pushed us south past a dramatic coastline with multiple caves and reefs which created boomers to mostly avoid while we gazed on Tiree and Coll to the west, and an otter well out from the coast. We looked into Calgary beach – which we had considered as a camping destination had we got round the Point the day before – as we crossed the Bay and stopped briefly on shingle at Treshnish to refuel. Heading west again and rounding Treshnish Point we were rewarded with views of the Isles themselves. From under the ruined village of Crackaig, we paddled across Loch Tuath in sunshine, heading for the Gometra/Ulva gap for a quick lunch where we met a couple of paddlers out from Ulva ferry. The dry gap meant we continued to paddle further into the loch on the northern side of Ulva, spotting deer on the island as we passed. At the tiny Ulva ferry, we stopped at the Boathouse café for welcome tea and cake before heading round and across Loch na Keal to Inch Kenneth of Mitford & Skye Boat Song fame https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inch_Kenneth where we camped for the night. Five other paddlers arrived to join the campsite and a superb sunset looking out towards Little Colonsay completed an epic 35km day involving over six hours of paddling.
Wednesday
Up at 0500 – it’s bright by then, so it never feels bad – to be met by otters playing in the bay. Conditions were ideal as we left at 0715 on a smooth swell with little wind, but we knew these would change later in the day so were looking to get the distance in before the afternoon. Goats were in evidence as we made our way down the north-west side of the Ardmeanach peninsula with its spectacular coastline: cliffs, waterfalls, arches, towering broken escarpments, caves roaring with swell and booming reefs – well is it named The Wilderness. Passing the fossil tree, we angled across Loch Scridan using waypoints and registering views of where we had been the previous day – highly impressed – as well as outstanding views of Staffa and the Treshnish Isles – both logged for future visits. The freshening wind blowing down from Bunessan met us as we crossed Loch na Lathaich and we mused on the buildings at Camus Tuath (originally built for workers in the local quarry – from which stone was used to build the Ardnamurchan and Skerryvore lighthouses – but now an activity centre used by the Iona community.) A quick lunch at the superb twin beach of Traigh na Margaidh revealed a potential campsite for future explorations in the area. Some rock-hopping was enjoyed for the remainder of the north coast of the Ross of Mull until we turned into the Sound of Iona, passing Kintra harbour with a wave to a group of paddlers from the Bendoran watersports centre lunching on Eilean Dubh na Ciste. A brief call was made to the shop at Fionnphort to replenish some supplies and dice with death as multiple tour buses jostled for parking spaces. Skirting the laden ferry and Staffa tour boats, we paddled the remaining coast to Fidden campsite to complete another excellent morning’s paddling totalling 26 km, just as the weather began to close in. Tents were pitched, a pole was mended and the campsite facilities inspected (they’re very good, plus the site isn’t over-managed.) A walk round to see Erraid – cut off at high water – completed the day.
Thursday
We already knew from the changed forecast that Thursday was not going to be a paddling day. Instead, we left the waves crashing on the beach and walked/were blown along the short road to Fionnphort, watching the wind whip up whitecaps and rolling waves in the Sound of Iona. In contrast to the previous day the coach and car park was virtually deserted. It soon became apparent why, as we watched the ferry cast off, rolling and wallowing in the heavy seas, and head for the shelter of the tie-up in the Bull Hole. There would be no sailings today. After watching some lobsters being selected from a creel tethered to the slipway – ultimate freshness surely – we took refuge in the local café for coffee and cake served by someone clearly the inspiration for a Father Ted character. We then navigated from seafood shack (excellent chips) to shop to pub (at last now open) to craft centre to pub (again) and back to the campsite. Extra tent guys were set and post-meal, we sat in the communal washing-up room and drank, amongst other things, tea. Germans supplied us with matches for the stove and under Clare’s linguistic tutelage, we introduced them to the differences between whiskies. Concern was expressed that karma might well be invoked since crisps had been opened from the “wrong” end – all a packet of nonsense of course – but the wrath of the weather gods would indeed descend later that evening and early next morning in the shape of an F8 gusting F9.
By now we had come to the sensible decision, based on the Friday forecast – following sea, large swell, coastline with few get-outs – and some increasing physical limitations, to paddle no further and return to Loch Aline the following day. Initially this appeared lengthy and complicated but a couple of phone calls enabled this considerably; John from Mull Paddlesports agreed to bring a trailer and transport our boats to Fishnish to catch the ferry back to where the cars were.
Friday
A further tent pole snapped when taking the tents down on Friday morning, giving a good indication of the strain they had been placed under during the night. Four of us caught the bus from Fionnphort, subsequently crammed with foreign visitors and a school party, all of whom had been stuck on Iona the night before. We changed buses at Craignure and arrived at Fishnish just as John’s trailer, complete with Dave Towsey, rolled into the terminal to the waiting ferry. Thanking him profusely – he saved us hours of travel as well as multiple ferry charges; a great example of the paddling community helping out – we hurried the boats and our gear onto the ferry for the return to Loch Aline and more of those really nice filled rolls.
While the change in the weather curtailed our intended trip, the paddling days were absolutely superb. Sunshine and wind created some lovely/interesting conditions; the wildlife was plentiful, even if we didn’t see the reported orca; the camping spots were outstanding and the scenery was, as ever, dramatic. Mull is definitely due a return visit. Oh, and the company was pretty good too – big thanks to Clare Eadie, Chris Gordon, David Grieve and David Towsey for all the chat and nonsense.