Mull to Iona and Back

 Wednesday 17th July To Iona

A long drive down the island to catch the ferry. Stopped at Pennyghael to view yet another bridge, but interesting area.


Unfortunately this is as close as I got to an otter in the wild, I was hopeful but no. 




On our way to Iona caught the ferry as passengers rather than taking the bus, so a walk on walk off ferry. Iona is a small island in the inner Hebrides, known as the cradle of Christianity for Scotland. St Columba (he of the Loch Ness monster) came in 563 to establish the Abbey, was a renowned centre of learning and it’s scriptorium produced highly important documents, they believe the Book of Kells was begun there. Vikings raided and slaughtered some of the Monks and destroyed a lot of manuscripts. There was a Benedictine Abbey there from about 1200 but it was dissolved in the Reformation, and left in ruins -the present Abbey is a 20th Century reconstruction of this.




Reconstruction of St Columba’s chapel


They have a number of high crosses or pieces of them and grave slabs around and in their museum


The Augustine Nunnery remains in ruins. From the 13th century.



We walked down the island to the white sand beaches, reportedly where the Vikings took the monks to this beach to slaughter them, stunning even on a grey day. Called white Strand of The Monk.




We went back to the Isle of Mull, back the way we came along a windy road, one of those one you have to stop to let someone going the other way to pass so ends up being more windy than normal. One wish was fulfilled though, we came across some Highland Cattle in a very photogenic place.






They used to be all black, but apparently Queen Victoria preferred the reddish brown colour, so they had been bred towards that colour.

Castle Duart was on our way back to the hotel, so we called in there. Owned by the Maclean’s originally, forfeited after the battle of Culloden, occupied by the Campbells who wrecked it so it couldn’t be lived in again, was bought back by the Macleans in the early 1900’s they are gradually restoring it, and live there at present. I occupied by Sir Lachlan Maclean Baronet, 28th chief of the clan. Distinguished army and SAS career. 


Took this photo the following day, whilst passing on the ferry, best view from the water, but unfortunately not such a nice day.


This amazing candle stick holder was made from the hooves of the horse that actually survived the charge of the Light Brigade of 1864, the horse lived out it’s life in Buckingham Palace, and the hooves were given to the then lMaclean when the horse had died. A bit macabre but interesting. Note the thickness of the walls in the alcove below.


Views from the battlements - more spiral staircases.





Walked through the millennium forest that was planted then and growing well, aspens, alders etc, but spotted a deer through a gap. - Happy, still no otters though, or red squirrels!!


That was the end of the day.

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