Mull, the men, the music and the menus July 2019
Following the success of last year's "Gentlemen's Week" on Aran we are heading off to another Scottish isle this year: Mull, on the west coast. There are eight of us this year, Dave, John C., John H., Brian, Ben, Norman, Paul and me. Three cars, two barrels of beer and a store full of food arrived at Corrieyairack cottage in Dervaig village on the western side of the island on July 13th, having crossed the water from Oban on a Caledonian Macbrayne ferry.
Great car park for starters,
Lining up to board the ferry in Oban
There is an innovation this year. Each of us was invited to produce a list of thirty or so tunes which we sent to Brian who put them all onto a computer to help while away the evening as we enjoyed a few beers. The only restriction was one tune per artist. We had an eclectic mix of approximately 250 songs or pieces of music. And we had a cake.
Quinnish Standing stone
Woodland walk
Quinnish route. About 8.5 miles
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Paul was the chef for the evening. He served a curry, excellent. And of course there was beer and a glass of brandy. Dave brought out a cheese board after a digestive pause.
Monday July 15th.
The highest point on Mull is Ben Mor, a Monroe at just over three thousand feet. Because of the many inlets on Mull places that are close if you are a crow are a fair distance apart as you drive round the many bays, sea lochs and inlets so from Dervaig to the shore at the foot of the Ben took some time.
Starting point for Ben Mor.
We all set off up the mountain, following a stream initially that went through a deep ravine in places and over some falls.
Unfortunately for me, and to my disappointment, my arthritic right knee grew increasingly uncomfortable and the thought of plodding slowly downhill after reaching the top told me to turn back, which I did, wandering slowly back to the car and sitting in the sun until the magnificent seven completed the walk, a distance of about ten miles.
My only consolation being that some 25 years ago I climbed this hill with Harry.
A disappointing day out for me.
Back at Dervaig Brian prepared a dish of pork chops cooked in a spicy sauce and served with rice, plus a choice of red or white wine. Cheese later
Tuesday July 16th.
Another long drive, this time to Fionnphort at the southwest end of Mull to catch the ferry to Iona.
A short but busy crossing, mostly foot passengers mostly heading for the Abbey.
Iona was once a centre of early Celtic Christianity. Attacked by Vikings, converted to a Benedictine monastery and finally abandoned at the reformation in 1560 it fell into ruin but the non denominational Community of Iona have over the years built up the abbey, opened a museum and turned it into a fascinating attraction. Our group split up and went our separate ways, walking, birding or contemplating.
After walking to the north end of the small island, sitting in the sun for a sandwich, Ben and I visited the Abbey complex, aided by an audio device and a tour by a member of the community.
Iona ferry
Picnic spot
Abbey
Celtic cross (replica)
Back at base we were served a dish of chicken in sauce baked potato and green beans by John H. Another excellent dinner.
Wednesday July 17th
It was raining heavily when we got up and it was still raining at lunch time. Four of us decided to go to Tobermory, largest settlement on the island.
We headed straight for the small Tobermory Museum, initially to keep out of the rain, but it turned out to be an attraction. Geography, geology, history, they were all there in a small room. Educated we had tea and cake in a café, walked the short waterfront of Tobermory in the rain and then returned to Dervaig.
Grey day in Tobermory
Tobermory front street.
The evening chef was John C. who treated us to a spaghetti Bolognese with spicy chutney if you wanted. And wine too. And cheese and biscuits.
Thursday July 18th.
The rain had stopped. After another longish drive we parked just off the road in a mini quarry and set off on a walk on the Treshnish coast.
Cars parked for Treshnish
Treshnish farm, well into ecology and protecting the environment
Bug hotel at Trshnish Farm. Not many guests
Herbie time again
Not the path we took, our route was quite gentle on the knees
How to catch a ferry Ulva style
Ulva ferry
Tea shop
Sheila's cottage. A recreation of the interior of a Crofter's cottage
Exterior of Sheila's cottage. It would have probably had a turf roof
Livingstone's Cave. Impressive from the outside but inside looked as if it was being excavated.
Having admired the cave we followed the Livingstone Walk back across fields and through woods until we joined the main track that took us back to the boathouse for tea and cake before taking the ferry back to the mainland.
The evening meal of slow cooked chicken and potatoes was prepared by Norman, another class meal, with wine, and cheese later.
The Ulva walk, about 6 miles
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Next day we came home! Another highly successful week away, good walking, good company and very good food.
MULL IN PICTURES
Following the success of last year's "Gentlemen's Week" on Aran we are heading off to another Scottish isle this year: Mull, on the west coast. There are eight of us this year, Dave, John C., John H., Brian, Ben, Norman, Paul and me. Three cars, two barrels of beer and a store full of food arrived at Corrieyairack cottage in Dervaig village on the western side of the island on July 13th, having crossed the water from Oban on a Caledonian Macbrayne ferry.
Great car park for starters,
There is an innovation this year. Each of us was invited to produce a list of thirty or so tunes which we sent to Brian who put them all onto a computer to help while away the evening as we enjoyed a few beers. The only restriction was one tune per artist. We had an eclectic mix of approximately 250 songs or pieces of music. And we had a cake.
Having difficulty boiling an egg I bring a suitably decorated cake to share.
Corrieyairack cottage on the left, the oldest inn on Mull at the top of the road, The Bellachroy.
Sticking with tradition and having settled in, sorted rooms, tapped the first beer barrel and sampled it we walked the short distance up the road for an evening meal. A fair selection and the pub was busy, mostly holiday makers. There were too beers on offer, a local one from the village brewery and Jarl.
Sunday July 14th.
The forecast looked promising so we kicked off the week's activities with a walk from the cottage to Quinnish Point, as far as you can go in this particular direction. Walking first on a track we were soon in a wood and then across open land, which supported sheep and a standing stone, until we reached the point, a suitable place for a Herbie.
Apart from seabirds there was little evidence of wild life, apart from an adder which shuffled off before I could get my camera out.
View from the point. The distant hills left of centre are on the Isle of Skye.
On the way back we scrambled along the coast for a time before tramping through high bracken and rejoining the woodland walk. Brian and Dave went off sea eagle spotting but saw none.
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Paul was the chef for the evening. He served a curry, excellent. And of course there was beer and a glass of brandy. Dave brought out a cheese board after a digestive pause.
Monday July 15th.
The highest point on Mull is Ben Mor, a Monroe at just over three thousand feet. Because of the many inlets on Mull places that are close if you are a crow are a fair distance apart as you drive round the many bays, sea lochs and inlets so from Dervaig to the shore at the foot of the Ben took some time.
We all set off up the mountain, following a stream initially that went through a deep ravine in places and over some falls.
Unfortunately for me, and to my disappointment, my arthritic right knee grew increasingly uncomfortable and the thought of plodding slowly downhill after reaching the top told me to turn back, which I did, wandering slowly back to the car and sitting in the sun until the magnificent seven completed the walk, a distance of about ten miles.
My only consolation being that some 25 years ago I climbed this hill with Harry.
Back at Dervaig Brian prepared a dish of pork chops cooked in a spicy sauce and served with rice, plus a choice of red or white wine. Cheese later
Tuesday July 16th.
Another long drive, this time to Fionnphort at the southwest end of Mull to catch the ferry to Iona.
A short but busy crossing, mostly foot passengers mostly heading for the Abbey.
Iona was once a centre of early Celtic Christianity. Attacked by Vikings, converted to a Benedictine monastery and finally abandoned at the reformation in 1560 it fell into ruin but the non denominational Community of Iona have over the years built up the abbey, opened a museum and turned it into a fascinating attraction. Our group split up and went our separate ways, walking, birding or contemplating.
After walking to the north end of the small island, sitting in the sun for a sandwich, Ben and I visited the Abbey complex, aided by an audio device and a tour by a member of the community.
Back at base we were served a dish of chicken in sauce baked potato and green beans by John H. Another excellent dinner.
Wednesday July 17th
It was raining heavily when we got up and it was still raining at lunch time. Four of us decided to go to Tobermory, largest settlement on the island.
We headed straight for the small Tobermory Museum, initially to keep out of the rain, but it turned out to be an attraction. Geography, geology, history, they were all there in a small room. Educated we had tea and cake in a café, walked the short waterfront of Tobermory in the rain and then returned to Dervaig.
The evening chef was John C. who treated us to a spaghetti Bolognese with spicy chutney if you wanted. And wine too. And cheese and biscuits.
Thursday July 18th.
The rain had stopped. After another longish drive we parked just off the road in a mini quarry and set off on a walk on the Treshnish coast.
Leaving the road we followed a track to Treshnish farm and holiday homes before taking a footpath through fields until we eventually came to the shore.. An easy fairly flat path (thank goodness I thought) took us south past the ruins of a fort, so ruined it was difficult to see, before turning east beneath high cliffs. Below one we sat and enjoyed a Herbie before taking the zig zag path up a wide gash in the cliffs to a deserted village.
Crackaig, deserted since the Highland Clearings, probably in this case in the mid 19th century.
Leaving the village we walked across moorland past a farm at Laroch Mhor to the road, turned left and returned to the cars.
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I
Treshnish walk.
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Chef of the day was Ben who had prepared a beef stew served with potatoes and fine wines. For desert we had brandy and pistachio ice cream, also made by Ben. And the remains of the Brandy. Don't we feed well! Cheese later.
In the evening some of us went to the pub to take part in the quiz. Good quiz, forty read out questions and two picture rounds, one on Apollo 11 for the fiftieth anniversary. We were joint winners but lost on the knock out round that followed.
Friday 18th July.
Another fine day and another drive. This time to catch the ferry to the small island of Ulva, a community owned place. The ferry held twelve people and the crossing took less than two minutes. Tickets were bought in the tea room once you had got on the island. There are several walks to follow on the island, all well posted.
Again we split into two groups. John C. and I started out on the Woodland walk which was mostly what it says on the can until we came out on the coast, following a path similar to the Quinnish walk. We stopped for a Herbie, sitting on flat rocks looking over the main part of the island. Lunch over we walked on to Livingstone's Cave. The missionary Dr. David Livingstone's parents came from this area.
Having admired the cave we followed the Livingstone Walk back across fields and through woods until we joined the main track that took us back to the boathouse for tea and cake before taking the ferry back to the mainland.
The evening meal of slow cooked chicken and potatoes was prepared by Norman, another class meal, with wine, and cheese later.
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Next day we came home! Another highly successful week away, good walking, good company and very good food.
MULL IN PICTURES
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