It's been a little while, but its all good. I've been on my holidays!
I love to get away at this time of year but the idea of dealing with busy airports and the stress of travelling in peak summer holiday time is something I prefer to avoid (at least while Lily is so young). Having enjoyed such a wonderful time on the Isle of Arran a couple of years ago now, I thought it would be fun to discover what it would be like on Mull.
The Isle of Mull lies a little way off the west coast of Scotland and is a short ferry ride from the mainland port of Oban. Following a looong drive and a quick dash around the supermarket for the week's supplies and to fill the car up, we were able to sit back with a coffee and enjoy the beautiful scenery during our forty minute ferry journey. It was a lovely, clear day and a very pleasant crossing.
Our arrival at the cottage was reassuring, with everything even better than expected. Lily was delighted with her bedroom, especially the beach hut pictures on her duvet cover, and there were plenty of toys supplied, so there was no need to unpack any of her own. Unexpected treats were the view from the back of the cottage, which looked over towards the Islands of Rum, Muck and Eigg and, most memorably, the Tunnock's teacakes in the welcome pack!
We had such a relaxing week and there was so much on the island to enjoy, although mainly we would spend our days quite simply. Lunch would be a picnic, which meant we could stop wherever we were and take in the beautiful scenery. The rest of the day would be spent exploring, with dinner back at the cottage in an evening, the one exception being when we indulged in some delicious fish and chips from the pier in Tobermory.
For us, the main highlight had to be the beaches. Stretches of white sand lapped by crystal clear waters. Shells to collect, sandcastles to make and rockpools to explore. Unsurprisingly, much of our time was spent barefoot. Most evenings were spent walking by the shore at Calgary Bay, Lily in a desperate hurry to run into the sea.
We went walking through the forests, saw some stunning waterfalls and a sculpture trail. We sat and watched seals down near the harbour by the cottage. We visited a cheese farm and met some gorgeous newborn calves, some pigs and goats.
Another highlight of our time on Mull was meeting The Tobermory Cat. Which one, I'm not quite sure, but he certainly lived up to his reputation. 🐱🐱🐱
We had a wonderful time on Mull. All the sea air and time outdoors meant we slept really well and returned home feeling relaxed, wishing to return, and just a little bit shocked at how the weather has suddenly turned so much cooler! I'm also trying not think about the amount of sand I have yet to vacuum from the car.
J. X
