There and Back

So dawned our last day of Mull, and a great holiday it has been. Peaceful, interesting and lots to see. This fern just appealed to me as it sprouted from the stone wall - Polypodium vulgare, the common polypody. Seen at a stop on our way to today's adventure. Another abandoned cottage as we drove toward Loch na Keal, intending to explore another area we had not seen much of to date. Northern Eggar caterpillar or asiocampa quercus, as its Latin name. Loch na Keal - We drove along the southern edge of the loch toward Loch Ba. This was another unspoilt and beautiful drive. We watched sea eagles over the loch and just looked at the peaceful scenery, with all the worlds problems a million miles away. We came across this pile of stones, obviously left by some earlier passer by. Loch Ba More views of Loch Ba Our interest in this Mausoleum is the fact that, while traveling in Australia, Macquarie was a town that we pa...

The A849 crosses Mull West / East (or East / West if you fancy!) and we travelled westerly today until we reached Fionnphort which is the Ferry Port for Iona. The whole route is through stunning landscape and beside a loch - Loch Scridain to be precise. The weather looked threatening as we progressed, but thankfully the rain held off. Fionnphort was nothing remarkable, but it was of interest to see Iona just a short ferry trip away. The beach looked as if, on a sunny day, it might have been beautiful to picnic or sunbathe on. From here we drove a short distance to Fiddon. Another stunning beach with pink granite outcrops and a large white sandy bay. Some of the rocks on Fiddon beach. And a row of camper vans next to Fiddon beach.  Just off the Fiddon coast is the island of Erraid. It is a tidal island one mile square in area which lies off the south west of Mull. It is connected by a beach at low tide to the Isle of Mull and it is renow...

Another drive along the Sound of Mull to Tobermory today, but a slower pace with time to explore. The locals decided that this would be a leisurely drive! That one in the front is coming straight for us Rosey! This time we have a better day and the colours of the house stand out better. Lunch and a good stroll around was the order of the day. These old vessels on the Sound of Mull looked great against the dark sky. The village next to where were staying was called Inverlussa. So next morning we thought to take a stroll down the road and explore as we had a trip to Duart Castle planned for the afternoon. Keeping an eye on the hedgerow as we walked, we spotted these Common Spotted Orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsia Then we found a grasshopper - not sure of the variety. ... and then my favourite of the morning, a Fritillary butterfly Quickly followed by a Cinnabar moth. Then we came across a monument to Dugald MacPha...

Located in the south-eastern ‘corner’ of Mull, Loch Spelve is a large tidal body of water bounded by an unclassified single track road which branches off at its western end with one track running back along the southern shores of the loch to Croggan and the main track running west to Loch Buie. Being just south of where we were staying, it looked a great place to explore. Definitely an `unclassified single track road`!  We had read of the otters being seen here. On arriving to park, we were cruising along the Loch side when we spotted a woman, loaded with camera gear coming toward us. On speaking to her, it transpired that she and her husband (both keen photographers), were in the area photographing otters. Soon afterwards she caught our attention and we followed her along the loch as an otter went about his business on the loch side. Magic!  Another view of the lock and an interesting tree by the side  Curlew on Loch Spelve sh...