We drive all over Mull

The disadvantage of being on an island with only a limited number of roads is that you often have to drive the same roads to get somewhere, there is not much variety possible. Today we drive at least 75% of the entire road network on Mull, as you can see on the map. But it makes it easier for me to mark the roads on the map. We drive half around Loch Scridain where the nebulae are still close to the water. It is humid and cold outside.

Halfway down the north side of Loch Scridain the road goes inland, around the foothills of Ben More, the highest peak of Mull with the summit at 966 meters. From the mountains streams run down everywhere, often with small rapids and the slopes are completely soaked by the abunance of moisture. A larger waterfall is the Allt Chreaga Dubha, as the river is called that the waterfall is part of. Later in the year the waterfall will get a lot more water to process. I have a thing with waterfalls, it fascinates me how the water keeps flowing as if it comes from an infinite source.

The mountain slopes are sometimes incredibly steep and on a day like today they suddenly disappear into the clouds, so you have no idea how high they really are. The area between Loch Scridain and Loch Na Keal is pretty much empty, there are a few hamlets and we drive on the narrow road that is sometimes surrounded by woods and then again offers wide views.
Even though it is fresh, we want to get out and at Loch Na Keal we stop at a beach to look for shells and stones. We also look out for otters, who would live around here a lot but we do not get to see them.

At Calgary village on Calgary Bay we see a boat with Calgary Art In Nature. It is a project that started in 1999 to put art from natural materials into the landscape. The intention is to create more awareness for the fact that everything that grows on the land is nowadays also largely artificial because man intervenes, for example by cutting or replanting forests. Nature has become a collaboration between people and nature. Or should be, in any case, because man is also capable of very destructive behavior without thinking of the consequences.

We now drive a slightly different road to the far north than a few days ago and in the vicinity of the village of Dervaig I now want to go to the Kilmore standing stones that we missed then. But in the parking lot it appears that the walk can not be done unless we put on boots (or get wet feet) and we obviously do not have boots with us. The path and the land around it is completely soaked from the rain. Instead, we go looking for a place in the village where we can drink coffee.

Due to the limited amount of roads, we can not escape from visiting Tobermory again, the colorful capital of the Isle of Mull. The town (actually a large village) is built in two layers: the colorful houses along the waterfront and on the hills behind it the suburbs. The sky brightens up, blue spots appear between the clouds and so we walk through the village for a short time, while only few people are outside. We also visit the small but nice aquarium where you can touch the local sea animals. Every few weeks the animals are released into the sea and a new collection is captured.

From Tobermory we take the A828 to the south and when I see side roads I go into them. Near the village of Salen on the Salen bay we see the remains of Aros castle, but not much more than an overgrown wall is left. But once it was an important castle to keep an eye on the Sound of Mull to defend the island. You may freely walk through the ruins but at your own risk. The soil is also soaked here and we only take some photos from a distance.

When we quietly start on our way back, the clouds are getting thicker and cover the sky. We can choose from 2 roads and decide to make the round through Craignure on the A849. An A-road sounds quite a lot, but only until Craignure it is a two-lane road, then it becomes a single track road with passing places. And the closer we get to home, the darker the sky gets and it is not be long before the rain begins to fall again. We have been lucky that it has remained dry for most of our journey.