Fish n chips

Friday 3 May

and our final full day on Mull - where did the time go. . .

Well - rain again on the Bunessan plain - but we still had a magical day and it all centred around the fascinating area so close to our cottages.

Dived across the little stream in the rain and into the charming Ross of Mull Historical Museum in Bunessan.  And for such a tiny old building, the wealth of information and the warmth of the welcome were staggering.  We learned so much and realised we should have probably started the week with this visit!

Next we were beguiled by the delicious smell of freshly baked bread and dashed over to the warmth of the welcoming Bunessan Bakehouse with its famous collection of tea cosies

Have to say, we six were mighty reluctant to leave the cosiness of the Bakehouse, but after many rounds of food and coffee and buying up most of the stocks of Bunessen Bakehouse soda bread mix and porridge stirrers, we finally dragged ourselves back into the rain - but not without first booking to return to the special Fish and Chip Supper tonight back at the Bakehouse!!

For the next 10 minutes or so this was our view over the dashboard

until we arrived at the end of the road, right by the sea, at the fabulous Ardalanish weavers 

and what a treat to see the great weaving tradition of this island in action and the beautiful garments and rugs in the shop. 

Ended up probably our most expensive day of the week - what with mass buys of porridge, bread mix and rugs - but all things we'll treasure back home to bring back memories.

So, back to Ardfin and Ardlea for a quick pack and then down to the Bakehouse for that Fish and Chip supper.

and quite amazing it was!  Busy, buzzy, happy atmosphere - loads of homemade bread-and-butter to help yourself to, fabulous fresh fish and homemade chips washed down with cups of tea and smiles.  And cakes too . . . . .

 and here's one totally full 'sixth' of our team . . .

As we left, as if on cue, the clouds lifted and lit up for our short drive back to the cottages giving us one final magnificent sky

 . . . and of course, there was that final game of QI to be fought out!!

and so finally to

Saturday 4 May

final day, fond farewells to Gillian at Ardness House, keys handed in, fresh bread from the Bakehouse to take home

Ferry to catch - emerging out of the mists from Oban

and off for the long drive south - and the end of another wonderful episode in the lives of the sensational six on that magical Island of Mull.




(and if you've just tuned in and want to go to the start of this 2013 holiday on Mull then just click here)

or if you fancy reading about our 2012 first visit to Mull, then it starts here

ghosts of the past

still back in time on Mull . . .

Thursday 2 May

Wet, cold and windy!  Comforting hearty brunch at the cottage then off in cars piled high with waterproofs and big boots for our hike to Shiaba, a deserted village on a southern headland on the Ross of Mull, just SE of Bunessan, more or less deserted since the 1830s clearances.

Wrapped ourselves up, battened down our kag hoods and off onto the cold, wet hillside.  

First a visit to the remains of the medieval church of Kilvickeon isolated in a field with an amazing graveyard on all sides.

 and it's rare remains of a carved sandstone sheela-na-gig, below

What a fabulous stark setting - in sunshine this valley would be even more beautiful and only a short walk down to the bay and the small island of Garbh Eilean.

But it wasn't seaside weather and we were determined to find the lost village, so on we trudged, higher and higher and wetter and wetter . . .

and finally we are at Shiaba and only us there on that whole mountainside

Shiaba was incredibly atmospheric and moving - especially trying to imagine the harsh lives of its past inhabitants.

The location is just stunning.  We could see the cliffs leading down the coast towards the Carsaig Arches -next year's extreme walk (Ha Ha).    And out to sea we could just about see faint outlines of the islands in the mist that we knew were dotted out in the Atlantic Ocean.

Even discovered an Iron Age hill fort in the centre - perfectly located at the tip of the hill, overlooking the ocean.   Be so magical in the sun!! 

So we'd found our lost village - then it was the long wet walk back to the cars, shower and change and we treated ourselves to a meal out tonight - - - - - followed by, you guessed it, more QI and, hilariously, a round or two of What's My Line!

If you'd like to read on to the final day of the hol - then please click here



(and if you've just tuned in and prefer to go to the start of this holiday on Mull then just click here)

and then we were four

still on the Isle of Mull back in April . . .  (I'm writing this with the Glastonbury coverage on the radio in the background - glad they've had such a fabulously sunny weekend and the Stones did themselves proud last night, even if they did look bizarrely ancient!!) OK, back to Mull . . . .

Wednesday 1 May

Sunny, warm and windy and two or our intrepid team decided to go and hike one of the most arduous walks on Mull to the famous Fossil Tree.  We all joined in with the packing of their butties and off they went . . .

Thank you - http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/mull/fossil-tree.shtml

so that left the fabulous four - and it was back to Erraid, after our wonderful discovery last year that it really was Treasure Island!

Spotted a beautiful hare just posing for a photo but it was still too far away for this little camera!

Next off we drove down to the little croft at Kintra for a great coffee and cake.  Charming hosts, honesty box in the little shop/cafe, beautiful cottage garden at the edge of the sea and even a hobbit house!

 Quick peek at the tiny old port of Kintra itself

then, after spotting some golden eagles and more hares, it was lunch on our cottage patio, then a walk from the cottage in search of Market Bay.  Beautiful track with boardwalks over the marshy bits and not another soul

though down at the old port of Camas there were signs of habitation - the outward bound centre for Iona - we thought this colourful washing line deserved a pic!

 Backtrack, and ah-ha, a sign!!

But it turned out to be way too far to trek to before dinner, so back to Ardfin and Ardlea for a hasty change and dash down to Ardness House.

But what of our hardy hikers and the Fossil Tree quest?   Well - 7 hours after take off, mission achieved, faces glowing and starving, the plucky pair turned up in the nick of time for Gillian's mega meal.  It as a glorious meal of triumphant tales from the Fossil tree, fresh mussels from the loch, Mull lamb, tender and scrumptious and lots of great banter.

And that fabulous view from Ardness House as evening set in:

Ahhh bliss!!



And if you are still eager for more - read on for our ghost town hike


of if you're new to this blog and want to start right at the beginning of our Mull holiday, then please click here

Where'er you walk

imagine we're still back on Mull and it's . . .

Tuesday 30 April

Setting off from our cottages - the open road beckons

destination - the timeless Ulva

 but of course, only after summonsing the amazing little ferry

 

Great lunch at the Boathouse with homemade breads and soups and prawns straight from the loch

Who could ask for more!

 

and after lunch in the sun (and look at that view),

 we set off to walk over the island to see the basalt columns on the coast.

 Incredible beach, cliffs and woodlands.  Really beautiful, gentle island

 . . . then we were all too soon waiting for the boat back again


 

although before we leave Ulva for good, I must remind you that this was an island that featured on Johnson and Boswell's noted tours of the Hebrides, which I wrote about last year - so click and read here if interested.

We had the most stunning drive back along the lochs with sun slanting into the hillsides casting amazing shadows.

Jo and Dave conjured up a veritable feast back at our cosy cottages

and just a final postcript from me . . .

Walking around Ulva with the sea and the sun and the meadows took me right back to singing 'Where'er You Walk' in the school choir all those years ago.  So I've managed to find a Youtube video with a school choir that sounds much like I remember it - magical!

and the words (with repeats here and there) are:

Where'er you walk
Cool gales shall fan the glade
Trees where you sit
Shall crowd into a shade
Trees where you sit
Shall crowd into shade

Where'er you tread
The Blushing flowers shall rise
And all things flourish
And all things flourish
Where'er you turn your eyes
Where'er you turn your eyes
Where'er you turn your eyes

from Semele by Handel (1743, if Wikipedia is to be believed!)

So if you're not fed up yet and fancy more of the Mull week, then you can read about Wednesday by clicking here

or if you're new to this blog and want to start right at the beginning of our Mull holiday, then please click here