Things to do on the Isle Of Mull, Scotland. A Wee Solo Road Trip in the Campervan

I have visited Mull twice now, once on a solo road trip and once with my fiancé. Here's a little list of

everything we did there. I know there's so much more to explore on the island, and I'll add more and update the blog when I have the chance to return.

We travelled in a campervan, so accommodation wasn't an issue - we also did some wild camping for a night. If you plan to do this, please be considerate and take all your rubbish with you. Always leave no trace.

The simplest way for me to reach Mull was by taking the Calmac Ferry from Oban to Craignure (other route option are available), which cost about £50 and took less than an hour.

Things To Do:

Climb Ben More

The only Munro on Mull. You will find Ben More standing tall in the centre of the Island, with a 6-mile route that's fairly easy to follow. It should take about 4 hours to complete. We were fortunate with the weather and enjoyed stunning views of the surrounding islands and the mainland. There's also an option to take the ridge route from A'Chioch, but we were short on time during this visit. However, I'd love to return to tackle the more challenging route to the summit.

Tràigh na Cille - Black Sand Beach

A secluded spot on the west coast with fascinating black volcanic sands. There is a short 30 minute walk from parking your car near the bridge of Allt Na Cille. This is a pleasant walk on which we found a rope swing across the river, so naturally we had to have a go. Sometimes, if you are lucky there will be cows in the water, having a little paddle or cooling off on a hot day. If you have the weather on your side this is a great spot to spend some time or even take a picnic.

Calgary Bay

Is this the most iconic beach on Mull? With a long stretch of white sand and clear water, this sheltered bay is perfect to spend the day chilling on the sand, walking along the beach or taking a wee dip. We enjoyed a refreshing swim here, had a small portable BBQ on the beach (please tidy up after yourself & make sure you leave no mess) and watched the sunset. Keep on the lookout for sea eagles as they are often spotted here.

Visit Tobermory

"What's the story in Balamory wouldn't you like to know" - this may immediately pop into your head as the title song of the hit children's TV show Balamory in the early 2000's. The main town of Mull, Tobermory is a quaint little fishing village with cheerful coloured houses. A busy tourist spot with lots of lovely cafes & fresh seafood coming from the harbour. There is a lot for tourists to do around here including visiting the museum, a distillery, go to view the lighthouse or my favourite... head to Aros park to see the Aros waterfall.

Boat Trip to Staffa - Puffin Spotting & Fingal's Cave

We took a delightful 3 hour trip with Staffa Tours, leaving from Fionnphort and stopping to pick up passengers from Iona (which gives you the opportunity to hop off here and explore Iona on the way back if you wish to do so.) The ticket price was around £40 per adult and it was worth every penny. As you approach the caves by boat you will see the impressive hexagonal basalt columns rising dramatically from the sea up ahead and hear the magical music of the waves crashing against the columns. This is amplified by the arched roof and sounds almost like an organ being played in a cathedral - I believe the caves were the inspiration behind a very famous orchestral piece "Hebrides Overture" composed by Felix Mendelssohn after visiting the caves.

Once arriving at the island you have your own free time to explore and can enter the cave by walking along the basalt columns, and take a short hike up onto the hill top. This is a very famous spot for spotting Puffins as they breed here every summer. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins, porpoises and minke whales as they can often be spotted playing around in the waters. Staffa is uninhabited so there will be no toilets, cafes or shops on your visit - plan ahead. Fingal's cave shares the same geological origins as The Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland and it is thought that at some point many moons ago the lands were connected.

The legend of Fingal's Cave - A famous Scottish story is that of two giants with a long standing feud. The Irish giant Fingal (Fionn mac Cumhaill) and Benandonner the Scottish giant were said to have hurled insults at each other across the waters until one day enough was enough - they declared war and a bridge was built from Staffa to The Giants Causeway. Neither of the two had seen each other before and Fingal was intimidated by Benandonners huge size as he saw him crossing the bridge. Being frightened to take on the giant, Fingal's wife cunningly comes up with a plan and dresses Fingal up as a baby and places him in a cot. Benandonner arrives and looks around ready to fight Fingal but upon seeing the enormous size of his "baby" starts to worry about the size of his father. He decides it's best not to stick around to see and flees back to Scotland smashing the bridge up on the way so Fingal cannot follow. Thanks to the giants, this is is why the two places share the same types of basalt columns.

Ship Wreck at Salen Beach

A quick stopping point on the road from Salen to Tobermorey, you can pull in at the layby by the roadside to see the shipwrecks that have been here since the 1970's. This spot is extremely popular with photographers, and is a great photo opportunity.

Fidden Farm

Fidden Farm is a gorgeous campsite in a secluded bay on the coastline of Mull. The site is open from the end of Mar - Sept and at only £12 per person per night, it's an absolute bargain for the facilities and the stunning surroundings. With white sandy beaches, clear blue waters perfect for dipping or paddle boarding and some of the most incredible sunsets I have witnessed, this place is certainly worth a visit.

Horse Trekking

I went out for the afternoon with Mull Pony Trekking, on a private trek up into the hills.

I don't think I had planned a private but it was just out of season and I was the only one there which worked out great for me!

Liz and her team are super friendly and happy to point out where you may spot wildlife along the way, and the ponies are very well cared for and behaved. It was a lovely trek up into the hillside and to see Mull from a different viewpoint, I even got into a wee canter. There is an option for a beach trek also which I think is very popular. I got lucky with a last minute booking but I would recommend you book in advance especially during peak season.

The cost for the trek was £55 and in my opinion, well worth it.

Mull is a beautiful island with numerous things to do and I can't wait to return to explore some more. If anyone has any suggestions of other things I should do on my return please feel free to leave a suggestion below.