Scots! And Scot lovers! Help me with my trip to Mull?

[WilfSell]

I can do the bit up until the motorways end, and pretty much till Loch Lomond. On a previous thread (which I will refer back to at some point) there was a heated debate about whether to take the low or high road (or summat )

But what I mean is the following:

1. How many hours drive to factor in beyond Glasgow to Oban?

1. We will book a ferry for late afternoon/early evening - any idea how much slack to leave, whether there's stuff to do at ferry place if hanging around: general child friendly tips about the boat?

1. How long to Mull on ferry?

1. We're staying near Calgary bay - how long across Mull?

1. Any tips about shopping? We're self-catering and will be arriving quite late, so would appreciate a good tip for nearest biggish supermarket and petrol station on the mainland?

1. Driving up from Midlands so a good overnight stop recommendation would be very welcome also.

Your 'Scotland with three small boys in an inevitably wet and cold and misty summer' would be welcome too (someone I know has suggested wetsuits but other tips also welcome)

And please tell the truth about midges and best repellents!

Thanks
Wilf

I know you organised people are out there, just waiting to help me be a bit anally retentive planning my holiday travel in advance...

Will, I am born and bred Scottish and I am afraid I can tell you feck all about Mull. Oh, other than Balamory, etc.
I do live on the west, but south west, further down than Glasgow.
I can tell you about midges - they are evil! Best repellents - any with hideous chemicals in.
You could stop in Dumfries and Galloway maybe?

Bet your glad I answered you, eh?

I've never been to Loch Lomond either.
I know not of the high road/low road.
I am a shite Scot.

Ya need to get out more, obv.
Thanks anyway

I'm nowhere near Mull but had a holiday there almost 10 years ago and it was lovely.

Can't remember that much as it's a while ago now...but activities wise, there's a castle I think..Duart Castle? Would your ds's be into castles?

Tobemory very pretty and has most of the shops I think.

Would recommend a day trip on the ferry to Iona, it is beautiful, gorgeous white sand beaches and clear blue sea (sea freezing though - wetsuits good idea!).

Can't remember now where supermarkets/petrol stations are but I seem to remember most stuff being closed on Sundays - Sunday trading laws/traditions still quite strict iirc.

SUnday laws not quite so bad now, though maybe still a bit backward old fashioned on the islands?

[evil mainland dwelling judging]

Went to Mull (without children) about 8 years ago and it was lovely - all I can tell you is:

• We stopped in the Lake District on the way up (from the SE) and near Inverary (I think) on the way back but not sure how helpful that is to you going from Midlands.

• Tobermory was lovely, the Mishnish is the best pub I have EVER been to (and I've been to a few, believe me).

• From memory the crossing wasn't that long from Oban, maybe an hour or two? Can't honestly remember though so worth checking out, there must be a Caledonian Ferries website with times on it or something? We definitely booked in advance as I am also anal about holidays / schedules

• Drive across Mull was about an hour I think, there aren't any big roads so depends how many muck spreaders / caravans you get stuck behind.

• Iona definitely worth a visit.

• Midges are the devil's work, take DEET, citronella, Avon Skin So Soft body lotion (sounds bonkers but used the world over as a really effective midge repellent!) and one of those little clicker things to click on the bites to stop you / kids scratching them when you're inevitably bitten.

• Don't camp. We did. I shall say no more.

• Again can't remember exact hours / places re shopping but 8 years ago facilities were sparse. I'd take essentials with you and give yourself a couple of days' grace before you actually NEED to find a supermarket.

HTH

my PILs used to live on Mull, so we've driven up many a time. Unfortunately, they moved back here a couple of years ago, but I would imagine it's not changed all that much.

1. How many hours drive to factor in beyond Glasgow to Oban?

It's about 2-3 hours from glasgow to Oban, depending on weather etc. Usually closer to 2 IIRC.

1. We will book a ferry for late afternoon/early evening - any idea how much slack to leave, whether there's stuff to do at ferry place if hanging around: general child friendly tips about the boat?

We've nearly missed the ferry several times and actually missed it once. FIL had to come over for us in his fishing boat . So, I would recommend you aim to be early!
The ferry is about 10 minute walk from the town. Easy enough to get to. I can only remember pubs though as we've only been there pre-kids and then with a baby so we weren't really looking for kids stuff! There wasn't much stuff specifically for kids on the ferry (crisps? ), but there's a cafe and there's usually enough room to spread out unless you're at a particularly busy time.

1. How long to Mull on ferry?

About 45 minutes.

1. I'm guessing about 45 minutes. We used to be about 20 mins from Craignure and Calgary was about 20-30 minutes from there IIRC. Calgary is a beautiful spot BTW

1. Any tips about shopping? We're self-catering and will be arriving quite late, so would appreciate a good tip for nearest biggish supermarket and petrol station on the mainland?

Groceries are expensive and limited on the island so it is the done thing to stock up at Tesco in Oban. Easy enough to find and only a couple of minutes from the ferry. I only know if the main Co-Op in Tobermory, but of course that may have changed in the intervening 2 years. There are little Spar type village shops dotted around. Petrol is much cheaper on the mainland so it would be advisable to stock up in Oban. There was a petrol station in Salen and, I think Craignure. Not sure about the rest of the island. Calgary is fairly popular so I would imagine there is one up there.

1. No idea about driving from the midlands sorry. We used to go from Manchester and it is on average a 6hour journey; it has been 5.5, it has been 7.

All the Mullochs we spoke to swore by Avon Skin So Soft body oil for midges.

It's such a beautiful island, you'll have a fab time and I'm very jealous!

Don't camp is excellent advice.

i have camped on mull and survived!

The ferry from Oban leaves from the town centre so if you have time to kill in Oban you can have a wander around the harbour, buy an ice cream, look at the books in waterstones, go to a cafe (MacTavish's Kitchen , there's a very nice fish and chip shop with restaurant - caff - great for kids we find). There's also a cinema which is in the town centre so within walking distance. It'll show the latest couple of box office hits.

We drove from teh ferry to calgary bay last year. I think it was about 45 mins but I'm hazy on that. You'll know that it's mainy single track roads so sometimes it did feel that we spent a long time driving around but I think our longest trip was tobermory to fionnphort (sp).

Agree re stock up on groceries at the big tesco on oban if possible.

Wetsuits will be very handy. If your kids are hardy (like mine) you can make do with an old t-shirt to go over the swim suit for the sea plus a pair of those sea shoes. Although calgary bay is beautiful and sandy.

Thank you all - brilliant tips and timings. Good to know there's a Tesco in Oban And thanks for the info on the ferry - we'll aim to arrive early and hang around I think.

I will investigate Avon!

I guess we'll probably just drive as far as we can and find a travelodge or something.

There is a largish Tesco, a co-op and an Aldi all in the same mini retail park which is very close to where the ferry leaves. Great shed selling crab sarnies or langoustine opposite the ferry. Oban is great for a mooch around/wander along the sea front.

At Calgary Bay there is an old village of abandoned balck houses up on the hillside above the bay, I was told that the villagers built the pier and were then cleared from the land and forced to sail so very atmospheric

www.multimap.com/s/Srh4CpAw Inivea its marked as on the map.

www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/United_Kingdom/Scotland/Strathclyde/Island_of_Mull-308134/Off_t heBeatenPath-IslandofMull-BR-1.html

Great waterfall at Eas Fors, and the beaches of the Ross of Mull are great. Good coffee shop at Glengorm Castle

We always buy the 1:50,000 OS maps as many interesting beaches and things to visit in the highlands and Islands are not exactly signposted. I will bet that you will be able to find a white shell sand beach all to yourself quite easily! Have fun!

Opps that Multimap link didn't work.....sorry, its up on the hills above the bay....

wilfsell am jealous, we used to live on Mull and would go back in an instant!!
I would second stocking up a bit on shopping in Oban at Tesco. There is one co-op in Tobermory and a couple of other spar etc dotted around the island but we always found co-op a bit of a hit or a miss. I mean, I never had a list, you just had to have what was on the shelves!!!
There is an excellent bakery, butchers etc, but probably good to stock up on tea, jam, ketchup etc before you go, plus will be much cheaper in oban!!
The skin so soft from avon stuff is definately the best. It comes in a green spray bottle. I personally hate the smell of it, a bit old ladyish for me, but it does work wonders!
Biggest tip for being in Oban would be to get a full tank of petrol there because the petrol on the island will be really expensive!!
Also, worth going on calmac ferry website and taking a note of the text number to check the ferries are running on schedule. You text a code to them and they text you back the latest details!
Drive from Loch lomond to oban 2 hours ish, depending on traffic, not much chance to overtake so if you are stuck behind caravans etc will take a while, but gorgeous scenery!
Activities - just being outdoors and chilling out, lots of beaches etc for messing around on. Mull is very safe, no real danger from traffic etc, so nice to give kids some freedom!
Hope you have a great time!!

Wilf, I've told you before and I'll tell you again - go via Loch Lomond, Tarbet, Inverary. Trust me. 2.5 hours max from Glasgow.

Leave an hour to get to Calgary from Craignure. 45 mins on ferry.

There's a co-op and a largish Spar in Tobermory, also a more frou-frou deli and various other shops. It's quite well served and about 30 mins drive from Calgary.

I have two small boys (3 and 4) and they loved the beaches and also the wee boat to Ulva (it goes from further down the west coast from Calgary) - there's a little teashop at the other side and lots of little walks and beaches on Ulva. We timed our visit to coincide with blackberries, which helped with the walking.

DS2 also spent a v happy half hour standing underneath a leaky gutter in Tobermory on a VERY wet day. I swear he would have stood under it all morning. I think it was the noise of the rain on his hood. So, that's always a possibility.

I'm from Oban! Born and bred! Though I now live near Glasgow Parents still own a guest house there. Think everything you've asked has been covered but let me know if you think of anything else.

Just had to post as I got a bit excited and sentimental on seeing it mentioned!

Drive is definately closer to 2 hours than three, I do it in 2 but if you don't know the road and are taking in the scenery then maybe 2 and a half. I would highly recommend turning right at Tarbet to follow the A82 via Crianlarich. It's a much nicer view imho as it follows the water's edge. If you need a toilet/snack/fuel stop then Tyndrum is a good place, you'll pass it on the right. Just turn in when you see the petrol station, it's fairly well known and called the Green Welly.