How the heck do you get there?
Okay, we're presuming you know how to get to Britain in general and Scotland in particular. There are several ways of getting to Mull itself. We don't normally get into this stuff. After all, what the heck are travel agents for? Further, things can change much more quickly than we can change this website, and we could be seriously out-of-date.
However, as Mull is a small island we decided to give you some basic information, but for proper up-to-date details you need to do your own research, or pay someone to do it (usually a travel agent!). There's an absolute bucket of stuff on the internet, but be aware that as with us, many of the administrators of those websites do not stay 100% up-to-date.
However, as Mull is a small island we decided to give you some basic information, but for proper up-to-date details you need to do your own research, or pay someone to do it (usually a travel agent!). There's an absolute bucket of stuff on the internet, but be aware that as with us, many of the administrators of those websites do not stay 100% up-to-date.
Public Transport
Depending where you're coming from you can catch a train or bus to Oban, then a ferry to Mull (see below for somewhere to start to get information on the ferries). Easy peasy. For those coming from down in southern Scotland, which I choose to assume will be most of you, you can make your way to Glasgow and head north.
The train's a great choice, and heads for Oban from Glasgow's Queen Street Station. Oban is where the main ferry to Mull leaves from. The train runs on part of the West Highland Railway, operated by Scotrail! Buses run regularly to Oban from Glasgow's Buchanan Street Bus Station. There's also one bus daily in the summer from Glasgow International Airport running directly to Oban. If you check, there may also be buses from Edinburgh, Fort William, and so on. For more info. check out Citylink's website or Craignure's VisitScotland Tourist Information Centre. On Mull itself, anyone without a car or other form of transport could have a problem. There's bugger all public transport that goes anywhere near Macquarie's Mausoleum from anywhere. So once on Mull, to get to the Mausoleum you'll have to:
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Distance from Salen to the Mausoleum
There are heaps of lovely photographs of views on Mull and Ulva, but remember - both islands have "other days" ... many "other days" and this might be all you can see. While I love the highland cows, they're probably not the only reason you've paid squillions to get to Mull. Mind you, the weather in Scotland can be a bit Melbournish (which I love, by the way!) and can change from this to sunny very quickly. Or from this to violently stormy just as quickly!
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Below is a public transport bus map of Mull. I've marked Salen clearly, as the road off to Salen's left is the road to Gruline, along which Macquarie's Mausoleum is located, and as far as we can tell at the time of writing there isn't a regular bus along the Salen to Gruline road or the west coast road.
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Plane
There's a flight from Glasgow to the Oban airport (in North Connel). Note the airport isn't as close to the ferry stop as the train station, which is right on the spot, so to speak!
You could hire a car, walk, bike, or taxi to the ferry, and head over to Mull from there. There is an airport on Mull to which there have been no regular commercial flights since about 1981. But, if you're flying yourself or have someone to fly you in a light plane with four seats or less Glenforsa Airfield is probably able to handle you. Apparently, flight information can be obtained from Flight Guides like Pooley's, AFE, and the like, whatever they are, but if you're a pilot I guess you know. Glenforsa Airfield is available for occasional liftouts of patients from the small hospital near Salen, and not all that far from the Mausoleum. It's possible to hire a car or a car plus driver (taxi!) which can meet you at the airfield. Also, from Oban there are flights to some islands, from which you can get a boat or ferry to Mull, but the ferry from Oban would be quicker and easier if you want to go direct. |
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Ferries
Depending on where you happen to be travelling at the time you want to go to Mull, there are 3 places from which ferries leave mainland Scotland for Mull (see map below).
These things are car ferries, but of course you don't have to have a car to travel on them! Oh, remember to book, and that travel times on Mull by car can be much more than you think, so give yourself plenty of time to catch a ferry. Oh, bugger, I nearly forgot. Calmac, the ferry operators, expect you to be on board at least 10 minutes before the ferry's departure time. The three ferry services are:
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Car Hire on Mull
There are a couple of places where cars can be hired. At least one of them will deliver a car to wherever you want it, including any of the ferry stops. There are also car hire places in Oban, although, obviously, you'll have to pay to haul the thing over to Mull. Or, of course, you may have hired a car already elsewhere, and good luck to yer! Oh, by the way, at the time of writing (2017) Mackay's, at least, does NOT supply automatic cars.
And, if you're going to drive, read the section below. It's important. No joke! |
Car/Motor Bike
Easy peasy, via a ferry from anywhere. Just double check your ferry is a car ferry, although as far as I know they all are - except, at least, the ferries to and from Ulva and Iona, the former because there aren't any roads on Ulva suitable for most normal cars, and Iona because only Iona residents are allowed to use cars on the island.
Extra Self-Drive Car/Motor Bike Issues
If you're driving (or biking - I'll cover both by writing about driving) yourself on Mull, there are some VERY important things of which you need to be aware.
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A passing spot. This shows an obviously dangerous situation on a lovely clear day. Imagine getting past this point and meeting an oncoming vehicle on a stormy, rainy day (hopefully you're both travelling at reasonable speeds!) and one of you has to reverse to the nearest passing spot. Oh, yes, this is also the main west coast road. We drove this road at dusk and, later, in the dark. Scary!
Sorry, this image is a bit small, but the white spots about two thirds of the way along this stretch of road (west coast) are sheep (more hazards!). Just beyond them is a passing spot, and unless things have improved dramatically in the years since this was taken it's not unusual to find passing spots without signs, posts, or anything else to indicate their presence except to the alert eye (hint, hint!).
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Bike
More information? Start here:
- An article by a cyclist
- Bike tours on Mull. Their map is from Google, so you can follow the trails at road level, at least where the trail is on a Google photographed road.
- Isle of Mull Bike Rides: 27 rides to suit everyone, both on and off road, by Pete Jarvis. This 1996/97 pamphlet (the year seems to depend on which Amazon webpage you're on) is being advertised by Amazon, but is "unavailable". You may be able, with a smidgeon of effort, track one down somewhere if you have the time and/or interest.
Feet
Tours
There are umpteen tours to and on Mull, but very few make specific mention of Macquarie's Mausoleum. Of the two I've discovered on a quick google seach in 2017, at least one leaves from Glasgow, and at least one is on Mull. You will have to utilise google or whatever to search for more detailed information, or your travel agent will, and check with the company that the Mausoleum is definitely on the itinerary.
It may also be possible to get a guided tour with a driver, or as part of a small group, and it may also be possible to organise a guided bike tour.
It may also be possible to get a guided tour with a driver, or as part of a small group, and it may also be possible to organise a guided bike tour.