Mull Area Trasport Guide

Welcome to the on-line version of Argyll and Bute Council’s

Valid May to October 2009 (for precise dates plese see individual tables) Use this version much as you would the printed booklet; also to look for any important updates and to print extracts - any size - to suit your purpose or your eyes. The printed booklet (size A5) is handy too. It’s normally available free of charge from many shops and offices in our area or from us at [email protected] (or see p24). As I type this I know of one error in the printed booklet - on p 7, travelling to Glasgow Airport via Glasgow Queen St, you should exit to and await the bus in North Hanover St NOT North Frederick St (which would be impossible). I apologise and trust confusion will be slight. And now we’ll be delighted if you scroll down to page 2 and begin to consider your journey ... W.P. 8.5.2009

z0 xxxx x

Optional Aids to egg you on

Route Diagrams

This Guide has 4 sections for 4 areas most open with route notes and travel tips. Sections have distinct colours to help you find places on map or the table for a route.

show places served and connections on and off (dashed lines mean ferries)

Contents Finding Your Way through this Guide - pp 1-4, 23 Sections p 1, maps p 2, contents p 3, index p 4, help p 23 Preliminary Concerns - pp 5-6 Weather, connections, disclaimer, booking - p 5 Reduced fares, physical help, hospitals, complaints - p6 The Main Routes to Mull - pp 7-10 Intro., changing termini, bikes, cars, planes, airports - p 7 Edinburgh-Glasgow-Oban, the main train or coach - pp 8-9 Direct coaches SW of Glw, E of Scotland; seaplane - p 8 Oban - Craignure (Mull), the main ferry - p 9 The Other Main Vehicle Route to Mull - p 10 The Corran Ferry on the way to Mull - p 10 Lochaline (Morvern) - Fishnish (Mull) - p 10 Oban and Core Routes on Mull incl. day trips - pp 11-14 Intro., where you might go; and local at Craignure - p 11 (Oban) Craignure - (Lochaline), Salen, Tobermory - p 12 (Oban) Craignure - Bunessan, Fionnphort (Iona) - p 14 Inclusive tours from Oban and Craignure - p 14

| Look in the route diagram above a table for where to change and the page to turn to. 4

Oban 1600 C'nure 1646 usually catches

|

Note the coloured journey band on the service | you'll be getting off - then spot the same colour C'nure 1652 marking likely connections all through the book. T'mry 1740

Principal Pages for Airports p 7

Mull Rail and Duart Castle are with core routes on p 11

Begin here for Taxis 24 the cities, airports; or main ferries (with out connections)

Guided tours on foot or by small vehicle or boat - p 18

Around Mull beyond the Core Routes - pp 15-18 Beyond SW Mull to Iona, Staffa,Treshnish Isles - p 15 or from North Mull to the same isles - pp 15-16 Day Visits pp 11-14 Around North Mull by bus round Tobermory and on to Dervaig and Calgary - p 16 Tobermory 12-13 From North Mull by boat to Isles of Ulva and Gometra; Iona 14-15 to Drimnin or Sunart; or to Kilchoan (for beyond); - p 17 Beyond All Routes seeking Scenery and Wildlife - p 18

Begin here for Oban and core routes on Mull.

Mull in the Wider West Highlands - pp 19-23 Introduction to the routes - p 19 Going North in the Highlands and Islands - pp 20-21 Mull - Ft William, Inverness, Mallaig, Skye - pp 20-21 or to Towns and Isles in Argyll and Clyde - pp 22-23 Argyll by bus: Cowal, Mid Argyll and Kintyre - p 22

Argyll and Bute by boat or plane: many islands - p23 Taxis, Other Hiring and Where to Find Out More - p 24 Taxis, self-drive, bicycles, tourist and travel resources.

Distances and Notes for Motorists On the Mainland to the Ferries: Glasgow to Oban 100 miles (160 km) Edinburgh to Oban 125 miles (200 km) Glasgow to Lochaline 130 miles (210 km) Inverness to Lochaline 105 miles (170 km)

On Mull from the Ferries: Craignure to Tobermory 22 miles (35 km) Craignure to Fionnphort 35 miles (56 km) Fishnish to Tobermory 18 miles (29 km) Fishnish to Fionnphort 42 miles (68 km)

Highland roads are twisty, island roads are often single track. Please allow plenty of time - at least as long as the bus times in this Guide. Always stop on the left - never on the right - to let others pass or overtake.

We hope you'll enjoy our Guide - and enjoy your travels too

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xIndex of Main Places and Routes To use the index look in the place columns for somewhere on your journey; Col.2 shows one or more routes for each place. Look up any which seem likely. Page Place Route Colours lead to place on map p2

Colours lead to section of book containing timetable.

Aberdeen - Oban (for Mull) via Dundee or Stirling 8 19,22,23 Arran Bute Cowal : Mull via Mid Argyll Bunessan : Oban - C'nure - Fionnphort - Iona 14 Calgary - Dervaig - Tobermory (for main routes) 16 Campbeltown (- Kennacraig or) - Oban (both for Mull) 19,22 Claonaig (for Arran) (- Kennacraig) - Tarbert (both for Mull) 19,22 Coll (Isle of) - Mull (Craignure) via Oban 23 23 Colonsay (Isle of) : Mull - Colonsay - Jura - Islay - Kintyre Corran Ferry : A82 (south of Ft Wm) - Ardgour (for Mull) 10 Craignure 9 - Oban (for the cities) - Fishnish - Salen - Tobermory 12-13 - Bunessan - Fionnphort - Iona 14 - Torosay (Mull Rail) also Duart 11 - Ft William, Mallaig, Skye, Inverness 19-21 - Coll and Tiree also - Colonsay 23 Dervaig : Tobermory (for main routes) - Calgary 16 17 Drimnin (Morvern)` - Tobermory Duart - Craignure (for Oban) 11 Dundee - Oban (for Mull) 8 Dunoon (Cowal) - Inveraray for Oban (or K'craig) for Mull 19,22 Edinburgh - Oban (for Mull) via Glasgow or direct 8-9 Fionnphort - Craignure (for N.Mull) - Oban (for cities) 14 - Iona, Staffa, the Treshnish Isles 15 - Ft William, Mallaig, Skye, Inverness 19-21 Fishnish - Lochaline 10 : Oban - Craignure (for Iona) - Tobermory 12-13 - Ft William, Mallaig, Skye, Inverness 20-21 Fort William - Mull via Kilchoan, Lochaline or Oban 19-21 Garmony : Oban - Craignure - Tobermory 12-13 Glasgow - Oban (for Mull) direct or via airport 8-9 - Clyde Coast and Mid Argyll (for Mull) 19,22,23 18 Gometra (Isle of) Ulva Ferry - Isle of Gometra (17), sea cruises Greenock : Glasgow Area South - Oban (for Mull) 8 Gruline - Salen - Tobermory (use school bus) 12-13

You'll find more mainland places on route diagrams before tablesx

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Place Inveraray Inverness Iona (Isle of)

Route Page - Oban (for Mull), Dunoon, Kintyre 22 - Mull via Kilchoan, Lochaline or Oban 20-21 - Fionnphort, also Easdale or Staffa 15 - F'phort-Craignure-Oban (for cities) 14 Islay (Isle of) - Colonsay - Mull (or use Kennacraig p22) 23 Kilchoan - Tobermory for routes on or via Mull 17 20-21 - Ft Wm, Mallaig, Skye, Inverness Livingston - Oban (for Mull) via Bathgate, Grang'mth 8 Lochaline : Fishnish - Lochaline 10 12-13 : Tobermory-C'nure for Oban 20-21 - Ft Wm, Mallaig, Skye, Inverness Lochdon : Oban - Craignure - Iona (Tobermory 12) 14 Lochgilphead - Oban (or - Kennacraig) for Mull 22 20-21 Mallaig - Mull via Kilchoan, Lochaline or Oban Oban - E'burgh,Glasgow,Gr'nck,E Scotland 8-9 - Craignure only (Mull Rail, Duart 11) 9 - C'nure - F'nish - Salen - Tob'mory 12-13 - C'nure - Bunessan - Fionnphort - Iona 14 - Iona via Easdale 15 - Ft Wm, Mallaig, Skye, Inverness 20-21 - other towns and islands in Argyll 22-23 Pennyghael : Oban - Craignure - Fionnphort - Iona 14 Rothesay (I of Bute) - Mull via Dunoon or Tarbert (L.Fyne) 19,22-3 12-13 Salen : Tobermory - Craignure - Oban Skye (Isle of) - Mull via Kilchoan, Lochaline or Oban 19-21 14-16 Staffa (Isle of) : from Oban,F'phort,Iona or Ulva Ferry Stirling - Oban (for Mull) 8 Tarbert (Loch Fyne) : Rothesay-Tarbert (23) - Oban for Mull 19,22 Tiree (Isle of) - Mull (Craignure) via Oban 20 Tobermory - Salen - Craignure - Oban (for cities)12-13 - round Tobermory - Dervaig - Calgary 16 - Iona, Staffa, Treshnish Isles 16 - Kilchoan or Drimnin or Sunart 17 - Ft Wm, Mallaig, Skye, Inverness 20-21 Torosay - Craignure Old Pier Station (Mull Rail) 11 Ulva Ferry - Isles of Ulva (with Staffa14,16) & Gometra 17

Many routes serve intermediate places . Judge from map p2 and route diagrams before tables then check with operator - or ask Traveline p24.

Cock-a-doodle-do! Here choose the route for you* *Except: for Mull by the Clyde Coast , Cowal, Kintyre, or Ft William please start on p19.

Routes to Hospitals are on page 6. This page shows routes + connections. The most used routes are these below 

Glasgow

Mull by Seaplane

March to November Inner Glasgow (River Clyde) to Tobermory in 40 mins. Times responsive to demand - no timetable - must book. Seats nine. Flies subject to weather and sea conditions. i 08702 421457 www.lochlomondseaplanes.com

East of Scotland by direct vto Oban Blue Bus all year, Citylink 18 May- 4 Oct Craignure (Mull) for N.Mull p12, S.W.Mull & Iona p14 (ferry p9) Crieff Perth A'deen Oban

S.W. of Glasgow by direct v to Oban McGill's 27th April - 2i Aug. 2009

(Edinburgh via) Glasgow n Mull North is always h

Dunblane  Callander Bathgate

Dundee    Stirling Grangemouth

Livingston

Edinburgh

Tyndrum

Coach 700 by Blue Bus i 01501 820598 All others by Citylink with Megabus (reservable) i 08705 505050 www.citylink.co.uk Aberdeen (Svc M9,change at Dundee) 0715 1435

McGill's i 01475 711122 www.mcgillsbuses.co.uk What to Spot from routes on this page By train: the Clyde, Lochs Long, Lomond, Awe, Etive; the Cobbler, Ben Lomond, Kilchurn Cstl, Connel Bdg.

Times for this column are on page below.

By coach via Inveraray spot Loch Lomond, L.Long; the Cobbler, Rest and Be Thankful; L.Fyne; Inveraray via all Kilchurn Castle, Ben Cruachan, L.Awe, Pass of Brander, L.Etive, Connel Bridge and Mull far ahead.

Times etc. for this column are below 

From the ferry spot McCaig's Tower, Dunollie Castle, Isles of Kerrera and Lismore with light opp.Lady Rock, L.Linnhe, Ben Nevis, cliffs on Morvern, Duart Castle.

913 973 Citylink 7 days 700M-F 978 0915 Dundee Blue Bus may not be blue 0950 Perth 0805 0905 Edinburgh 0815 Livingston 0910 0920 1020 Stirling 1038 1050 1145 g 1150 Tyndrum 1132 1150 1250 OBAN arr ` 973 700M-F 978 973

973 1615 1650

1850 1950 913

OBAN Stn Sq 0910 1315 1510 1710 Tyndrum dep 1020 1409 1620 1820 g1820 1535 1748 Stirling arr 1948 1630 Livingston 1855 Edinburgh 2055 1215 M9 2015 M9 Perth arr 2052 g2240 Dundee arr 1252 g1325 Aberdeen arr 1445 2400 All city departures are from their bus stations. Coloured bands trace likely connections

Or Exploring on your own .18 Guided Walks:

Meet widely

Mull Magic walks with experienced guide tailored where possible to your interests and needs. Lunch provided. Meet or collect (incl. from ferry) 01688 301213 www.mullmagic.com.

Guided Trips by Minibus or Land Rover: Isle of Mull Wildlife Expeditions to see otters, sea eagles, porpoises, etc.; provided. David Woodhouse, 01688 500121 www.scotlandwildlife.com.

Uplift widely coffee and lunch

Island Encounter Wildlife and bird-watching safaris (otters and sea eagles); binoculars and lunch, comfortable vehicle. Richard Atkinson 01680 300441 www.mullwildlife.co.uk. Discover Mull Wildlife, wild flowers, geology, history; by Land Rover; homemade lunch. Arthur and Pam Brown, 01688 400415 or 07780 600 367 www.discovermull.co.uk. Wild About Mull Wildlife tours in South-West Mull. Eagles, otters and much more; lunch provided: Bryan Rains, 01681 704229 www.wildaboutmull.co.uk. About Mull Tours and Taxi with STGA guide, David Greenhalgh, Bunessan, natural and local history, hill walking drops, dogs welcome 0788 777 4550 www.mullionataxi.com. Mull Wildlife Tours You name it, we’ll try and find it. Small, intimate tour with lunch of your choice included, 01680 812440 www.mullwildlifetours.co.uk.

Guided Trips by Boat: from Tobermory Tob, Ulva Ferry UF, Iona and Fionnphort I&F Sea Life Surveys Tob For all ages all year 01688 302916 www.whalewatchingscotland.com. MV Silver Swift Tob Fishing, diving, wildlife, scenic tours 01688 302390 www.silverswift.co.uk. MV Amidas Tob Fishing, diving, marine wildlife etc. 01688 302336 www.mv-amidas.co.uk.

Hebridean Adventure Tob Trad’nl sailboat 01688 302916 www.hebrideanadventure.co.uk Edge of the World Rib Rides Tob thrilling rides in a rigid inflatable power boat 01688 302821. Mull Charters UF Cruise or fish on lovely Loch-na-Keal, 01680 300444 www.mullcharters.com MV Volante I&F Whales, wildlife, scenery, sea angling 01681 700362 www.volanteiona.com Alternative Boat Hire I&F Traditional inshore sail boat 01681 700537 www.boattripsiona.com

See pp 14-16 for Staffa and Treshnish Isles for geology, seals, sea birds (esp. puffins).

Walking from a bus: Mull’s buses serve wild places with great walking. Our timetable pages suggest a range of walks, some to another route. We can only name them but all except those on p10 are in the booklet Walking in North Mull or Walking in South Mull and Iona both by O Brown & J Whittaker and easily found on Mull. Some walks are quite challenging, especially to catch a bus! Please leave a note of your route. We’re sorry there is no bus to Dhiseig (OS 493359) for the popular route up Ben More. You might hire transport (see left and page 24) or if experienced ascend from the Holly Tree (OS 564306) bus p14 - see south booklet above. Walking from a ferry: Cruises to Staffa and the Treshnish Isles (pp 15-16) give limited time in really wild places. You can spend all day on Ulva (p 17) or walk on the mainland from a Lochaline, Drimnin or Kilchoan ferry or Fort William bus (pp 10,17,20). Cycling: Considering the terrain, roads around xxxxxSalen, Craignure, and beyond Glen xxxxxMore have remarkably few serious hills. You can bring your own bikes (see pp 7 and 19) or hire here (p 24). You can take sturdy bikes to Ulva where roads are rough and challenging. Enquiries Welcome: To check if the sea eagle hide is functioning and arrange a visit (Easter to end July) please  01688 302038 or visit www.forestry.gov.uk. For other information and advice on wildlife, fishing, cycling, guided trips and public transport to wild places ask the Mull and Iona Ranger Service 01680 300640 [email protected].