Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Isle of Mull

Although Mull seems a nice enough place itself--a large island, just a few miles off the mainland, home of the Tobermory Distillery (intense smokiness...), Clan Maclean, numerous mussel farms, forests, farms, sheep, two menhirs, some hotels and B&Bs, not very many people, one-lane roads, and much rugged Scottish landscape both coastal and mountainous--for most, including us, it is simply the intermediary to getting to Iona, home of the famous Abbey of St. Columba, the Book of Kells, and so on. You take the bus across and down Mull and then hop on another ferry, which takes you the mile or two across the channel to Iona.
Castle Duart, ancient stronghold of Clan Maclean














Disgorging ferry














And now we are on the turbuss














Right behind the driver, Vicki in her accustomed "suicide
seat," probably wishing the driver would slow down;
she has not let me forget Penelope's "Grandpa, slow down!"
















Enjoying the driver's amusing 90 minute narration of Mull's
history, geography, geology, climate, culture, commerce,
scenic wonders, colorful characters, etc. Above, one of the
several mussel farms we saw 
















Mountains, waterfalls














Typical














One of the menhirs














At last we are on the southwest coast, ready to board the
next, smaller ferry, which will take us to Iona















Iona in the distance, the abbey smack in the center



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