sites to visit on mull (1 Viewer)

[seggs]

just starting to research for next years scottish trip..
me and the other half fancy trying this place out..not been before,but love scotland...it seems the best place for eagles so decided to start looking into it..i know theres some good web sites on the area but thought the bf members are the best to ask..
cheers..

 

[delia todd]

Hi Steve - there's quite a lot on Mull in Opus if you've not looked there yet.

Should cover most of what you want, I think.

D

 

[Vipers]

Hi Seggs

You won't be disappointed. Mull is a superb place for scenery and Eagles. I will pm you with details of a few sites.

 

[Sandra (Taylor)]

There are some Vacation Reports on that thread that I'm sure you'll find useful. We're off there on 15th September and can hardly wait!

We find the middle of the island a good place to stay to reach everywhere easily in a day. Staying on the Gruline estate in a cottage near Loch Ba this year.

Sandra

 

[Vipers]

Steve. Here are a couple of photos I took on Mull last year just to wet your appetite.

 

[seggs]

thanks to all
some great info..and pics!
cheers
steve

 

[greater]

I visited Mull in July, Three Sea Eagles at Loch Ba on Hill tops, Grass Point look over Rocks. Golden Eagles Loch Ba and view any Hill top, albeit they are not in abundance. Sea birds from Calgary Beach Quay. Otters in Salen Bay area. Seals can be on any Rocks. Black Guillemot in Oban Harbour. Look out for light house half way across ferry journey for sea birds Puffin Skua etc. Mergansers, Divers could be anywhere.Rock Pippits on any Rocks, Short Eared Owls, Hen Harriers south of Loch Frisa, plenty of Wheat Ear Whin Chats.

Scenery is amazing, there is a great view from the road over the West Islands just below Calgary,Staffa can be seen, one of the best views in Britain, I think.

 

[d.steeley]

There are some Vacation Reports on that thread that I'm sure you'll find useful. We're off there on 15th September and can hardly wait!

We find the middle of the island a good place to stay to reach everywhere easily in a day. Staying on the Gruline estate in a cottage near Loch Ba this year.

Sandra

Hi Sandra, I've just returned from a two week stay in one of the cottages on the Ben More estate. Wonderful place.

Dave

 

[Ruth Daniel]

Mull is superb we were up there in May and had all the good weather plus Golden Eagle and Otter,Salen Bay!
The scenery is pretty good too!:t:

 

[d.steeley]

I would recommend you buy a copy of the Isle of Mull bird report and species list. It lists all of the best birding sites around the island and the birds that can usually be seen. Map/grid references also given as is information on seeing other wildlife such as Otters. Available from Alan Spellman on mullbirds http://www.mullbirds.com/

Dave

 

[seggs]

thanks everybody
i knew i would get the best responses from the people on this site..
cheers

 

[llendorin]

Me and 4getmenot literally just got back from Mull yesterday evening. The weather there was absolutely gorgeous and we really had a great time!
I agree, the Salen Bay area is really good for otters. Also plenty of mergansers, curlew and a couple of whimbrel there, too.
I think the best recommendation for finding things is to explore the island, or even to take one of the wildlife watching tours that are on offer. We took the tour with http://www.discovermull.co.uk/ on Wednesday, and managed to see otters, grey seal, common seal, plenty of guillemots, both black and common, hen harrier, golden eagle, white-tailed eagle, sparrowhawk, pipits, mergansers, herons, eider, mallard... the list could go on and on.
The original plan for us was to take their tour on the first day, then use the knowledge gained from that to find places for ourselves, or even to return to areas visited on the tour. Sadly, it didn't work out that way and we'd been there a couple of days before we did the tour. We definitely saw more on the tour than we ever did by ourselves (although we got better golden eagle views by ourselves than we did on the tour)
There are several other tours about, but we chose that one based on recommendations both here and elsewhere.

 

[spmontgomery]

The best bird site to find out about sightings etc on Mull is:

www.mullbirds.com

I went there this August
Shaunbecause my 8 year old boy wanted to see a Golden Eagle, or at least he did before he found out how impressive the Sea Eagle is!

In the event we saw several of each. We saw the family group of both species with the wing tags visible on both parents and young. The White Tailed Sea Eagle delighted us with an overhead fly past, to show us just how massive he is! Believe you me an 8 foot wing span is huge when seen in flight gliding overhead. We also saw Otter, Red Deer and Common Seal. All of these sightings were shown to us with the excellent services of a wild life tour guide. We hired him and his Mercedes MPV for 3 hours ; he gave us 4. It was well worth the money we paid. Without him I doubt we would have seen any of it. All the sightings were much improved by the use of a Swarovski spotting scope which brought it all so much closer and very bright indeed.

The only downside is that now my son wants a spotting scope like the guide's and I don't have the £1000 spare that it would take to provide one!

 

[seggs]

sent away for a copy of the birds of mull yesterday..found a cottage at griburn near pennygael( 30mins from salen or 11 miles)...which looks and sounds great!! no tv.:t: http://www.cottageguide.co.uk/staffacottage/
and at the moment a field set aside for corncrake!..at the end of the garden..
looks like a very popular place as the only available time is the end of august/early september.. the rest of the dates i selected are booked up already!! for next year..2008..
any advice and preference on the guided tours?..as i have already read glowing reports on most of them..and i had already planned on going on one..
they seem the best option for vistors to get to know the area and the best sites.
thanks
to all
steve

 

[wolfbirder]

I would say all th eguided tours will connect with eagles/otters and more quite easily. Gribun is itself a good area for Golden Eagles I recall.

 

[wolfbirder]

Also, why not go out on a trip looking for Minke whales and other seabirds. Try www.whalewatchingtrips.co.uk

Can be a bit hit and miss with the whales tho.

 

[Yorkiebird]

Seggs, we're going on Sat. this is our 3rd visit in 12 mths. We did the www.discovermul.co.uk with Pam and Arthur and recommend it. Wonderful island fantastic wildlife and scenery. Hope you enjoy the photos.

 

[seggs]

thanks wolf and yorkie....wolf which sea trip did you do?...we love sea trips so it looks fantastic!!and a definate..thanks..we were lucky this year, had bottle nosed dolphins in the kyles of bute from the main road!..not on the boat..locals say they only come here twice a year at the most..they were up and down the road excited by the site!!trying to get a good view..as i was!..
yorkie..hope you enjoy(as you must! 3rd time this year!)..and the weather is kind..the link did,nt work but will find it..where do you normally stay?..thanks..
all the best
steve egg.

 

[Yorkiebird]

Steve, we are stopping for a 2nd time in Dervaig our accom. is S/C here is the link I hope it works! By the way it is just down the road from the Pam and Arthur's who run Discover Mull. http://www.accommodationsmull.co.uk/glenview/self.htm it works if you paste it straight the browser address bar but not if you do it through Google.
We are hoping to see dolphins and a whale or two would be a bonus! http://www.mullbirds.com/SEAEAGLES.html choose Wildlife Tours and you will find most of companies on Mull. Just looked at my last it didn't work because I only put 1 L in Mull sorry!! I forgot to add we also climbed Ben More very tiring for 2 OAP's but worth it.

 

[seggs]

thanks yorkie..
the link worked..:t:
deposit in the post for the cottage i talked about earlier on the thread so will give that one a go..see link..but will keep yours in mind for the future..
looking forward to going already..
thanks again
please post your report!!
all the best to all