Scotland Road Trip and Isle of Mull Wildlife

With Liz’s Mum, Jan arriving the day before, we set off early up the M6 for our drive to Scotland. Other that a stop for breakfast in the Lake District at Tebay, we headed straight across the border then turned onto the A75 and then the B725 for a costal drive around the Solway Firth.

We decided to call into the WWT location at Caerlaverock to see what birds and other wildlife we could spot. Nothing out of the ordinary, and no otters, but we enjoyed a couple of hours walking the trails and climbing the lookouts.

Then onward to Dumfries, alongside the River Nith. We then spent the early evening exploring the town, a bar or two, and a very nice meal at Home Restaurant.

We enjoyed the Scottish breakfast including haggis at the hotel, headed south for a call into Rockcliffe, then back north to Castle Douglas to re-join the A75 to head west for a bit more of Dumfries and Galloway. Lots of Red Kites and busy traffic heading for the ferries at Stranraer. 

We cut the corner and then joined the A77, stopping around Lendalfoot to spot the seals and sea birds, near the monument to the Cruiser Varyag. Then past Turnberry and its Presidential golf course, before heading inland towards our overnight at Eaglesham. We had a nice walk in the local park alongside the burn, before another great meal in the busy Swan Inn. A wedding party in the hotel made for a noisy night.

Another good Scottish breakfast, then north around Glasgow on the M77 and M8, before crossing the Clyde over Erskine Bridge and heading up the A82 towards Loch Lomond. It was a dull day, with rain to follow and the views were not great. We made a short stop at busy Luss before taking a quick look at Falls of Falloch north of Inverarnan. At Tyndrum, we decided to take a longer route to Oban via Glencoe. It was turning into a traditional Scottish day in the Highlands, but the views were still awesome and the glens full of damp tourists.

We turned back south at South Ballachulish onto the A828, and after a photo stop for Castle Stalker near Portnacroish, we arrived at Oban. We went shopping for supplies for our weeks stay on Mull, and car chock full of shopping, went to the ferry terminal for our 3.55pm ferry to Craignure. I got some fish and chips we shared in the car as the rain returned, and our 45 min ferry trip passed quickly although the views were a bit limited.

Then it was about 40 minutes to Kellan on Loch Na Keal, and an introduction to the narrow single track Mull roads. We unpacked, settled in and watched the rain drift in across the loch and mountains until dark.

Today was another damp one and we decided to stay around the cottage, and see if otters we had come for were around? After breakfast, I went out on a walk along the beach, and my eye caught some movement at the water’s edge. An otter!

I went back and got Liz and Jan, and we spent a while watching it catch crabs and eat them before coming up the beach past us to its den. We decided to christen it Oscar.

We spent the rest of the day walking along the coast, but no more otters, some deer at high level and lots of sheep.

After some more local exploring, we decided to take a drive north as the weather was better today. We called into Oskamull to check out the location of Ulva Ferry for our trip to Lunga tomorrow, and then up to Eas Fors Waterfall.

The narrow roads coupled with the gradients made for some interesting encounters with drivers who were not confident.

Then back to the cottage for another afternoon spent with Oscar including some birdlife and a local deer.

Today Liz and I were heading off to see some Puffins. It had been decided this was not a good plan for Jan, so she would stay at the cottage on otter watch.

We arrived in plenty of time at the Ulva ferry dock, and after checking in with Turus Mara set off in the boat. The weather was good and a slight swell made sure everybody on the open seating got a nice salt spray shower.

First stop after an hour was Staffa and Fingles Cave. We had about half an hour and Liz decided to stay on-board while I went for a walk on the basalt columns to get a few shots of the cave.

Then back on the boat for half an hour to Lunga and a four hour stop with the Puffins and other seabirds who roost there. We climbed up the path and after a bit of watching, set up to have our packed lunch and Puffin photography.

There were hundreds of them, starting to get nesting burrows ready for the coming breeding season. We walked affair bit of the coast pathways, looking at the Puffins and Shags, Kittiwakes and Razorbills.

The four hours flew by and it was time to head back. We stopped to see a few seals and the views of the coast. Then once on dry land, back to the cottage to catch up with Jan’s otter tales, and have dinner.

We stopped at Salen for some shopping and a few scenic shots of old boats, then along the coast spotting both Golden and Sea Eagles, although too high and too far for any photos.

Eventually we reached Tobermory and decided we needed to see what the story was today?

We strolled along the harbour, had a breakfast snack from a bakery (well cakes and a scotch pie!) then I visited the Distillery for a liquid memento of our trip. 

We continued on, hoping we might see some Sea eagles around Loch Frisa, but only Highland cattle were on show. We then stopped in Dervaig for a walk around the village and decided to have lunch at the historic Bellachory Hotel and a taste of their excellent locally brewed Eagle ale.  

Then back to the cottage past Calgary beach and some more winding and narrow single track roads. We saw the Sea Eagles over the loch later, getting baited from the sea eagle viewing boat out in the loch.

After dinner we again went ‘Oscar’ spotting but only a brief distant spotting today.

Today, the rain had returned and we decided to stay local again. Heading east, we spotted two otters swimming and as we approached they closed on one another and after a brief wrestle in the waves, one chased the other up the beach.

There was a brief noisy fight, and the victor returned to shoreline leaving the other to sneak away. Looking at the photos we later decided the loser was Oscar, and not only that, that we think Oscar is a she!?

The rain got really heavy then and persisted until it went dark, forcing us to retreat to the cottage. 

Another wet day, so whilst we saw Oscar, getting photos was difficult and when the weather really closed in we spent the afternoon cleaning up and getting ready to leave early next morning. 

We finished packing, locked up and set off towards the Fishnish to Lochaline ferry. I thought we would miss the 7.30 but it was just about to leave and the crew let us drive straight on and it left moments after.

A short 20 minutes and then we joined the A884 to drive on towards Fort William. We let he locals pass, enjoyed the scenery. At Ardgour, the rain came back and we took the very short ferry ride across Loch Linnhe to Corran.

Then back on the A82, through Fort William and Loch Lochy, until we reached Fort Augustus at the southern end of Loch Ness. We stopped for half an hour to look at the locks on the Caledonian Canal and stretch our legs.

Then alongside Loch Ness, to Urquhart Castle. It was very busy with mostly foreign tour groups, but we had an enjoyable stop, ate our packed lunch and spotted a slow worm, including educating some Americans who thought it was a snake.

Then on through Inverness, and Nairn to our overnight at Elgin.

I had partly chosen Elgin as I could then route down some of the Whisky Trail through the Cairngorms. We called into Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, The Old Bridge o Livert, and south on the A939 Old Military Road.

The rain came and went but it made for some atmospheric scenery straight out of Braveheart or Highlander. We decided against calling into Balmoral to see if the Royals were taking visitors and stopped at Braemar for a look at the castle.

Then joined the A9 to finish at Stirling. We walked into town for a looksee, go some snacks for our drive home and then had dinner before our last night of the trip.

Today would be a long day, it started with breakfast then a drive up to Stirling Castle for entry at opening. It was raining again, and we made a quick trip through all the state rooms before the large tour groups in coaches arrived.

We spent about 2 hours by which time it was getting busy as the weather improved. Then back in the car and south and east towards Falkirk, where we stopped for a look at the Kelpies.

Rather than the motorway, I routed through the borders on the A7, until we reached Carlisle and joined the M6. We stopped at Tebay again for a rest and a meal, before completing the trip with an early evening arrival back home.