5 of the best walks on the Isle of Mull

There are few munros that are tackled from virtually sea level, but Ben More, the only munro on Mull, is one of them. Standing at 966m, from the summit on a clear day you can see for miles in all directions, looking back across Mull’s mountainous interior to neighbouring peaks, or west to sea across Staffa, Iona and the Treshnish Isles.

The most popular route up Ben More begins from Dhiseig on the shore of Loch na Keal, from where a fairly well trodden path begins to climb. Experienced hillwalkers seeking to add to the challenge can choose to venture off the beaten path and first ascend the tricky Beinn Fada, before navigating the exposed and very imposing A’Chioch Ridge to meet Ben More. Then, swap scrambling for an easier descent as you join the main path back down to Dhiseig, completing the circuit.

Plan to spend a full day tackling this walk and to take a well-earned hot bath afterwards! Not one for the faint of heart, this hike requires a good spirit of adventure as you tackle tricky terrain, crossing boulders and exposed rocky shoreline. The reward for your efforts is the truly magnificent Carsaig Arches, whose twin arches look especially stunning as the waves flow in.

They are not the only geological features of note either, with the route passing cliffs in which the K-T boundary can be seen – the event that marked the extinction of the dinosaurs! Best tackled in good weather with plenty of daylight, as while this walk does not look particularly far on a map, the challenging terrain can make for slow going./p>

Venture just about as far south west as you can go on Mull and you’ll find yourself at Knockvologan beach, just a couple of miles from the village of Fionnphort. The beach is worth visiting in its own right, with beautiful pink granite outcrops and islets popping up in the turquoise waters and framing pretty shell-sand coves.

But the beach comes into its own for an adventurer at low tide, when it forms a tidal sandbar that connects the beach to the neighbouring Isle of Erraid. Your first view of this tiny island will be the impressive row of cottages, which once provided accommodation to the lighthouse keepers. Various tracks take off in different directions around this small island, offering plenty to explore from the beach at Traigh Gheal to Cnoc Mor, the island’s highest point at 70m.

This walk makes a fine choice for an after-dinner stroll, or an easy going adventure with the family. The path begins from the north end of Tobermory’s harbourfront, just past the CalMac pier, taking off gently uphill.

A simple there and back route that can be extended by returning via an ascent to the golf course, the trail leads out to Rubh nan Gall, often referred to as the Tobermory Lighthouse. The footing is fairly good save the odd tree root, but care should be taken given the very steep slopes plunging seawards that line the path.

Standing at 761m, Ben Talaidh offers a challenging climb deep in the heart of Mull’s mountainous interior. Beginning at the start of Glen Forsa, not far from the sea, the track heads inland across initially very easy going terrain, with attractive views of forest, open grazing frequented by Highland cows and the meandering banks of the River Forsa.

As the route begins to ascend and you leave the gentle walking of the glen behind, you’ll reach the bothy at Tomsleibhe and a memorial marking the 1945 crash, when a Dakota airplane crashed into Ben Talaidh. Pieces from the wreckage remain to be seen on the route, and from here the push to reach the summit of the mountain is a steady pursuit to the top. With the mountain standing at the meeting of Glen Forsa and Glen More, the views from the top are far-reaching and will certainly whet your appetite for more of Mull’s hills to explore!