Cycling on the Isle of Mull
Mull is a large and varied island and is an excellent place to cycle for all ages. The roads are nearly all single-track
with scenery that is second to none. There is a 10 mile stretch of double track road from Craignure to Salen and
another 4 mile section leading into Tobermory.
The main roads to Tobermory and Fionnphort are busy when ferry traffic arrives and the south of the island (The
Ross of Mull) has many buses and coaches at times, on route to Fionnphort for Iona, so keep your eyes and ears
open!
The rest of the roads are usually quiet and traffic is not going flat out due to the nature of the roads but again be on
your guard as there is always someone in a hurry.
If you see traffic coming towards you or hear it from behind, pull in to the nearest lay-by and let it pass.
But most of the time you will have the roads to yourself.
If you are adventurous the off-road routes are wild and secluded and mostly sheep and deer tracks that follow
stunning cliffs and beaches. Be prepared to carry or push for some sections. There are no signposts but common
sense and a map gets you there.
Forest tracks are plenty and lead to some magnificent view points – but do take note of Warning Signs as forestry
work is going on most of the time in various places.
The Forestry Commission have published a leaflet of its forest routes and it can be found at:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/Mullleaflet.pdf/$FILE/Mullleaflet.pdf
The Isle of Mull Cycle Club have some light-hearted reviews on some of the island routes on their website:
www.isleofmullcycleclub.co.uk. Many thanks to the club for describing the routes on this information sheet.
Special Events
There are 3 special events on the island in 2012 for cyclists ….
Sunday 10th June 2012
Isle of Mull Cycle Sportive www.mullcyclosportive.co.uk 44 miles or 87 miles – go flat out or just take in the views
with support at hand.
Sunday 7th October 2012
Isle of Mull Duathlon hosted by Glengorm Estate
2.5 mile run, 10 mile cycle, 2.5 mile run.
All based around the Glengorm Castle Café so families are welcome. There is plenty of shelter and some children’s
races. More details on www.isleofmullcyclingclub.co.uk
Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th December 2012
Part of the Scottish Cyclocross series at Glengorm Castle with 2 days of racing.
You can enter on the day and race against some serious cyclists from all parts of the country. Lots of local cyclists
take part.
Great spectator sport and plenty of action with a full commentary. The Café is open both days. On the Sunday you
can watch the Santa’s Cyclocross race.
You will never see anyone so muddy again! More details at www.scottishcyclocross.org.uk or contact Davie Graham
at [email protected]
Here are some suggested routes. Please take a suitable map with you.
(white route) Tobermory to Glengorm and back
Distance: 13.5 miles
Grade: Medium
Route: Circular
From Tobermory main street head up to the roundabout. Turn right and then left and at the next junction take the
road signposted to Glengorm. It is a climb all the way until you reach the foot of Cnock Fuair (the radio mast) If you
feel strong have a go up the winding path to the top for some amazing views. You then have a nice downhill run,
dodging sheep and shaggy highland cattle!
The hills disappear and the landscape opens out to stunning views across to Coll, Tiree and the Small Isles with
Glengorm Castle in the foreground. You reach a small bridge and if you want you can head down to do the circular
route back to Tobermory – this makes the journey about 8 miles in total and all forest track and some shelter from
the wind.
Carry on past the farmhouse round the corner and just before the castle gate the road splits to the left into a dirt
track. This is the track you take if you want to keep going. (If you go through the gate and cycle down the road you’ll
find the café) From the café you can continue round the front of the castle to join the track again. There are
standing stones on the right.
Carry on by the barn there is a gate here and indeed there could be up to 4 gates to cross and usually none are
locked. Please leave gates as you find then and if you have to climb them please do so at the hinged end. The gates
are small and you can easily lift the bike over if one was locked. You will come out of the trees after about ¼ mile
and head down a stony track passing the holiday cottage of Balameanach. The track turns sharply to the right just
beyond here to Dervaig or up to Loch Torr. But you carry straight on, the track gets stony and you have a little uphill
before it levels at the top.
A long straight with a nice splashy water crossing halfway down takes you back to the Dervaig road at Caranamish. It
is 4 miles back to Tobermory with the Mishnish Lochs on your right hand side. The road is usually quiet but the
Dervaig bus runs here and the road is narrow so please be careful.
This run will not disappoint. Thirteen miles with great views, two fairly hard short climbs but in between that, easy
cycling.
(blue route) Tobermory and back via Dervaig, Calgary and Salen on road
Route Anti Clockwise: 42 Miles (But with Bale outs)
This is the West loop From Tobermory to Dervaig Calgary
and Salen then Home to Tobermory.
This is approximately 40 miles and to be honest this is
the easy way to cycle it and get the Hills out of the way
first but if you’re after a challenge then do it clockwise!
Follow the signs for Dervaig from Tobermory. Leaving
Tobermory is a climb up to the Mishnish lochs, good
trout lochs, and a good chance to see birds of prey. A
climb up past Loch Torr and onto the steep hairpin bends
with great views at the top looking down Loch Frisa.
Freewheel into Dervaig and you have come 7 miles.
You can detour here by turning left and head back to Tobermory via Glen Aros. This is a flattish road for 10 miles till
you reach Aros Mains then join the main road back to Tobermory total 24 miles
But you want to carry on to Calgary if you want to do the full loop …. it’s worth it.
The next section is flattish all the way to the white Sands of Calgary Bay about another 6 miles.
You can decide if you want to go for a dip and laze in the white sands basking in the sun and have a snack and a cool
drink then do so and recover then head back the way you came covering 26 miles return.
But you don’t want to do that you want to carry on round the loop.
You leave Calgary and head round the hairpin bends for a little while with great views looking over to the Island of
Coll then it’s a slow but gradual climb up from Ensay past Treshnish and a stop at the top to recover and look over
the magnificent views to the Island of Ulva and Ben More.
Peel a banana, put your feet up on the handlebars and freewheel for
the next few miles and you will think to yourself, yes I’m thankful I
did not do the loop clockwise.
But there are a few climbs! Although short and sweet the views
change with every mile.
You can bale out again past Kilninian and head over the hill road
back to Dervaig but it’s a climb and if you have come that far may as
well carry on!
It’s worth stopping at Ease Faus facing Ulva to go and poke your
head over the cliff and see the waterfall hit the shore, its sign
posted.
It’s easy after this and only one ghastly but short climb from Ulva
ferry to one of my favourite viewpoints at the top looking on to Gribun Rock, Ben More and the Islands of Eorsa, Inch
Kenneth and Ulva .
Freewheel for a while then all flat to Killichronan. Turn left to Salen then 10 miles back to Tobermory.
Keep your eyes open when leaving Salen as there are loads of sea birds and seals on the rocks and a good chance to
spot dolphins or otters and only 10 miles back to Tobermory .
This must rate as one of the most scenic cycles in Britain.
To be quite honest the whole loop is open to all sorts of wildlife: Sea Eagles, Golden Eagles, Buzzards and the chance
to see otters and plenty deer and the strange local cyclists who cycle in their kilts!
Treshnish Loop
You can cycle from Tobermory to Dervaig and round to the ruins at Crackaig returning via Haunn and round Calgary
and back as a big event about 33 Miles or so ..It’s more road than off road but extremely scenic and quiet roads and
the off road section is amazing. Or you can do it as a 6.5 Mile loop from Ensay Road End.
From Tobermory a 7 hilly mile cycle to Dervaig then 6 miles
flattish to Calgary Bay. Then about 2 miles along the twisty
Calgary road and if the sun is out you will think you are in
Caribbean. Then a climb heading up by the Treshnish road end
for a few miles until you get to the old Schoolhouse. It’s the
only house you will see on the right hand there so no mistaking
it. You turn off to the right here and head off overland towards
the Crackaig Ruins.
It’s a bit mushy to begin with but can be ridden and it is good
single-track.
After just over a mile you will then come to the first set of ruins
at Glac Gugairidh after a quick look around and a photo shoot
you carry on a little further and then you come to the second
ruins at Crackaig.
Make your way left here and you will come to a path at the
edge of the cliff that will take you down a steep rocky path to
the raised beach. You will have to walk down this unless you
are Steven McInnis and cycle down it.
Views looking towards the Treshnish Isles and Staffa are not to be missed. High cliffs to our right and to the left
stunning shoreline with waves breaking over the jagged rocks, gannets falling from the sky like arrows into the sea
and the odd golden or whitetail eagle hovering overhead - this has its appeal do you not think ?
Also usually not seeing anyone in the whole trip adds to the smugness.
About 2.5 miles on you head up the hill to Haunn through Treshnish to Ensay.
When you reach the road end you will have cycled 19 miles. This loop on its own is OK for casual cyclists as the
distance is not far. If you do it as loop from Ensay and back it’s about 6.5 miles for the loop. Head home by road
again 14 miles. The climb back up from Dervaig and to the Mishnish lochs is a killer after all this mileage but it’s all
downhill after that into Tobermory.
Cycling around Craignure
These routes are suitable for mountain bikes unless stated otherwise. A map is essential.
1. Fishnish Forest – suitable for all ages and abilities - offers about 5 miles of easy cycling on mostly forest
roads with a short section on public road. There are various places to park and just follow the forest roads
round and about. They are marked with green posts.
2. Garmony Forest is nearby and offers a mile or two up the hill with good views over the Sound of Mull.
Parking is at Garmony picnic site opposite the rugby pitch. Cycle from there back to Craignure for a short
distance and turn right into the forest and then follow the road right after a short distance. The road will
fork after about half a mile. Take the left fork for good views though a bit of a climb!
3. Forest ride near the Isle of Mull Hotel entrance – parking is available in the forestry car park. The short
woodland ride offers views over the Sound of Mull. On Landrover tracks it is fairly easy going with no big
hills. The track comes to a footbridge where it drops down very steeply just before. It is as well to leave the
bike at the top and walk down. A short distance before a track forks off to the left up a very steep climb and
along the side of the hill before dropping down very sharply to a bridge which brings you out at the end of
the original route. The track is very severe and not recommended as a bike ride.
4. Around Lochdon various short tracks head into the forests. None are very long but linking them up could
make a bit more of a cycle. All on fairly good roads with no steep sections.
5. At Lochbuie road end, as you head from Craignure to Bunessan, an old road branches off just before the
cattle grid where you can park. Head along the old road passing Pedlar’s Pool. The road climbs up below the
existing road out of the trees and into Glen More. Join the main road again near the ruin and shortly after
cut back into the trees near the cattle grid. Carry on along the old road joining the main road after a while.
You can carry on to the top of the Glen doing this if you watch where the roads cross and carry on a fair way
down the other side of the glen doing the same. It is a pleasant ride with great surroundings though the
terrain is a bit more challenging with the odd ditch and wet sections to pass through.