5 nights in Oban / Mull

Any reason for Glastonbury? Yes it has a reputation as a "new age" centre, in reality it attracts a lot of people that have just taken too many drugs over the years, there's quite a lot of anti social behaviour.

Wells is just up the road and far nicer, with plenty more to see and do

I’m going with my wife and sister in law. We are recreating a trip that their mother took 25 years ago, and on which she passed on the plane coming home. Staying at the chalice well which was where she stayed. Same reason for Iona

Their father also did this trip a few times after windowing and he passed last year, so we are taking some ashes

So those are non negotiable and already booked

I think it's a shame that you're only allotting two nights to Mull. It deserves at least three, and in my opinion, four would be ideal. Either way, I would add at least one night to it and take it away from Kilchoan, Oban or Dales. Kilchoan really doesn't need a nighttime stay—you can see a lot there just driving through on your way to the ferry.

Honestly, I would really take it away from Iona, as it's so small that with 3 nights there, I'm not sure what you plan on doing, although I get why you are doing this. But Mull is just such a wonderful place. I'd rank it up there next to London for the places that I wouldn't miss on your list. I would try to add at least one more night to it if you can. You will regret it when you get there and realize you only have one full day there.

Well that is the question. Have 5 nights in the area and how to carve it up So thank you for the input

Dales is two nights because we have 3 nights /4 days to get to Glastonbury after Iona. And as primary driver I don’t want to do two back to back 5-6 hour drive days so breaking it up

Kilchoan really doesn't need a nighttime stay—you can see a lot there just driving through on your way to the ferry.

But the point is that you don't if you follow many here. You see very little of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula as you just pass through a sliver of the peninsula on the way from Tobermory to the Road to the Isles. I can barely remember the last time on this forum when someone turned left off the ferry and went down to the Ardnamurchan lighthouse and the most westerly point on the UK mainland (not the same place, but very close).

In some ways it depends how you intend to get from Oban to Kilchoan how much of Ardnamurchan you see- if via Glenfinnan then you will only see the same small part, but if via the Corran Ferry then you will see far more of the Peninsula.

On the Trip Advisor Scotland forum one of the regular contributors lives (and has a guest house) on the Peninsula, so is well placed to give advice, biased as he is in that way.

If you stay the night in Kilchoan and take the first ferry over to Mull that still gives a full day on Mull.

Mull 2 nights and Iona 3 nights is an unusual split- I might have said Mull 3 and Iona 2, but if the current split suits you and is booked that is what matters.

If you aren't going to do much from Oban (I assume you mean the Kerrera tea house) then possibly 1 night there would suffice, giving the extra night to Mull.

It's six of one and half a dozen of the other to cross direct from Oban to Mull then do Ardnamurchan as a day trip from Tobermory or elsewhere on Mull, or to follow your plan.

hank you for the input.... I do have some questions

"In some ways it depends how you intend to get from Oban to Kilchoan how much of Ardnamurchan you see- if via Glenfinnan then you will only see the same small part, but if via the Corran Ferry then you will see far more of the Peninsula."

-Our route would be Oban to Kilchoan vis Corran Ferry. I like to idea of a drive along less traveled areas. Might splurge for Mingary Castle if it's open, hence the idea to stay on that side.

"Mull 2 nights and Iona 3 nights is an unusual split- I might have said Mull 3 and Iona 2, but if the current split suits you and is booked that is what matters."

-What would be your itinerary for 3 nights Mull, given that we will already be on Iona for 3 nights? We would like to have a slow trip during this part, but I've not found a lot about what to do on Mull. Iona was booked by my wife and her sister, both of whom have been (my wife twice), so I left that scheduling to them.

"If you aren't going to do much from Oban (I assume you mean the Kerrera tea house) then possibly 1 night there would suffice, giving the extra night to Mull."

-From maps alone, it seems Oban is a good base for some day trips, spend some time in Glencoe, or head south a bit? But maybe no? Point was to use it as a base, but we wouldn't be taking the traditional Iona trip as we'll be there. Maybe Staffa if it's easier to get to than from Mull.

Thanks

On the drive from Corran there is also Glenborradale RSPB /Ardnamurchan Natural History Centre.

There are also the Singing Sands just beyond Acharacle and in the same area the ruined Castle Tioram.

https://www.wildardnamurchan.com/

Although it is a bit of a diversion (it's on the way to the Lochaline ferry, not the Kilchoan ferry) there is the clearance village of Aoineadh Mòr- a reminder that Ardnamurchan was not always so lightly populated, and the history of why that is- https://forestryandland.gov.scot/living-and-working/learning-and-education/heritage/visit-our-heritage-sites/aoineadh-mor-inniemore

Everyone goes to Glenfinnan for the Jacobite memorial, 1745 and all that, but just past Acharacle few get to the Seven Men of Moidart (a row of beech trees with some history)- https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/acharacle/sevenmen/index.html

Oban is certainly a good base for a number of trips, including the Bonawe Iron Furnace, the Slate Islands, Kilmartin, the Hollow Mountain at Cruachan, (it it's reopened), Loch Awe/Kilchurn Castle, Inveraray, the island of Lismore etc.

Google Maps shows the Kerrera tea garden as permanently closed- it isn't, it is closed for the season and reopens in April 2027.

As you have 3 nights on Iona I would be doing Staffa from there- the boats pick up both on Iona and at Fionnphort.

My places on Mull would include Duart Castle, the Isle of Ulva, and Lochbuie/Laggan Sands right down on the south coast, off the main road to Iona.

To do Ulva as a circular trip, one direction via Calgary Beach, the other direction via Salen

This is brilliant, thank you.
Looking at Mull accommodations, I've really taken a liking to the Bellachroy hotel, at least the photos. Is Dervaig a good base for three nights?

Dervaig is only 20 minutes drive from Tobermory.

If you are staying half way to Calgary then you are more likely to take the back route (west shores) route to Salen or Iona at least one time than the main road route, to explore rather more of the island.

It is actually nice to see someone thinking of staying somewhere else on Mull than Tobermory. Given your other expressed wishes for this trip and if the Bellachroy grabs you I don't see any reason not to stay there.

Maybe of casual interest is that there is an Eastern Orthodox Pilgrimage House in Dervaig- attached to their women's Monastery and St Ninian's Holy Well at Kilinian (further round the coast road). That Monastery is part of the re-established Orthodox Community on Iona (a male Monastery). Mull was the first Orthodox Monastery in Scotland in 1,000 years, in a former Church of Scotland Church. That was an 18th century Church but Kilinian has been a religious site since the 6th century, so has as long a religious history as Iona.

So for someone who is later staying for 3 nights on Iona there is a certain accidental symmetry to staying at Dervaig.