Put a spring in your step with this selection of 10 short, easy-paced, walks on the isles of Mull, Iona and Ulva for all the family to enjoy
Mull and its neighbouring islands, Iona and Ulva, are gems of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides, and havens for walkers. Mull, the largest, entices with enchanting forests, cascading waterfalls, quiet lochs, and a dramatic coastline where white-tailed eagles soar. Iona – smaller, gentler – holds history and spirituality in equal measure, with trails leading to some of Scotland’s most sacred spots, whilst Ulva, community-owned and a short ferry ride away, offers village ruins, cliffs and moorland to explore.
Ordnance Survey’s new OS Short Walks Made Easy Guide is the ideal companion for visitors looking to explore these fascinating and spectacular destinations. Walks on Mull have something for everyone. Starting at Tobermory’s colourful harbour, a coastal path leads to the Rubha nan Gall lighthouse, where stunning views span the Sound of Mull.
Trails through Aros Park wind past lush forests and plunging waterfalls, while the tranquil shores of Loch Buie and trails at Quinish Estate promise solitude. Calgary Bay’s white sands and Art in Nature Trail capture Mull’s creative spirit, while hides at Fishnish tempt with sightings of otters, porpoises and dolphins. Ulva’s trails meander through woods and beside caves and cliffs, while Iona’s gentler paths lead to St Columba’s Bay or the abbey, both steeped in legend.
The adventure starts with a ferry from Oban to Craignure; additional crossings from Lochaline and Kilchoan provide alternative routes. Buses link Craignure and Tobermory to the ferries for Iona and Ulva, making these islands accessible without a car.
1. Rubha nan Gall
The route to Tobermory lighthouse begins along Main Street, passing the colourful buildings lining the sheltered bay that starred as ‘Balamory’ in a popular children’s TV series. Behind the ferry terminal, you join a wooded path that runs on a level above the shore with views opening across the water to the mainland peninsulas of Morvern and Ardnamurchan. The lighthouse stands on Rubha nan Gall, a wild and wonderful headland; you can return the same way or by a higher, tougher route.
Buzz words: Coastal path walk to striking lighthouse and Sound of Mull views
2. Aros Park
Publicly owned Aros Park is described as a ‘fabulous back garden for the town of Tobermory’, with trails through lush woodland and delightful water features. This walk starts with a gentle circuit of the Lochan Trail, marked by white- ringed posts. If you have the energy, continue on the more strenuous but thrilling blue-marked Waterfalls Trail. At time of writing, the pier is closed while its old buildings are developed as Aros Waterfront, a community hub for outdoor activities.
Buzz words: A waterlily lochan; gushing waterfalls; luxuriant woodland trail
3. Glen Aros
The full walk leads to an intriguing artwork, enjoying magnificent views of Loch Frisa and surrounding Glen Aros, or you could choose a one-mile circuit to a historic site. The ruined chapel and graveyard feel like a place that time forgot. In this peaceful spot you can find traces of past lives in carved gravestones. Most of the walking is on broad forest tracks, lined with wildflowers and flitting butterflies in summer. Benches at The Fank are a great place for a picnic.
Buzz words: Medieval chapel ruin; an intriguing artwork; great view of Loch Frisa
4. Fishnish
Few locations provide as good a view of the Sound of Mull as Fishnish. From the wildlife hide you may spot some of Mull’s iconic species, such as eagles, otters and dolphins. The café at the ferry terminal is a wonderful place to watch the Caledonian MacBrayne vessel plying to and fro across the straits, while bigger ‘CalMac’ ships sail by bound for Coll, Tiree or the Outer Hebrides. Broad forest tracks offer easy walking and sunny glades attract dragonflies, bumblebees and butterflies.
Buzz words: Ferry history; forest paths; spot eagles and otters from the wildlife hide
5. Loch Buie
The sheltered bay of Loch Buie on Mull’s south coast is one of the island’s most idyllic spots. Its tranquil atmosphere belies a long and often bloody history that includes a Neolithic stone circle, medieval Moy Castle, and a 19th-century church. This circuit follows the shore to the castle with a there-and-back leg past a wide beach to the mausoleum. It returns through woodland and along a minor road, with another detour, over wet ground, to the stone circle.
Buzz words: Loch Buie, one of Mull’s most idyllic spots; Moy Castle; stone circle
6. Iona
Iona has been a spiritual centre since St Columba came to the island in 563 and founded a monastery, from where Celtic Christianity spread through Scotland and Northumbria. This walk starts at St Ronan’s Bay, where the ferry lands, and explores the main sites around Baile Mòr, the island’s village. It visits the nunnery and the abbey on the way to a dazzling white-sand beach on the north coast then loops through the interior and returns past Martyr’s Bay, where monks were slaughtered by raiding Vikings.
Buzz words: Iona’s spiritual heart; white-sand beach; option to climb Dùn Ì
7. Tiroran Community Forest
Tiroran Forest fills Gleann Seilisteir, where the single-track B8035 climbs between Ben More, Mull’s highest mountain, and the Ardmeanach headland. Views stretch south over Kilfinichen Bay to Loch Scridain, the sea loch separating Ardmeanach from the Ross of Mull. Since coming into community ownership, the forest has been developed to benefit both people and wildlife, with a natural playground designed by children, sculptures and interpretation boards. The walk follows good tracks and minor roads in this tranquil corner of Mull.
Buzz words: Glen and forest walk, with township history and superb bay views
8. Ulva
In 2019, Ulva was acquired by the community, in order to secure its future for the islanders and people of north-west Mull. At that point only five people were left on the island, but the population began rising as houses were restored – to 16 in 2024. There are no tarmac roads and islanders use quad bikes or mountain bikes to get around, so it is gloriously peaceful. This walk uses good tracks and rougher paths, which can be omitted if a shortcut
is taken.
Buzz words: Lush, traffic-free island; crofter’s cottage; walled garden; Dr Livingstone
9. Calgary Bay
The stunning white sands of Calgary Bay shade into turquoise between the enfolding arms of rocky moorland. The beach here, probably the most popular on Mull, is backed by fertile grassland framed by wooded hillsides. This walk consists of three parts, which can be tackled separately and in any order – possibly with refreshment in between from Robin’s Boat or Calgary Farmhouse Café. Each part offers a different flavour of the place and contrasting views. Come early for a parking space or arrive by bus.
Buzz words: Turquoise sea; white-sand beach; Art in Nature; Iron Age dun
10. Dervaig
This walk explores woodland on Quinish, the peninsula running north from Dervaig, a small village that still looks much like it did when built two centuries ago. Starting along the lane towards Quinish House, the route has lovely views over Loch a’ Chumhainn, a sea inlet that penetrates deep inland. Beyond pillared gates, it makes a loop on good tracks around lovely estate woodland, with a mix of native hazel, oak and birch, planted beech, and introduced conifers and rhododendrons.
Buzz words: Delightful woodland; lovely loch views; planned estate village
This article was brought to you in partnership with Ordnance Survey
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