A winter stay on Mull
How to best enjoy a winter stay on Mull?
Do your research before you book. Make sure you find out as much as you can about winter on the island. Choose the right place to stay for you.
Travelling in winter
Plan ahead. Check the forecast. Sign up for text alerts for possible ferry disruptions on the Calmac website.
Be aware that travel plans can be disrupted by the weather. Not only on occasion when high winds affect the ferries, but sometimes the temperature drops and we might have snow or very icy roads.
To put the weather warnings into perspective, I would say that most of the time in the winter our travel plans are not disrupted! But just sometimes they are. It might be that that the Oban ferry route is disrupted but that the Lochaline one continues to sail. It is rare that both routes are cancelled at the same time, but it can happen and if that happens, please contact us as we might be able to alter your arrival/departure time (subject to availability). We will certainly try to help if we can.
What to expect of the island
Don’t expect all the shops, cafes and visitor attractions to be open. A lot of places close for the winter. The economics don’t work to stay open all year round, and small businesses with skeleton staff all need time off.
I wrote a blog about being on Mull in the winter a few years ago, it is still relevant now, so please do have a read!
No such thing as bad weather
The saying goes… it’s all about having the right clothing! So don’t forget your waterproofs and warm outdoor clothes!
Read about other visitors’ experiences
This is a review we just received from guests who stayed in Toechtamhor in November. The weather wasn’t great to be honest. The fields were like swamps while they were here, and you might have lost a boot walking across the boggy areas on the hill. However they had a wonderful time!
“I just wanted to write and tell you how much my husband and I enjoyed our stay in T’Mhor this month. Our second visit to Treshnish and certainly not our last! We really appreciated how clean the cottage was when we arrived. Having stayed in many holiday cottages on Mull, this is rarely the case. It was quite a novelty not having to wipe everything down before use!
“The highlights of our stay included the cosy bedding, the amazing heat off the famous ‘Morso Squirrel,’ and of course the spectacular Treshnish views. But as keen ‘Birders’ it was a very special highlight to see both male and female Hen Harriers hunting right in front of the cottage, and after a failed attempt to find the haunting ruins of Crackaig, a close up encounter with the most beautiful creature we have ever seen, a Short Eared Owl on the hill just behind T’Mhor.
We did eventually find Crackaig on our last day. We stood on the hill overlooking the ruins and tried to visualise what life would have been like….at least they had plenty of cheap whisky!!”
