Date - Tue 08/03/2011
Title - Isle of Mull - Carsaig Bay & Nuns Cave
Route - Park above Carsaig Pier. Walk W then SW along shoreline to cave. Retrace steps to return
Weather - Cloudy / some drizzle
People - Me / Michelle
Time - 3h
Distance - 6km
Ascent - 50m
After a short stay in Ballachulish & Glencoe we decided to head over to Mull for a couple of days. In our usual style, we didn't decide this 'til an hour before. After phoning to check the ferry times we were on our way. Crossed on the Corran Ferry then caught the last ferry from Fishnish to Lochaline. Some googling on the phone on the way, and maybe a dozen calls later, we were booked in at a great B&B (Brockville) in Tobermory. Really nice couple that own it, fantastic rooms and food. It was early March and very few B&B's, etc open until April. The bonus is that the island was nice and quiet.
In the morning we decided to go down to the south coast of the island to Carsaig Bay. The Walk Highlands route here(Carsaig Arches) extends the walk we did to visit the Carsaig Arches- we didn't go to there- just half way down the coast to Nuns Cave before returning. The arches look well worth visiting though.
Plenty of interest on this walk, especially all the geological features mainly due to all the volcanic activity Mull has seen in the past.
Carsaig Pier & Bay
Black volcanic sand
Some parts of the way are a little rough, and small sections that cut through landslide debris above the shore. You could bypass these parts by sticking close to the shore, but it's not really necessary.
Basalt columns
Not too far from Nuns Cave there was a family of goats (2 adults and 1 youngster). They were walking along the beach nibbling on bits of seaweed.
Rocky shores near the cave
You can't see into the cave until you're right on a small bump of ground infront of it. When I got sight of the cave entrance I discovered the entire local wild goat mob were hiding out in here!
An evil looking goat with one horn had sneaked out of the cave and was scoping us out!
Not keen on sharing the cave with the goats we left them to it and returned the same way back to the start.
Didn't get any pics but we spotted several eagle-looking birds (I can't ID birds well!) hovering above the cliffs topped with basalt columns
Some huge chunks of volcanic rock are dotted around the bay
Ready to shred your fingers
Took a detour along a narrowing rocky spur jutting out into the sea
A great walk
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Unable to see it due to cloud on in the morning, the weather had cleared a bit when we returned up the Carsaig road, revealing Ben More.
The poor car took a pounding from pot holes on the way back to Tobermory! But we got there in one piece for a meal and to try out The Terror
More pics in flickr set
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Tomorrows walk: Tobermory & Crater Lake (Lochans Airde Beinn)
