Isle of Luing and the Slate Quarries

Summary

The Isle of Luing was once the centre of a slate quarrying industry. This wonderful but challenging circular walk explores the remains of the industry on a now quiet coastline, passing through the delightful village of Cullipool. There's one very rough tidal section scrambling over awkward boulders where the original route was destroyed by rockfall and erosion - it requires some care and agility and is completely impassable at high tide. Careful route finding is needed on the return over the hill.

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Rating

Terrain

Initially grassy coastline, some parts pathless and wet. One short section across very awkward angular boulders is impassable at high tide. The return over the hill is largely pathless.

Public Transport

The walk begins from the ferry terminal at South Cuan.

Start

South Cuan (Luing Ferry pier). Open in Google Maps.

Hillwalking in Winter

Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. All route descriptions and difficulties given here are for summer conditions. See our Winter Skills page for basic information on the essential skills, techniques and knowledge needed for winter hillwalking.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 5.5km / 3.5 miles
Time (summer conditions): 2 - 2.5 hours
Ascent: 125m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NM750141

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Accommodation

Walk Description

User reports (5)

Stage 1

The Isle of Luing is reached by a short hop on the regular ferry from North Cuan on the neigbouring Isle of Seil (which is connected to the mainland by a bridge). The walk begins along the track which heads along the coast, starting immediately to the right of the ferry waiting room. Follow the track until it ends at a gate; pass through this and continue on a faint trod, often wet, keeping close to the coastline. Giant pylons, one each side of the narrows, carry electric to Luing here.

Stage 2

A boggy depression (with a pipeline) can be crossed on the piled slate at its seaward end. There is discarded slate littered all around. Pass between a flooded pit and the sea to reach an old slate ruin. To the left is the heavily-quarried escarpment, complete with levels (stay away from these), whilst ahead the houses of Easdale and Ellenabeich can clearly be seen.

Stage 3

Continue past another ruin, soon picking up the remains of a grassy track and following it to the bay at Port Mary. There are views towards the impressive cliffs on the Isle of Mull. A modern farm track heads southeast inland; ignore this and instead stick to the grassy coastline beneath the escarpment. The coastline is soon almost blocked by a natural stone dyke running from the cliffs to the sea. Continue the walk by crossing a stile at the left edge of this dyke - or scrambling over where there's a fence at its centre. The approach is boggy but placed stones help the going.

Stage 4

Once over the dyke bear right to head back to the coast. The space between the cliffs and the sea narrows and soon an area is reached where the old quarry route around the coast has collapsed into the sea during rockfalls and is completely washed away. Great care is needed here to descend the broken rocks and cross the very awkward boulders before climbing back up to the grassy track beneath the cliff. The route now continues more easily to Cullipool past more disused quarries; there are good views across to Scarba and the Garvellachs as well as the southern end of Mull.

Stage 5

Cullipool was once the home of the slate workers, with the small pier beyond being used to load the slates onto boats, whilst topsoil was brought to the village as ballast. Today it is a picturesque huddle of single-storey whitewashed cottages with a fine location overlooking the Sound of Lorn; protected as a conservation village. Our route turns left towards the village hall, but it's worth detouring ahead first to visit the Atlantic Islands centre - which has comprehensive information about the islands as well as a fine cafe.

Stage 6

Retrace your steps to the main junction in the village and turn right (facing the start of the walk) to reach the village hall. Pass to the right of this, then take the stony lane that leads uphill to the left of some cottages. This soon leads up to a pedestrian gate and a farm gate. Pass through and then take the path that climbs diagonally up the hill ahead. Once the going becomes easy bear left towards the summit of Cnoc Dhomnuill, the highest hill on the island at 94 metres.

Stage 7

Continue along a grassy ridge to reach the whitewashed trig point marking the top. There are sensational views from here over Luing and its neighbouring slate islands. Continue NNE along the ridge, eventually picking up a grassy track. This keeps slightly left of the ridge at first, then turns east (keep right at a fork) and then north again to reach the farm track between the road and Port Mary at a gate. The terrain can be confusing but mostly the going is good; when you meet the hard track, turn right along it to reach the road.

Stage 8

Turn left along the road to head back to the start. There are good views over to the right over the Isle of Torsa. Continue down to the pier, from where the ferry will take you back to North Cuan.

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