Two Easy Short Walks On the Isle Of Mull May 2019

These two short walks take in KNOCKVOLOGAN BEACH with some fine views and a linear walk along LOCH BA.
May 18th saw us visit Knockvologan beach that is reached by turning off the the main road at the Fionnphort Ferry and heading past the car park and eventually a farm and campsite following the road round to another farm where there is space for a few cars. Follow the track past Knockvologan Farm where the path leads through vegetation and shrub before coming to the beaches. The weather today was overcast with a light drizzle in the air so not really good for photo's or hanging about on beaches but hey, we're on holiday so what the hell :-) A good look round the beach but we didn't make it across to ERRAID as we weren't sure of the tide times and didn't want to get stuck! We found out that the tide was coming in so a good decision in the end.

Passing the Farm at the beginning of the walk

Track leading down to the beach

Beach view

Bench with a view

Beach View

Beach View

Shell Pattern

Abandoned fishing boat

We headed back up the beach following the sands that separate Erraid from the mainland and it was quite wet here, once we left a grassybank. A mixture of wet sand and mud and then boggy ground as we made our way back to the car through wet grass

Follow the leader

 MY VIEWRANGER TRACK

May 22nd saw us visit Loch Ba, which we visited last year, to see if we could spot any Sea Eagles or the Red Deer, that are meant to be quite a common sight round here due to the presence of the fish farm. Like last year we only saw a few deer high up the mountainsides and only one fleeting glance of an eagle but couldn't tell if it was a Sea or Golden with it being high above the mountains. Despite that, it was still a good few hours walk in the along the shore of Loch Ba in the Benmore Estate. There is a small parking area just off the B8035 at Knock where we then followed the easy to follow path along the shoreline all the way past the fishing bothy, Knockantivore, and the head of the Glen where we rested for a bit hoping for a bit of Eagle and Deer spotting. It was also a good place to get out of the wind that was blowing all round the glen that had a bite to it. Thankfully it was a good clear day with good sunny spells but the wind made it feel quite cool. We made our way back the same way but had to wait a few minutes while the local bull decided to let us pass :-)

Loch Ba at the start

Blue sky and mountains @ Loch Ba

Our resting place where we spotted the Red Deer high in the mountain across Loch Ba

The only eagle sighting here was when one came over the far ridge before heading back out of sight

The Knockantivore fishing Bothy on Loch Ba

Thou shalt not pass

The guard of Loch Ba

River Clachaig

Spring Lamb

MY VIEWRANGER TRACK

So two good walks on this great little Isle that offer different surroundings but both with a wild feel to them. If you ever visit the Isle of Mull, its worth checking them out.

Cheers