My Personal Blog

You start the year on a positive note, exercising in the fresh air. By committing to climbing a hill on New Years' Day, you moderate Hogmanay drinking and avoid the regrets next day. You meet old friends and have a great natter. You get to be somewhere incredible like this: Climbing Beinn Ime, Arrochar: Like this: Or this: If you were on holiday, wouldn't this be your new Facebook

One description of Ulva is that it has the best examples of columnar basalt outside Staffa. Keen to see this, we pressed on beyond the landing point and lush policies near the pier where you arrive on Ulva. The columnar basalt was clear, although I expected something more. Perhaps the farthest, southwestern end of Ulva holds the real treasures? It is a fascinating coast all the same.

Mull is a large island overshadowed in fame by its smaller neighbours - both Staffa and Iona are reknowned internationally. But there is one island just off Mull that is far less well-known - Ulva. We decided to visit this beautiful spot when on Mull for a few days. Ulva Pier: Accessing Ulva is pretty fuss-free, if you are at the pier between the right times. Simply hail the ferry by sliding

Mull is an island of surprises to the person who assumes it is all about climbing Ben More, visiting Iona, spotting an otter and going home. To the person like me, for example. Calgary Bay: And one of the things we did not know about Mull is its collection of fine beaches. There are superb beaches at the tidal island of Erraid for example, we knew about that. And there are other beaches

We'd been to Mull before. Twice to visit Iona, I had been up Ben More a couple of times, and we had cycled down the Sound of Mull from Tobermory to Craignure on the last leg of an island-hopping holiday. Duart Castle, Mull: So we thought we'd seen Mull. But we we were wrong. And of course we were! Mull is the fourth largest island in Scotland. From Fionnphort to Treshnish it's 65 miles, two

We took the boat to Mull. It was important we arrived in Oban before the last ferry, so I consulted the timetable. And noticed something funny. The last sailing of the day was back to the mainland. On the last boat to Mull: This is not a boat for the island. It is a boat to the island. I looked at other timetables. Arran, Islay, Jura, Colonsay - the same pattern. The first boat of the day

Not so long ago bothies were a trade secret. Your best chance of discovering them was to gain the trust of a hillwalker or other gangrel, usually by buying them a drink. Tongue loosened, if they liked the look of you they'd start to ask questions. "Have you ever been to Bob Scotts? Shenavall? Rowchoish?" "No," you'd say, wide-eyed, "I've only ever camped," hoping they would tell you about the

Creach Bheinn is awkward, despite being close to Oban. It sits round the back of the hills if you know what I mean. This doesn't matter if you want to stay at Eriska Hotel, canoe the Falls of Lora, see mirror-calm reflections in Loch Creran or ogle Castle Stalker. But to most hill-baggers, the A828 is the road less travelled - despite sights like this. Castle Stalker: Yet Creach Bheinn isn't