| The Treshnish Headland is the north western tip
of Mull. A car park that was once an old small quarry
is situated a few hundred yards up the B8073 road from
Ensay at the entrance to Treshnish Farm and Haunn. The
B8073 road runs from Tobermory to Dervaig and then on
to Calgary, the car park is roughly two miles after
Calgary on this road. From the car park head back down
towards the gate signed for Treshnish Farm or Haunn.
Take the track downhill and over the river, eventually
leading uphill with woodland on your right and views
eventually opening up over Calgary Bay. After about
half a mile you will reach Treshnish Farm. The track
you now want leads out of the back of the farm, to find
the track round the main building to the left and then
continue through the farm and out of the other side,
passing through respectfully and quietly.
Treshnish Farm
|
Gate at Haunn
|
The track now leads through open grazing farmland,
don't be at all surprised to find the odd Red Deer sharing
the fields with the farmers sheep and cattle. Follow
the track for a mile until you reach the self catering
cottages at Haunn, at which point the path takes a very
slight detour to the right avoiding the cottages. The
track now disappears and turns into more of a footpath
through grassy fields, the way ahead still obvious however
and eventually reaching the coast at a rocky natural
harbour known as Port Haunn which can be descended using
the path on the left. This will bring you out on top
of the wide and flat grassy surface of the raised beach,
your highway above the sea for the next few miles.
Port Haunn
|
Raised Beach
|
The cottages or blackhouses at Haunn were built by
fishing families who gained a living from the sea until
the middle of the last century, using the natural harbour
at Port Haunn as there landing point for fishing boats.
The unforgiving waves of the rough Atlantic Ocean crash
against the cliffs here. On the horizon you should now
be able to see the Treshnish Islands just a few miles
out to sea. The Treshinsh Islands are home to thousands
of seabirds and huge seal colonies. There unique shape
comes from the same geological process that has created
the raised beach you'll be standing on. The islands
and this part of Mull itself are made up of layers of
basalt lava on top of each other, remains of Mull's
volcanic past. Geologically the Isle Of Mull and its
surrounding islands are a geologists dream, with some
of the oldest rocks in the world. Due to its physical
attributes each stage of this geological past is both
physically and visibly evident even today. One of the
most peculiar looking islands is Bac Mor or as its more
commonly known, The Dutchman's Cap, and for obvious
reason.
Treshnish Isles
|
Loch Tuath
|
Walk along the raised beach now where a clear footpath
takes you round the headland for about one and a half
miles, exploring the beach and cliffs at every opportunity
if you have the time. The next point of interest is
the infamous Whisky Cave. Few people ever find the Whisky
Cave when they take on this walk or even just come looking
for it, it is right on the edge of a small pebble beach
and not in view from the main footpath. I read these
directions in a small book I found in a cottage while
on Mull, the writer stated that if you look out to sea
and line up the very highest point of The Dutchman's
Cap with the very left end of Lunga Island you will
be standing at the same position as the cave.
These directions were spot on and if you do this you'll
no doubt be stood above the cave. The footpath narrows
at one point just before the ascent up to Crackaig and
a small grassy ravine with a faint and steep path runs
down to a small pebble beach. This beach is the one
that has the Whisky Cave hidden on its right hand side,
obvious however once your down on the beach. The Whisky
Cave is thought to have been used as an illegal distillery.
The huge mound of earth at the front of the cave was
built to block any possible view of the fire from passing
boats and inside the cave the stone circle and platforms
are actually the remains of the illicit still.
Atlantic Views
|
Steep Cruachan gully
|
After the cave and back on the main footpath heading
south not long after you will come across the remains
of old walls where once there stood a chapel. Where
you see these remains and also start to see a wood on
the hill to your left, you need to go uphill following
a steep path up the easiest ascent of the valley to
Crackaig. This is the hardest part of the walk as it
is quite steep and not a clear path. Once at the top
of the valley the land will flatten out somewhat and
to your left you should now see the charming little
remains of the old village of Crackaig. The buildings
of Crackaig have a noticeable rounded corner, this clever
design was to deflect high winds and inclement weather
conditions. The surroundings are amazing and the views
are out of this world but it must have been a harsh
life in winter. A few hundred yards to the north east
of Crackaig is the similar ruins of the village of Glac
Gugairidh. The two villages were abandoned a long time
ago, but unlike many crofts and villages they did not
fall because of the highland clearances but because
of a deadly outbreak of Typhoid.
Whisky Cave
|
Crackaig
|
From Glac Gugairidh a fairly obvious footpath heads
north east towards boggy moorland. Follow this path
for about a mile over heather and bog until you see
a large house in front. This three floored house now
renovated was once the local school that served the
children of the now abandoned villages. Follow the signposts
round the house and onto the houses track that leads
back down to the B8073. Turn left onto the B8073 road
and follow it downhill for about a mile and you'll find
yourself back at the old quarry car park.
|
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Duration
: 4 Hrs
