Ulva is another island off the coast of Mull. It’s community-owned with an interesting history. Much bigger than Iona, there is more to explore and if you fancy full day’s walk, Ulva is linked by bridge to Gometra, an island off an island, off an island, off an island.
Getting to Ulva is fun because you summon the ferry by sliding a cover across a wall facing the island, to display a red square. I’m pretty sure the ferryman can see who’s waiting anyway, but it’s fun to follow the procedure and feel all powerful when the little boat, that’s like something out of Thunderbirds, makes its way across the short stretch of water.
Sheila’s Cottage, close to the ferry tells the story of life on Ulva, in a traditional thatched cottage. It was closed for refurbishment when we visited but was suitably atmospheric from the outside.
There are no cars on Ulva. There are no paved roads to put them on. There are plenty of walks though. We did a shortish walk to see a church designed by Thomas Telford. I found it a bit of a trudge to be honest, possibly because it headed inland on rough tracks or perhaps I was just spoilt after a beautiful day on Iona.
Beside the ferry landing on Ulva, The Boathouse does cakes and meals and is a great place to watch the comings and goings on the water. For ferry times and some truly beautiful photos follow The Ulva Ferry on Facebook, or @theulvaferry on Instagram.
