Treshnish and Haunn Cottages

The Treshnish and Haunn Cottages are in Scotland, located on the north west coast of the Isle of Mull, just beyond the famous white sands of Calgary Bay. 

An hour's drive from the ferry at Craignure.

Fifty minutes drive from the pretty town of Tobermory.

Light years away from traffic jams, pollution and the hurly burly of 21st century life.

If you haven't stayed with us before and would like to know more about the difference between the Treshnish Cottages and the Haunn Cottages, read on.

If you only need the TRAVEL information,click here.

               

MAP OF THE ISLAND of MULL showing Treshnish Point.

WHICH COTTAGE TO CHOOSE:

Treshnish Point is the dramatic headland you see on your left, as you look out towards the distant outline of Tiree from the white sands of Calgary Beach.  It is the location for the eight Treshnish and Haunn Cottages. 

Whichever cottage you might choose, there is direct walking access from your doorstep along the shore paths, where you may see an Otter playing in the shallows, you can try your luck, at the right time of year, looking for Basking Sharks or a passing pod of Porpoises, and enjoy the extensive and spectacular views out to the Treshnish Islands as you go. 

Alternatively you can climb the small Cruachan Treshnish and roam across the hill, peat bog and moor, to enjoy the abundance of wild flowers and the thrill of bird and wildlife sightings, such as Golden Eagles soaring overhead and Red Deer running across the open hill.

Here you can enjoy and experience the remoteness, knowing that a few minutes drive away you can eat out at the tearoom at Calgary (3 miles away) or at the Am Birlinn restaurant (6 miles away at Penmore) on the pretty road to Dervaig. 

A key point that we like to make clear is the difference in location between the cottages at Treshnish and those at Haunn.

MAP of SEPARATE LOCATIONS OF EACH COTTAGE at TRESHNISH and at HAUNN. 

Look for this map on the Treshnish Farm steading wall for directions on your arrival.

Situated beside and nearby the original farmyard square, Shian, Duill, Shieling and Studio make up the four Treshnish Cottages. These lie just under a mile from the public road along the slow unsealed farm track and each enjoy sea views over towards Coll and beyond.  They are heated via the wood-chip District Heating Scheme and Studio gets its electricity from our own wind turbine!  The contemporary working farmyard is at a discreet distance from the cottages. 

A further one mile along the unsealed farm track from Treshnish farmstead, out onto the point, sit the more remote Haunn Cottages: Toechtamhor, East, West and Middle. The route is slow (about 20 minutes), passing through grassy fields with up to four gates that may need to be opened and closed (depending on which animals are grazing where), overlooking the magnificent sea vista. 

The sense of quiet and timelessness grows as you approach Haunn so that, on arrival it can feel as if you have stepped out of time. This remoteness may not suit all holidaymakers to Mull, but if you are looking for an exceptionally peaceful and remote setting in which to escape from the busy world, or perhaps a romantic retreat, one of the Haunn Cottages may provide that haven.  For more photographs of the area, please have a look at our Almost Daily Photograph.

GETTING TO MULL via OBAN:

Trains run from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban (3 hours), and buses from Buchanan Street Bus Station (Glasgow) as well as from Edinburgh and Perth.

For Timetables for train and bus provided by Argyll and Bute Council click here.

DRIVING TO OBAN and LOCHALINE:

Allow 3 hours from Glasgow to Oban, 3 and half from Edinburgh by car.  

For Lochaline, we always allow an extra hour and half on the Oban journey times.  You have to catch the small continuous ferry service across Loch Linnhe and this can delay you if you just miss one and have to wait for the next.  But it is a lovely way to arrive in the Highlands, as the scenery is outstanding and you can always stop for a breathe of fresh air at the eco-friendly Glen Coe Visitor Centre near Ballachulish, which is cleverly sited in a glade of trees, designed by Gaia Architects and heated with wood-chip – just as the Treshnish Cottages are.

FERRIES:

For ferry information and bookings click here.   There are 3 crossing points to Mull.   From Oban, Lochaline, and thirdly Kilchoan, on Ardnamurchan – an interesting drive along Loch Sunart.  It is advisable to book the busier Oban crossing.  The other 2 crossings are on a first come, first served basis.

NEAREST AIRPORT:

The nearest airport is Glasgow.

ALTERNATIVES TO FLYING OR DRIVING:

There are fast day trains to Glasgow from the south, and then it is a scenic 3 hour train journey from Glasgow to Oban.

Alternatively there is a sleeper train from London to Glasgow or Fort William.  The Fort William sleeper is a great way to travel.  There are 2 departure times from Euston and the earlier one (around 8pm?) means you really feel you are travelling!  Time on the journey to settle in!    When it leaves London this train is apparently the longest train in the UK – it stretches up the platform as far as the eye can see, and inevitably the Fort William section always seems to be at the far end. There is an observation lounge on board where you can have your breakfast whilst looking at breathtaking views of Rannoch Moor and Glen Coe and then you arrive in Fort William at about 10am.

There are places to hire a car in Fort William or there are buses to Lochaline from Fort William.

ONCE ON MULL, GETTING TO TRESHNISH:

BUS:

Buses run from Craignure to Tobermory where there is a twice daily (not Sundays) bus which stops at Calgary - three miles from Treshnish.  

For all bus services on Mull see the Argyll & Bute Area Transport Guides for timetables - click here. 

MULL WITHOUT A CAR:

We are often asked whether it is possible to holiday on Mull, and more specifically at Treshnish, without a car.  Our response is that it depends what you want to do during your holiday. 

We have had lots of people staying without a car.  One guest spent a month here one winter without a car, and loved the walks to and from the bus stop, sometimes using a bicycle if there was shopping to carry.  Just as we have had lots of guests at other times who arrive by car at the beginning of the week but don’t use it again until they leave at the end - as they are happy to walk everywhere.    It all depends on your individual attitude and what you want to do with your time!  

It is certainly possible (and easy) to get to Mull by public transport without a car, and some of our guests do just that.  When they arrive on Mull they might hire a car locally.   

Others will travel using public transport to Mull and on to Tobermory, then get a pre-booked taxi to Treshnish having done the bulk of their shopping in Tobermory – holidaying here without a car.

The twice daily bus from Tobermory to Calgary is a useful service, it is a lovely 3 mile walk along the single track road to Calgary from here.  We can usually collect your luggage*, but unfortunately our insurance does not cover us to drive our guests.   (*this would need to be pre-arranged)

We have a couple of bikes and we are happy to lend these to anyone without a car.  Lots of our guests cycle on the island but some comment that the island is certainly not flat!

BY CAR:

It takes roughly an hour to drive from the 2 main Mull ferry terminals (Craignure and Fishnish) to Treshnish.   For full directions see below.

TAXI:

A taxi service from and to the ferry is available but needs to be pre-booked, please contact us for details of taxi operators on the island.  

CAR HIRE:

You can hire a car from Mackay’s Garage in Tobermory - a 45 minute  drive to/from Treshnish.   Book before you get here though!    You can get a bus from the ferry to Tobermory.

BIKE HIRE:

On Yer Bike in Salen has a good selection of bicycles to rent.  01680 300501.

MAP of North West MULL, and the roads between Salen and Treshnish Point.

DIRECTIONS from CRAIGNURE TO TRESHNISH POINT:

Turn right when reaching the main road once you get off either Fishnish or Craignure ferry signposted for Tobermory.

Drive north through the village of Salen.

2 miles north of Salen at Aros Bridge, turn left at the signpost for Dervaig and Calgary Art in Nature.  This takes you for about 10 miles along an unmarked road through Glen Aros and Glen Bellart to Dervaig and the sea loch, Loch Cuin.

At the t junction, turn left towards Calgary.  Calgary is a small collection of scattered houses and cottages with a seasonal tearoom (serving teas, coffees and light lunches), Calgary Art In Nature (sculpture trail and gallery), and The Beach of course!

Drive past the beach.  The headland you can see out on the left (south) side of the Bay is Treshnish Point.  This is where you are heading.

After approximately 2.5 miles you will see a track on your right with a signpost saying Treshnish Farm and Treshnish and Haunn Cottages.  This is where you turn.

Our cottages are situated on a working farm, and the access to them is along our unsealed farm track. This is kept in a condition suitable for ordinary cars to drive slowly along.   We do not have a 4 wheel drive vehicle ourselves, and we live here all the time.

The track can be bumpy in places, but it's condition is monitored and maintained accordingly, throughout the main season.  It is maintained less often out of season, because of the likelihood of heavier rain/more weathering - though it is passable with care throughout the winter!     Driving too fast on the track causes additional damage to its loose surface so we respectively ask that everyone slows down and drives not faster than 10mph. 

WHERE TO GO ONCE ON THE FARM: see map above

Once on our track, please remember to drive slowly - particularly when you first arrive and your car may be heavily laden. 

You will reach the Treshnish Farm steading first, with farmhouse, office, Phone Room and the four Treshnish Cottages.  For Studio, Shieling, Shian and Duill this is your stop. 

Studio is part of the west corner of the white washed stone steading.  Drive round the back of the steading (away from the sea) towards Haunn to find the entrance and its own parking space. 

Shieling is the cottage situated at the far side of the farmyard – you see the gable end straight ahead of you when you come over the small burn with the farm house on the right. You can park beside the cottage.  

Shian and Duill are through the gate in front of Shieling and a short distance along the field track, with their own parking areas within the garden.

For the Haunn Cottages – Toechtamhor, East, Middle and West – you have a further mile to drive, and possibly some gates to open and close.  But you are nearly there!  Drive behind the farm steading, away from the sea. 

The Phone Room is the end door in the wooden lean-to, that you drive along side once you get round the back. 

You will pass the cattle shed and sheep fank (handling facilities) on the left.  You drive through the Park field, through the Black Park field and lastly into the Haunn field – up a slight incline, round to the left and you can then see your destination!

Toechtamhor is the cottage up on the left of the track with its own gateway leading to the cottage and its own parking area. 

Drive a little further on and you get to the three blackhouses (East, Middle and West), nestling in their own grassy gardens.  Once you have unloaded your car please park in the parking spaces next to Middle Cottage.

                        Treshnish and Haunn Cottages, Treshnish Point, near Calgary, Isle of Mull, PA75 6QX                                                                Tel: +44 (0)1688 400249 or lo-call 0845 458 1971                                                     Email: enquiries@treshnish.co.uk