** All tours from Oban must be booked direct with Turus Mara**

*You pay for your own Calmac ferry passenger tickets at your earliest convenience*

This day trip from Oban is an excellent opportunity for those who want to combine a boat trip to visit the impressive Fingal’s Cave on Staffa with a leisurely wander around the unique, tranquil, Community owned island of Ulva.

The first part of the tour crosses the Sound of Mull on board the Calmac Ferry from the busy port of Oban (you will pay for and pick up your tickets on the day of travel). The 45 minute journey affords views across the island of Lismore and up Loch Linnhe towards Ben Nevis. On your port side as you cross are the mountains of Mull and the ancient MacLean castle of Duart.

Transport is provided from the Ferry Terminal at Craignure, through the Loch Na Keal designated National Scenic Area (NSA) to the west side of Mull to join the ferry to Ulva. Keep an eye out for otters in the loch and both Golden and Sea Eagles as you skirt the loch across from Mull’s largest mountain and only Munro, Ben More.

The little passenger only ferry across the Sound of Ulva has been run for many years by Ulva residents, the Munro family. Beautiful Ulva boasts relaxing woodland walks and unparalleled scenic views from coastal and hill trails. The Boathouse restaurant at the pierhead is a great choice for lunch. Other highlights on Ulva include the thatched Sheila’s Cottage museum, the 19th century Thomas Telford Church and the Ulva House gardens.

After time exploring on Ulva join the Turus Mara boat at Ulva Ferry pontoon for the 2pm tour to Staffa and Fingal’s Cave.

Fingal’s Cave may be named after Finn MacCumhaill, later adapted to Fingal, who was an heroic Irish General charged with fending off the unwanted attentions of the Lochlannaich or Norsemen. Considering that the languages of Scotland and Ireland were the same for around three hundred years, it was natural that myths and cultural exchange would encourage the notion of Staffa and The Giants Causeway being joined undersea and the legends of giants, wondrous deeds and superstitious beliefs would move on apace. So the notion that Staffa was thrown down by a giant as a stepping stone to Ireland could, after a few hundred years, be easily swallowed by the populace of the time. That Hell lay directly under Fingal’s Cave was another belief of the era.

It has been suggested that one other possible derivation of the name Fingal’s Cave – in Gaelic – Uamh Fionn, might have been Uamh Bhinn, meaning the sweet sounding or melodious cave. Since Gaelic was the language in use in the area for many hundreds of years, this is a distinct possibility.

Hexagonal Basalt

Whole books have been written around the geological formations of the area but the simplest explanation for the formation of the unique forms of columnar basalt is related to the rate of cooling of a homogeneous lava flow. The least space which must be left by a liquid material contracting as it solidifies tends to form the least number of adjoining sides, generally forming hexagons. In practice, while there are many hexagons, the columns vary from three to many more sides and in size from a few centimetres up to nearly two metres across in some areas. Many have difficulty believing that this intriguing rock formation is not man-made.

For more information please get in contact via email or phone 01688400242.