Advice for those travelling to MUGG on Saturday 13th May and to Tiree on Saturday 20th May.
These notes have been put together based on information available on 9th February 2006. You are strongly advised to check and double check your travel arrangements prior to departure.
As you will gather from these notes travel to Mull, even by car takes longer than you might think. You have to leave central Glasgow by shortly after 12 noon in order to arrive on Mull the same day even by car.
A number of you will be hiring cars and might be able to offer a lift to others attending event. If you have space and are willing to offer a lift (please check vehicle insurance), please send details to Ian (ian.phillips@ukonline.co.uk). Details should include the number of seats available together date, time and place of possible pickup. Equally if you are looking for a possible lift, send details to include date, time and place(s) of possible for pickup. If you are staying in a hotel prior to travelling on to Mull, it might be useful to include the name of the hotel. Ian will try and match up possible matches.
Coaches leave Glasgow Buchanan Street Bus Station at 08.30 arrive Oban 11.20 for 12.00 sailing and 12.00 arriving Oban 15.00 for 16.00 sailing. Full details on www.citylink.co.uk
Calmac sailings from Oban to Craignure are :-
| 07.30 | 08.16 | |
| 09.30 | 10.16 | |
| 11.45 | 12.31 | (08.20) |
| 13.45 | 14.31 | |
| 16.00 | 16.46 | (12.40) |
| 18.00 | 18.46 |
Times in brackets are the connecting train departures from Glasgow Queen Street.
Foot passengers must purchase tickets (£4.05 single) from the Calmac Office prior to boarding.
It is strongly advised to book vehicles well as far in advance as possible. You will need to know the length of vehicle (if not the exact type and registration to make a booking). Vehicles must at the ferry terminal at least 30 minutes prior to departure. Calmac do have an online booking system (at the address below) for vehicles and vehicle passengers. Foot passengers cannot purchase their tickets via the online system or over the phone.
Full details on www.calmac.co.uk
Private vehicle reservations reservations@calmac.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)8705 650000 Fax: +44 (0)1475 635235
Directions by road from Glasgow Airport and Edinburgh Airport are shown below. For directions from other UK locations, route planners are to be found on www.theaa.co.uk and www.rac.co.uk.
For maps of the UK see www.multimap.co.uk or http://www.streetmap.co.uk/
Large scale road maps are available from most petrol stations.
Directions from Glasgow Airport to Oban
| Travel (miles) | And then | to take | total(miles) |
| 0.00 | Start out at Glasgow Airport,Renfrewshire | Unclassified | 0.00 |
| 0.20 | At roundabout take the 2nd exit onto White Cart Road (signposted Motorway M8) | White Cart Road | 0.20 |
| 0.06 | Continue forward onto White Cart Road. Entering Paisley | White Cart Road | 0.26 |
| 0.05 | At roundabout take the 2nd exit onto Sanderling Road (signposted Greenock, M8) | Sanderling Road | 0.31 |
| 0.23 | At roundabout take the 1st exit (signposted Greenock, Linwood) | Unclassified | 0.55 |
| 0.72 | At roundabout take the 3rd exit, then join the M8 motorway (signposted Greenock, Erskine Bridge) | M8 | 1.27 |
| 3.24 | Leave the M8 at junction 30, then join the M898 motorway (signposted Erskine Bridge) | M898 | 4.51 |
| 0.86 | Continue forward onto the A898. Entering Erskine | A898 | 5.38 |
| 1.00 | Erskine Bridge (Toll) – As at 7th Feb 2006 toll is 60p but moves are afoot to scrap the fee. | A898 | 6.37 |
| 0.13 | Continue forward onto the A898. Entering Clydebank | A898 | 6.50 |
| 0.43 | Branch left, then merge onto Great Western Road - A82 (signposted Crianlarich) | A82 | 6.94 |
| 2.31 | At Dunglass Roundabout take the 2nd exit onto Dumbarton Road – A82 | A82 | 9.25 |
| 0.54 | Travelodge (Dumbarton) | A82 | 9.79 |
| 0.50 | Take right-hand lanes and at traffic signals continue forward | A82 | 10.29 |
| 0.83 | Continue forward onto Stirling Road – A82. Entering Dumbarton | A82 | 11.11 |
| 0.86 | At Barloan Roundabout take the 2nd exit onto the A82 (signposted Crianlarich, Stirling) | A82 | 11.98 |
| 2.68 | Continue forward onto the A82. Entering Alexandria | A82 | 14.66 |
| 1.27 | At Stoneymollan Roundabout take the 2nd exit onto the A82 (signposted Crianlarich) | A82 | 15.93 |
| 2.53 | At roundabout take the 2nd exit onto the A82 (signposted Crianlarich, Campbeltown) | A82 | 18.47 |
| 1.69 | Continue forward (signposted Crianlarich, Campbeltown) | A82 | 20.15 |
| 3.18 | Continue forward onto the A82. Entering Luss | A82 | 23.34 |
| 25.02 | Bear left onto the A82 (signposted Crianlarich, Fort William) Entering Crianlarich | A82 | 48.36 |
| 0.03 | At T-junction turn left onto the A82 (signposted Fort William, Oban) | A82 | 48.39 |
| 4.54 | Continue forward onto the A82. Entering Tyndrum (Last loo’s before Oban at Green Welly Shop on right hand side of road Also The Real Food Café - BBC Radio 4 Food & Farming Awards 2005 - Best Takeaway!! – left hand side of the road) | A82 | 52.93 |
| 0.46 | Turn left onto the A85 (signposted Oban) | A85 | 53.40 |
| 30.06 | Continue forward onto the A85. Entering Connel | A85 | 83.46 |
| 4.84 | Last petrol station on main road on right hand side of road.Continue forward onto Dunollie Road – A85. Entering Oban | A85 | 88.29 |
| 0.36 | At roundabout take the 1st exit onto Dunollie Road - A85 (signposted Town Centre) | A85 | 88.65 |
| 0.50 | At Argyll Square roundabout take the 1st exit onto Argyll Square - A85 (signposted Campbeltown) | A85 | 89.16 |
| 0.16 | Bear right onto Soroba Road – A816 | A816 | 89.32 |
| 0.18 | Arrive at Oban,Argyll And Bute | A816 | 89.49 |
| - | Section time 2:51, Total time 2:51 - - |
The time shown assumes no hold ups, that you are familiar with your car and driving in the UK. Please allow extra time.
See below for a map of Oban showing ferry terminal.
Directions from Edinburgh Airport to Oban
| Travel (miles) | And then | to take | total(miles) |
| 0.00 | Start out at Edinburgh Airport,Edinburgh | Unclassified | 0.00 |
| 0.46 | At roundabout take the 1st exit onto Eastfield Road (signposted Exit All Routes A8) | Eastfield Road | 0.46 |
| 0.04 | Edinburgh Airport | Unclassified | 0.50 |
| 0.02 | At roundabout take the 3rd exit onto Eastfield Road (signposted Exit all routes) | Eastfield Road | 0.51 |
| 0.34 | At roundabout take the 1st exit onto Eastfield Road | Eastfield Road | 0.86 |
| 0.14 | Junction with A8 | Unclassified | 1.00 |
| 0.02 | Continue forward under road bridge then at roundabout take 2nd exit to join A8 (signposted Glasgow, Forth Road Bridge) | A8 | 1.02 |
| 0.38 | Ingliston Connect | A8 | 1.40 |
| 1.43 | At Newbridge Junction roundabout take the 4th exit, then join the M9 motorway (signposted M9 Forth Road Bridge, Stirling) | M9 | 2.83 |
| 23.84 | Travelodge - Stirling Service Area (MOTO) | M9 | 26.67 |
| 4.72 | Leave the M9 at junction 10 (signposted Stirling, Callander, Crianlarich), then at roundabout take the 2nd exit onto the A84 (signposted Callander) | A84 | 31.39 |
| 6.32 | Continue forward onto the A84. Entering Doune | A84 | 37.70 |
| 6.58 | Continue forward onto Stirling Road – A84. Entering Callander | A84 | 44.29 |
| 9.85 | Continue forward onto the A84. Entering Strathyre | A84 | 54.14 |
| 4.83 | Continue forward onto the A84. Entering Lochearnhead | A84 | 58.98 |
| 0.19 | Continue forward onto the A85 | A85 | 59.16 |
| 16.01 | Continue forward onto the A85. Entering Crianlarich | A85 | 75.17 |
| 0.08 | Bear left onto the A82 | A82 | 75.25 |
| 4.54 | Continue forward onto the A82. Entering Tyndrum (Last loo’s before Oban at Green Welly Shop on right hand side of road Also The Real Food Café - BBC Radio 4 Food & Farming Awards 2005 - Best Takeaway!! – left hand side of the road) | A82 | 79.79 |
| 0.46 | Turn left onto the A85 (signposted Oban) | A85 | 80.26 |
| 30.06 | Continue forward onto the A85. Entering Connel | A85 | 110.31 |
| 4.84 | Last petrol station on main road on right hand side of road. Continue forward onto Dunollie Road - A85. Entering Oban | A85 | 115.15 |
| 0.36 | At roundabout take the 1st exit onto Dunollie Road - A85 (signposted Town Centre) | A85 | 115.51 |
| 0.50 | At Argyll Square roundabout take the 1st exit onto Argyll Square - A85 (signposted Campbeltown) | A85 | 116.02 |
| 0.16 | Bear right onto Soroba Road - A816 | A816 | 116.18 |
| 0.18 | Arrive at Oban,Argyll And Bute | A816 | 116.35 |
| - | Section time 3:24, Total time 3:24 |
The time shown assumes no hold ups, that you are familiar with your car and driving in the UK. Please allow extra time.
Petrol and Diesel
Petrol and diesel are both available from filling stations in Tobermory, Salen, Craignure and between Bunessan and Fionnphort. Prices are more expensive than on the mainland so you are advised to fill up before catching the ferry.
The last main road filling station is on the right hand side of the road about a mile before Oban. Petrol and diesel can also be obtained at the Tesco Supermarket in Oban.
ATM
There is only one ATM on the island at the only bank, the Clydesdale Bank in Tobermory. However, this machine is often out of money, broken or off-line. If this is the case and you have a debit card, make a purchase at the Coop Supermarket and ask for ‘Cash Back’.
Map of Oban
Roads with arrows are One Way (Clock-wise).
Most will enter the town at the top of the map on the A85 from Connel Ferry.
The ferry terminal is quite well signed on entry to the town.
Oban can be busy on a Saturday with slow moving traffic and you have to drive though the busiest part.
On entry to town follow signs for town centre and ferry along Dunollie Road and George Street to Argyll Square roundabout.
Take exit signed to Gallanachbeg and Ferry.
Driving on Mull
 |
Most of the roads on Mull are single track, with passing places at frequent intervals. The only two track road is that between Craignure and Salen.
These are usually marked with a prominent black and white posts or as shown on the right. |  |
Please take care and drive slowly. Look ahead towards the next passing place to see if the road is clear. If a vehicle is approaching and the passing place is on your left, pull into it. If the passing place is on your right, stop opposite it so that the oncoming vehicle can drive round you.
On no account should you pull across the road to a passing place on your right-hand side.
If you want to stop and admire the view, make sure you do not block a passing place in doing so.
Please try to be aware of vehicles closely following you. Pull in at the next passing place to let them pass. It might be the local doctor hurrying to an emergency!
Approximate Driving Times
These times are a guide only and can vary depending upon the time of day and whether you hit traffic going to or from a ferry. Locals will under cut these times as they know the roads but better safe than sorry and don’t forget to give way to sheep, cattle, etc who treat the roads as there own. Tobermory to Salen 30 mins Salen to Craignure 15 mins Craignure to Bunessan 45 mins Bunessan to Fionnphort 15 mins Tobermory toDervaig 15 mins Dervaig to Ulva Ferry 30 mins Ulva Ferry to Salen 20 mins Salen (via Gribun to Bunessan) 60 mins
Buses on Mull
Tobermory –Salen – Craignure and Craignure – Bunessan – Fionnphort. Route operated by Bowman’s Coaches. Coaches connect to and from most ferries.
Tobermory – Dervaig – Calagary. Route operated by R N Carmichael.
Salen – Gruline – Ulva Ferry – Burg. Route operated by Royal Mail.
See www.mict.co.uk/travel for timeables.
Tourist Information Offices
| Craignure | The Pier, Craignure, Isle of Mull PA65 6AY |
| Tele +44 (0) 1680 812377 Fax +44 (0) 1680 812497 email info@mull.visitscotland.com | |
| Tobermory | Main Street, Tobermory, Isle of Mull PA75 6NU |
| (Easter to end of October only) Tele +44 (0) 1688 302182 Fax +44 (0) 1688 302145 email info@tobermory.visitscotland.com |
Emergency Services – Police, Fire, Ambulance, Coastguard – 999
Medical Services
| Doctors | Bunessan | 01681 700261 |
| Salen | 01680 300327 | |
| Tobermory | 01688 302013 | |
| Dentist | Tobermory | 01688 302105 |
| Chemist | Tobermory | 01688 302431 |
Travel to Tiree – Saturday 20th May
The only scheduled service from Oban to Tiree leaves Oban at 07.00 arriving Tiree 10.45. The first boat from Mull that day leaves Craignure at 07.00 thus missing the Tiree sailing.
Those going to Tiree will therefore need to stay on Oban overnight on the Saturday and travel to Tiree on the 09.00 Sunday sailing arriving 13.00.
Take care and have a safe journey.