Fionnphort

Fionnphort (meaning "white port") is a small fishing port at the far west of the Ross of Mull, where the ferry crosses to Iona. The population is about 80 and the village has limited accommodation or other amenities. A few more can be found in Bunessan five miles east, also described on this page.

Get in
A849 runs west from Craignure which has a ferry from Oban on the mainland; and Oban has buses and trains from Glasgow. The road follows the shore of Loch Scridain to Bunessan (30 miles) and Fionnphort (another 5 miles).

Bus 96 / 496 meets the ferries at Craignure and runs four times M-Sa and once on Sunday, taking 70 min via Bunessan to Fionnphort.

is the departure point of the ferry to Iona, which sails roughly hourly 8:30-6PM, but on demand in summer, taking 10 min. Until end of March 2024, the return ferry fare is adult £3.70, child £1.90. Bikes are free but visitors' cars are not permitted. Fionnphort ferry terminal has toilets (charged) and a small waiting room and snack bar. The ferry toilets are free if you can hang on.

Buses and ferries are held for connections but in bad weather, Fionnphort is exposed to the Atlantic and ferries may be cancelled for days on end. Ferry staff will advise non-residents against crossing to Iona if the forecast is bad.

There are two car parks in Fionnphort. The Community Centre car park 100 yards inland is free. It has about 150 spaces but in summer gets full by noon. The Council-run pay & display by the ferry pier charges £1 / hour and accepts cards — four hours should suffice for a day trip. Please don't block residents' drives and lanes.

Get around
You'll want your own wheels between Bunessan and Fionnphort, since the bus is infrequent.

See

 * Iona can easily be done as a day trip but deserves longer.
 * St Columba Cultural Centre in Fionnphort displays a slab inscribed with a cross, probably a 7th-century gravestone, commemorating someone called Echoid. The Centre is closed in 2022.
 * is a tiny village 2 miles north of Fionnphort. It has a nice sheltered beach when the tide drops, suitable for children's bathing, but at high tide the beach is completely covered.
 * are a group of sea arches and caves, weird rather than grand, "as if opening onto another planet". You need low tide to approach along the beach from Carsaig pier, 4 miles and 3 hours each way.
 * on the island of Staffa, and the, are visited by boat trips which pick up from Fionnphort and Iona.
 * are a group of sea arches and caves, weird rather than grand, "as if opening onto another planet". You need low tide to approach along the beach from Carsaig pier, 4 miles and 3 hours each way.
 * on the island of Staffa, and the, are visited by boat trips which pick up from Fionnphort and Iona.

Do

 * Beaches: the best is on the south coast at Ardalanish: follow lane from village. Otherwise go north to Kintra.
 * Bendoran Water Sports a mile west of Bunessan organise sea-kayaking and dinghy sailing, beginners welcome.
 * Bird watching both on land and on the boat trips. And anywhere along the shore, any hour, look for otters.
 * Become a Monk or Nun. There are two religious retreats here, not open for casual visits:
 * The Orthodox Monastery of All Celtic Saints north of Bunessan is mainly a centre for groups of Orthodox pilgrims going to and from Iona.
 * All Hallows Convent (Anglican) was in Norfolk but has dispersed; they run Roan Cottage south of Bunessan for retreats and pilgrims.
 * Another life contemplative is the Findhorn Community on the island of Erraid some 8 miles south of Fionnphort. It's a hell of a hike and best access is by boat, though perhaps not in the manner of David Balfour in RL Stevenson's novel Kidnapped — knocked senseless and carried away towards slavery in Carolina but shipwrecked here. In a spoof on Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, David spends four days marooned and starving before realising that Erraid is tidal. He can walk across to Mull whenever the tide goes out.

Buy

 * Spar in Bunessan is a small convenience store and Post Office. It's the only proper store in the Ross of Mull, and your last chance to stock up before crossing to Iona. Good selection of food and other essentials, with off-license. More expensive than the mainland but decent value for such a remote spot. It's open M-Sa 8AM-6PM, Su 10AM-4PM.
 * The Ferry Shop by Fionnphort pier is open M-Sa 10AM-6PM.

Drink
Argyll Arms has the only public bar.

Sleep

 * Caol-Ithe does B&B and self-catering lets.
 * Catchean Caravans are two static caravans for self-catering let by the week, Sat-Sat. Also two pods, but they don't have tourer pitches.
 * Other B&Bs are at Newcrofts in Bunessan and Ardness House a couple of miles west.
 * Plus several other self-catering cottages.
 * Other B&Bs are at Newcrofts in Bunessan and Ardness House a couple of miles west.
 * Plus several other self-catering cottages.
 * Other B&Bs are at Newcrofts in Bunessan and Ardness House a couple of miles west.
 * Plus several other self-catering cottages.
 * Plus several other self-catering cottages.
 * Plus several other self-catering cottages.

Connect
As of April 2022, Fionnphort has no mobile signal from any UK carrier.

Go next

 * Take the short ferry crossing to Iona.
 * Reaching the rest of Mull is usually via Craignure, but there's a lane along the coast via Dhiseig and Gruline to Salen.