The Isle of Mull (or simply Mull; Muile in Scottish Gaelic) is the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute.
Mull is the fourth largest Scottish island and is also the fourth largest island surrounding Great Britain. It has an area of 338 square miles.
In the 2001 census the usual resident population of Mull, Iona and Ulva was 1,841; in the summer this is supplemented by many more tourists. Much of the population lives in Tobermory, the only burgh on the island until 1973, and its capital.
Ferry links to Mull from the mainland include Oban to Craignure (approx. 45 minutes), Kilchoan to Tobermory and Lochaline to Fishnish (approx. 15 minutes, suspended in rough weather). The Oban to Craignure link requires car drivers to be there 30 minutes before departure (locals can usually avoid this, but not in busy summer months). While Fishnish is a further drive north (advanced bookings not required), it is often the quickest route if you are confident with single-track roads.
Ferry links from Mull travel to the surrounding islands of (from Fionnphort) Iona and Ulva. In past years there were direct sailings to Oban (calling at Drimnin (Na Drimnean), Salen (An Sàilean), Lochaline (Loch Àlainn) and Craignure (Creag an Iubhair) – daily except Sunday) and Barra (calling at Coll and Tiree – Monday, Wednesday and Friday – returning direct to Oban on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) from Tobermory. During the summer there was also a sailing to Staffa and Iona from Oban which called at Tobermory.
The Isle of Mull Railway runs from Craignure to Torosay.

Features
Mull has been inhabited since around 6000 BC. Bronze Age inhabitants built menhirs, brochs and a stone circle.
In the 14th century Mull became part of the Lordship of the Isles. After the collapse of the Lordship in 1493 the island was taken over by the clan MacLean, and in 1681 by the clan Campbell.
In 1588 one of the ships of the Spanish Armada, Florenica, was moored in Tobermory Bay and blown up there, reputedly with £300,000 of gold bullion on board.
During the Highland Clearances in the 18th and 19th centuries, the population fell from 10,000 to less than 4000.
Iona, a tiny island off the southwest of Mull, was the base point from which the Irish Celtic Christians re-introduced Christianity to Great Britain in the middle ages. St. Columba arrived here in 563. Columba, his twelve followers and their successors re-converted the British Isles. This re-conversion was required because Christianity had been largely obliterated by the pagan kings and leaders by tribal warfare.
In 1773 this island was also visited by Samuel Johnson and James Boswell during their famous Tour of the Western Islands. Both Johnson and Boswell wrote famous travelogues of their journey.

History
The Tour of Mull is a closed road rally event held on the island every October during the 2-week school holidays by the 2300 Club. While the 2300 Club members benefit from their superior cars, the locals benefit from their supreme knowledge of the roads and thus anyone can win. It has been called by many publications including Motoring News as "The Best Rally In The World".
Previously sponsored by Philips, it has been sponsored since 2005 by Tunnock's, the biscuit manufacturer.

Tour of Mull

Cinema and TV
The singer song writer Colin MacIntyre famously once used the name Mull Historical Society as a pseudonym. Born on the island he took the name from the actual Historical Society who have since changed their name to Mull Historical and Archaeological Society. Mull features in the artwork of his albums and many of his music videos.

Musicians
Mull is home to the Mull Little Theatre, the "Smallest Professional Theatre in the World" according to the Guinness World Records.

Theatre

Geography
The capital is Tobermory. It was the burgh on the island until 1973 when burghs were abolished. Other settlements on Mull include:

Bunessan, Ballygown, Balnahard
Calgary, Carsaig, Craignure, Croggan
Dervaig
Fionnphort, Fishnish
Gruline
Kilninian, Knockan
Lochbuie, Lochdon
Pennyghael
Salen, Strathcoil
Uisken Settlements
Mull is surrounded by a number of islands, the largest of which are:
Two outlying rock lighthouses are also visible from Mull:
The Torran Rocks are a large shoal of reefs, islets and skerries, approximately 15 square miles in extent, located two miles to the south west, between the Ross of Mull peninsula and Dubh Artach.

Calve Island (uninhabited)
Eorsa (uninhabited)
Erraid
Gometra (uninhabited)
Inch Kenneth (uninhabited)
Iona
Little Colonsay (uninhabited)
Staffa (uninhabited)
Treshnish Isles (uninhabited)
Ulva
Dubh Artach
Skerryvore See also
Following a research and community consultation process undertaken in 1996/7 a development trust was created to identify key goals for the communities of Mull and Iona. Mull & Iona Community Trust (MICT)