Location
Calgary Bay
Isle of Mull, Scotland's wild west coast.
Watch the bay and skies for Mull's wild neighbours
The bay
Calgary Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches in Scotland — a wide sweep of white shell sand and turquoise water backed by machair grassland and mature woodland. Despite its beauty, it is rarely crowded.
The bay faces west, catching long summer sunsets. It is sheltered enough for swimming on calm days, and wild enough to feel the full force of Atlantic weather when storms roll in.
The name has nothing to do with Calgary in Canada — it is the other way around. Fort Calgary, and later the Canadian city, took the name after Colonel James Macleod's connection with Calgary on Mull in the 1870s.
Calgary Art in Nature
Kittiwake sits within the Calgary Art in Nature sculpture walk — a woodland trail with sculptures created by local and visiting artists, spread across three levels through the trees above the bay. Look out for the willow stag, the tree house with its scenic windows, and the oyster catcher sculptures on the hillside.
The sculpture walk was founded in 1999 by Matthew and Julia Reade — Charlie's parents, who still run the trail today. Adult entry is £2.50, children free, and Kittiwake guests get in free. The artworks change over time, so there's always something new to discover.
By the car park, Calgary Gallery shows work by Mull and Iona artists — run by Charlie's brother Tom and sister-in-law Pippa. Right next door, Calgary Bay Co (Ben and Lou's cafe) serves coffee, cakes and lunches; plugs and Wi-Fi available if you ask. Down on the beach, Charlie runs Robin's Boat — ice cream and drinks 12–4pm in sunny weather, April to October, when the flags are flying.
Things to do
Wildlife watching
Keep watch for white-tailed sea eagles overhead, otters along quiet shorelines, and seals on rocky skerries. In nesting season, boat trips visit Lunga and the Treshnish Isles — where puffins and the hut's namesake kittiwakes nest on the cliff ledges.
Walking
Walk the beach at low tide. Follow the coastal path to Caliach Point for dramatic cliffs. Hike Ben More (966m), Mull's only Munro, for panoramic island views.
Boat trips
Take a wildlife boat trip from Ulva Ferry towards Staffa, Fingal's Cave, Lunga, and the Treshnish Isles. Puffins are seasonal, and every sailing depends on weather and wildlife.
Tobermory
Mull's colourful capital is about 12 miles away. Harbour-front restaurants, independent shops, the Tobermory Distillery, and the Mull Museum.
Iona
The sacred island of Iona is a longer day trip via the ferry from Fionnphort. Visit the medieval abbey, then walk to the Bay at the Back of the Ocean.
Dervaig
The nearest village, 5 miles away. Pick up supplies or have a meal at the Bellachroy — Mull's oldest inn, established in 1608 as a waypoint for cattle drovers.
Ready to explore?
Check April–November dates on AirbnbGetting here
The journey is part of the experience.
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Step one
Take the train to Oban through the West Highlands
ScotRail from Glasgow — 3 hours of stunning scenery
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Step two
Cross the Sound of Mull to Craignure
CalMac ferry — around 45–55 minutes. Book ahead in summer.
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Step three
Wind through mature woodland to Calgary Bay
Single-track road via Salen and Dervaig — about 1 hour, no rush
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You've arrived
Leave the car. Load the wheelbarrow. You're here.
Park at Calgary Art in Nature (free). You cannot drive to the door: it is a 5-minute walk, then a 200m woodland path with the wheelbarrow for luggage and water.
Find us
Kittiwake, Calgary Bay, Isle of Mull, PA75 6QQ
Ready to visit?
£118/night for the hut, sleeps 2, 3-night minimum. The island’s waiting.
Practical arrival: park 5 minutes away at Calgary Art in Nature, then follow the 200m woodland path to the hut with the wheelbarrow — no driving up to the door.
Check April–November dates on Airbnb