Fionnphort - village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK

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.

Fionnphort pier 📍 is the departure point of the ferry to Iona, which sails roughly hourly 08:30-18:00, 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.
• Kintra 📍 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.
• Ardalanish Isle of Mull Weavers, Bunessan PA67 6DR, 56.2920°, -6.2510°, +44 1681 700265. Apr-mid Oct daily 10:00-17:00, mid Oct-mid Dec & mid Jan-March M-F 10:00-16:00. Farm, knitwear and gift shop, and you can tour the weaving mill, which uses 1920s machinery. They'll mail orders. Motorhomes may park overnight here. 2022-05-20
• Ross Of Mull Historical Centre (Ionad Echdraidh an Rois Mhuilich), Millbrae Cottage, Bunessan PA67 6DG, 56.3170°, -6.2302°, +44 1681 700659. Apr-Oct M-F 10:00-16:00. It's really a local history archive and research centre rather than a museum. Free 2019-05-30
• Carsaig Arches 📍 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.
• Fingal's Cave 📍 on the island of Staffa, and the Treshnish Isles 📍, 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 08:00-18:00, Su 10:00-16:00.
• The Ferry Shop by Fionnphort pier is open M-Sa 10:00-18:00.

Eat

• Ninth Wave, Bruach Mhor PA66 6BL (Half a mile east of Fionnphort, watch for sign, turn north into lane), 56.3285°, -6.3595°, +44 1681 700757. May-Oct W-Su 19:00-23:00. Seafood dinners, licensed, booking essential. 2022-05-20
• The Keel Row, Fionnphort PA66 6BL (200 yards east of ferry pier), +44 1681 700458. Mar-Oct Tu-Sa 12:00-23:00, Su 12:30-22:00; M bar only. Bar and restaurant, community-run since 2022. 2022-05-20
• The Creel, Fionnphort Pier PA66 6BL, +44 1681 700312. Daily 12:00-19:30. Acclaimed seafood takeaway in a cabin by the pier. 2022-05-20

Drink

Argyll Arms has the only public bar.

Sleep

• Fidden Farm Campsite, Fionnphort PA66 6BN (two miles south of village), 56.3055°, -6.3641°, +44 1681 700427. It's open May-Sept, with basic pitches by the shore and portacabin showers and toilets. 2022-05-20
• Seaview Bed and Breakfast, Fionnphort PA66 6BL, +44 1681 700235. Comfy friendly place close to the ferry pier. They also let The Bothy for self-catering by the week. B&B double from £100 2022-05-20
• 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.
• Staffa House, Fionnphort PA 66 6BL, 56.3247°, -6.3640°, +44 1681 700677. B&B with four bedrooms en suite. B&B double £100 2022-05-20
• Ardachy House, Ardalanish, Bunessan PA67 6DS (1.5 miles south of Bunressan on Ardalanish Bay), 56.2947°, -6.2233°, +44 1681 700505, info@ardachy.co.uk. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 10:00. Comfy modern B&B near beach. B&B double £100 2022-05-20
• Other B&Bs are at Newcrofts in Bunessan and Ardness House a couple of miles west.
• Argyll Arms Hotel, 3 Fountainhead, Bunessan PA67 6DP, 56.3155°, -6.2359°, +44 1681 700240, argyllarmshotel@isleofmull.co.uk. Hotel open Apr-Sept, restaurant and bar open all year W-Sa. B&B double from £80 2022-05-20
• Beach House Self Catering, Lower Ardtun, Bunessan, 56.3390°, -6.1063°, +44 131 669 3082. Beach House is a restored farmhouse looking over Loch Scridain, half way between Bunessan and Pennyghael. (The name is Gaelic be-ach, bees, not beach which would be traigh.) The holiday home sleeps 8, let Sunday to Sunday. £1000 / week 2022-05-20
• 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.