Dervaig and Calgary

The gently undulating countryside west of Tobermory, beyond the freshwater Mishnish lochs, provides some of the most beguiling scenery on the island. Added to this, the road out west, the B8073, is exceptionally dramatic, with fiendish switchbacks much appreciated during the annual Mull Rally, which takes place each October. The only village of any size is DERVAIG, which nestles beside narrow Loch Chumhainn, just eight miles southwest of Tobermory, distinguished by its unusual pencil-shaped church spire and dinky whitewashed cottages set in twos along its main street. Dervaig is best known as the home of Mull Theatre, one of the smallest professional theatres in the world, which puts on an adventurous season of plays adapted for a handful of resident actors (April-Sept; tel 01688/302828, www.mulltheatre.org.uk); booking is recommended. The box office is in the main street, while the theatre itself lies within the grounds of the Victorian Druimard Country House (tel 01688/400345, www.druimard.co.uk; £110-150; late March-Oct), which has a decent bar, and offers top-class, expensive pre-theatre dinners. Dervaig has a wide choice of places to stay: the Druimnacroish Hotel (tel 01688/400274, www.drumnacroish.co.uk; £70-90), a lovely country house two miles out on the Salen road, and several good B&Bs ranging from the vegetarian-friendly Glen Bellart House (tel 01688/400282; under £40; Easter-Oct), on the main street to Glenview (tel 01688/400239; £40-50; April-Oct), a really lovely 1890s house on the edge of the village.

The road continues cross-country to CALGARY, once a thriving crofting community, now an idyllic holiday spot boasting Mull's finest sandy bay, backed by low-lying dunes and machair, with wonderful views over to Coll and Tiree. There's just one hotel, the delightful Calgary Farmhouse (tel 01688/400256, www.calgary.co.uk; £60-70; April-Oct), whose excellent, moderately priced Dovecote restaurant (closed Mon) is (unsurprisingly) housed in a converted dovecote. The south side of the beach is a favourite spot for camping rough, though the only facilities are the public toilets.

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