Calgary Bay is a short drive from Dervaig on the Isle of Mull. It’s home to one of the most accessible and photographed beaches in Scotland and a fantastic Art in Nature walk. During the season light lunches and refreshments are available at the Carthouse Coffee Shop.
- Home
- Attractions
- Scenic Attractions
- Calgary Bay
Calgary Bay
Calgary is located on the north west of Mull about 5 miles beyond Dervaig and 12 miles from the island’s capital Tobermory. It is framed by low hills, partly wooded and is the location of a shimmering white shell sand beach and craggy headlands – home to a rich variety of birdlife and the haunting ruins of stone forts and abandoned villages.
The name Calgary comes from the Gaelic, Cala Ghearraidh, meaning Beach of the Meadow.
Calgary – A brief history
The main settlement was once at Inivea, above Calgary Pier, which became uninhabited in the early 1800′s during the Highland Clearances. Unfortunately the unscrupulous laird thought he could earn more money by grazing sheep on the land. The settlement of today is scattered around the vicinity of the Calgary Farmhouse and Hotel.
Calgary in Canada takes its name from Calgary on Mull. This was a favourite summer home of Colonel James Macleod, of the Canadian North West Mounted Police. In 1876, after he returned from staying in Calgary Castle (the imposing house overlooking the bay), he suggested its name for Fort Calgary which in turn gave it’s name to the city of Calgary, Alberta.
Calgary Castle was built in 1817 by Captain Alan MacAskill who retired here. He built the gothic, gentrified and castellated front part on to the rear quarter which was an 18th century traditional Laird’s house built in the 1780.
Mull and Iona wildlife blog
- Return of the Whales May 2, 2012Despite frequent reports of sightings from fishing boats in the area, none of the trip boats from Tobermory had managed to get a view of one of our larger summer migrants yet, however today the skipper of Silver Swift took local Wildlife photographer Nic Davies out on a trip which resulted in 2 different Minke Whales being seen. Reports back from Nic was tha […]
- Dolphins occurring regularly off Mull May 1, 2012We are still to get our first Whale sighting of the year from any of the trip boats, but we are having sightings reported by the fishing boats so they are definitely out there somewhere! One of the main reasons is that the island seems much quieter than at the same time in recent years, which means there are less trips going out and recently all the interest […]