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Craignure is a small Village on the east
coast of the Isle of Mull where the main
Ferries between Oban and the Isle of
Mull dock. The largest town on the Island,
Tobermory, is 21 miles north, and the
Isle of Iona 35 miles west.
The Village is popular for its Cafe,
Restaurant, Golf, Shieling Holiday Park,
Torosay Castle Gardens, and Duart
Castle.
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The images top are from the Oban to
Craignure Ferry named MV
Isle of Mull arriving at Craignure with the
crossing taking about 50 minutes, 16 miles.
The Village shops and diners are situated
along the main road overlooking the Ferry
Terminal and across the sea to Oban.
Craignure Inn
is situated on the south side of the village
for accommodation and meals.
Shieling
Holidays is just south of Craignure with
views over the Village and Sea. Sheiling offer
Cottages, Touring Pitches, Tent Pitches, and
Glamping Chalets.
Torosay Castle
is one mile south of Craignure, with its
gardens open to the public some days in summer.
Torosay was built for John Campbell in
1858.
Duart Castle is 3 miles south of
Craignure, open to the public in Summer. This
is a Clan MacLean Castle built from the
1200s.
Craignure Golf
Club is one and a half miles north of
Craignure, a 9 hole course right next to the
sea.
Mull Eagle Watch was based at Craignure Golf
Club, popular for viewing White Tailed Eagles,
largest Eagles in Scotland, seems to be closed
just now.
Craignure History
1200s - Duart Castle was built 3 miles south
of Craignure for Clan MacDougal, passing to
Clan MacLean around 1350.
The area would no doubt have had a number of
small scale Farmers and Fishermen.
1600s - Sail Ferries were recorded as
traveling between the Mainland and Grass Point
on Mull, 6 miles south of Craignure, carrying
People and Cattle.
1674 - Clan Campbell took over this area
after conflicts with Clan Maclean, with Duart
Castle soon falling into ruin.
1700s early - Clan Campbell had Achnacroish
House built 1 mile south of Craignure, with the
land named the Torosay Estate.
1700s early - the Craignure Inn was built,
mainly for Cattle Drovers.
1783 - the small Torosay Church of Scotland
was built on the south side of Craignure,
probably with funds from the Campbell's.
1790 - the Cattle Droving trail between
Tobermory, Salen, Craignure, and Grass Point
was upgraded with Gravel.
1858 - Duart House was built by the
Campbell's to replace their Achnacroish House
built in the early 1700s.
1865 - the Guthrie family bought Duart House
and Duart Castle.
1894 - the original Ferry Pier was built at
the south side of Craignure for Mail Steamers
that called at Craignure, Salen, then
Tobermory.
1895 - Craignure Golf Club opened on the
north side of the Village.
1912 - Colonel Sir Fitzroy Maclean opened
Duart Castle to the public after having it
restored.
Duart House was renamed at that time,
Torosay Castle, so the buildings would not get
mixed up.
1956 - the Bowman family began running
Coaches on Mull, between Tobermory, Salen,
Craignure and Fionnphort for the Isle of Iona,
on the rough Gravel Roads.
1964 - a new Pier was built for the larger
Mull Car
Ferries such as the Columba, Clansman,
Caledonia, and Glen Sannox.
The Cattle Droving road was also widened and
re-surfaced that year between Craignure and
Tobermory for Buses and Cars to run on.
The Road between Craignure and Fionnphort
for the Isle of Iona was also upgraded that
year for Buses and Cars.
1975 - Torosay Castle and Gardens were
opened to the public as a tourist
attraction.
1983 - the Isle of Mull Narrow Gauge Railway
opened to carry Tourists between Craignure and
Torosay Castle just over 1 mile south.
1988 - the Ferry named Isle of Mull
entered service between Oban and Craignure,
around twice the size of the earlier ferries,
capable of carrying 70 cars and up to 960
passengers, at 4,719 tons.
2012 - the Isle of Mull Railway stopped
operating after Torosay Castle was sold to a
Swiss buyer named Madame von Speyr, then no
longer open to the public, apart from a few
days each summer to visit the Gardens only.
2013 - West Coast Motors took over Bowman's
Coaches.
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