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Salen is a small Village on the centre of
the Isle of Mull. The largest town on the
Island, Tobermory, is 10 miles north, and the
Ferry Port village of Craignure 11 miles south. Salen
is popular as a base for exploring the island
and bike hire.
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Camping & Touring Parks in
area
The image top right is looking north along
Salen Main Street in the direction of
Tobermory. The road left leads to the scenic
West Coast of Mull. The building on
the left is a Restaurant.
The second image is of On Yer Bike
where you can hire Bikes to explore the scenic
West Coast.
The third image is of the Cafe named the
Coffee Pot.
Salen Church is across the road from On Yer
Bike
Salen Hotel is
also in the Village centre, an ideal base for
exploring Mull with Ben More
mountain only 4 miles southwest.
Salen History
500s - Saint Columba visited Salen then
preached from rocks behind where the Salen
Hotel is today. He is said to have been
disappointed by the number of locals that
attended.
1200s - Aros Castle was
built 2 miles north of Salen to help control
the Sound of Mull. This Castle was built for
the MacDougalls, with it later passing to the
MacDonalds. The Castle is now a ruin.
1800s early - the Laird of Gruline and Ulva,
Lachlan Macquarie, laid out Salen
Village and Harbour so as to connect his
Estates to Shipping in the Sound of Mull.
The Mailboat service from Oban to Mull then
called at Salen Pier en route to Tobermory.
1964 - new larger Ferries began using
Craignure, 11 miles south, as the main Ferry
Terminus on the Island, leading to the end of
Salen as a Mailboat destination.
1965 - the Glenforsa Grass
Airfield was built by the owners of the
Glenforsa Hotel just over one mile south of
Salen. The website states: Livestock may be on
the Airstrip weekdays from October 1st to April
30th.
The Airfield was built for the small Cottage
Hospital in Salen to serve as Mull’s only
fixed-wing air ambulance evacuation
facility.The Glenforsa Airfield used to have a
regular service to Glasgow, a 30 minute trip.
Airfield
History.
1968 - the Glenforsa Hotel burned down,
leading to the present day Hotel being built as
a Norwegian Lodge style Hotel.
1975 - Christmas Eve, a visiting 55 year old
Pilot named Peter Gibbs had dinner with his
girlfriend at the Hotel before going for a
Night Flight in his Cessna Plane around the
area, never to return.
1976 April - Gibbs body was found on a hill
about two miles from the Hotel. His Plane was
found a few years later in the Sound of Mull,
east of the Airfield. How his Body and Plane
were found so far apart, has never been
explained. Full Story.
1984 - the Psychiatrist Angus MacNiven FRSE
was buried in Salen Churchyard.
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