The Sound of Mull is a

sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the br ...

between the Inner Hebridean island of Mull and mainland

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

. It forms part of the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

. The Sound of Mull Project is a Scottish Sustainable Marine Environment Initiative (SSMEI) spatial plan of

Argyll and Bute Council Argyll and Bute Council (Scottish Gaelic: ''Comhairle Earra Ghàidheal is Bhòid'') is one of the 32 local authorities of Scotland, covering the Argyll and Bute council area. Thirty-six representative members make up the council, elected, sin ...

which sets out details on the marine, environmental and coastal activities in the Sound. The largest settlement on the Sound is Tobermory on Mull, which lies near the northern entrance of the Sound.

Transport

There are several ferry routes that use the Sound, most of which originate from Oban. These include the ferry between Oban and

Craignure Craignure (; ) is a village and the main ferry port on the Isle of Mull, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The village is within the parish of Torosay. Geography The village is located around Craignure Bay, on Mull's east coast. It has a population of ...

, the main ferry port on Mull, whose main pier was built in 1964. Other ferry routes across the Sound include Tobermory to

Kilchoan Kilchoan () is a village on the Scotland, Scottish peninsula of Ardnamurchan, beside the Sound of Mull in Lochaber, Highland (council area), Highland. It is the most westerly village in mainland Great Britain, Britain, although several tiny ha ...

and Fishnish to Lochaline.

Wrecks

The Sound has long been used for navigation, linking ports such as

Oban Oban ( ; meaning ''The Little Bay'') is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William, Highland, Fort William. During the tourist seaso ...

and Tobermory with the Atlantic. As such, there are a number of wrecks in the Sound. The SS Thesis was a cargo

steamship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

which was wrecked in October 1889 in the Sound. The '' SS Hispania'', was a Swedish

cargo ship A cargo ship or freighter is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's List of seas, seas and Ocean, oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. ...

that sank on 18 December 1954 after striking a rock. The wreck of the ''SS Shuna'' is located in the Sound. The Shuna was a Glasgow steamer, owned by Messers Glen & Co., that was carrying a cargo of coal and iron from Glasgow to

Gothenburg Gothenburg ( ; ) is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden, it is the gub ...

when it struck on the Grey Rocks during a storm in May 1913 and subsequently became a total loss. The '' SS Rondo'' was a

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

US cargo ship that sank in the Sound on 25 January 1935 whilst seeking shelter from a storm. In 1973, divers from Bristol discovered the wreck of

HMS Dartmouth Six ships and one shore establishment of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS ''Dartmouth'', after the port of Dartmouth, whilst another two were planned: * was a 22-gun ship launched in 1655. She was converted to a fireship in 1688, and reb ...

, a fifth-rate ship of the

English Council of State The English Council of State, later also known as the Protector's Privy Council, was first appointed by the Rump Parliament on 14 February 1649 after the execution of King Charles I. Charles's execution on 30 January was delayed for several ho ...

. On 11 April 1974, the 1690 wrecksite was one of the first to be designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act. It was redesignated on 25 June 1992. The site became a Historic Maritime Protected Area in 2013.

Geography

Ferry over the Sound of Mull - panoramio

Settlements on the Sound include: * Tobermory * Fishnish * Kilchoan * Loachaline * Craignure * Bonnavoulin * Salen. There are several islands in the Sound. These include Calve Island, an uninhabited low-lying island. Bays on the Sound include Ardtornish Bay and Inninmore Bay on the Morvern peninsular. The western edge of the Sound is guarded by Rubha nan Gall, a lighthouse operated by the

Northern Lighthouse Board The Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) is the general lighthouse authority for Scotland and the Isle of Man. It is a non-departmental public body responsible for ocean, marine navigation aids around coastal areas. History The NLB was formed by ...

. The name means "Stranger's Point" in Scottish Gaelic. It was built in 1857 by

David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...

and Thomas Stevenson. The eastern edge of the Sound is marked by two lighthouses, one on each side. Eilean Musdile (Lismore Lighthouse) built in 1833 is on the Isle of Lismore and Duart Point built 1900, in memorial to Scottish novelist

William Black William Black may refer to: Politicians * William Black (Ontario politician) (1867–1944), speaker of the Legislature of Ontario and Conservative MLA * William Black (Canadian politician) (1869–1930), Progressive party member of the Canadian Hou ...

on Mull.

Economy

Traditionally, the local economy was based on fishing and agriculture. There are three castles that face the Sound, these are Ardtornish Castle (a 14th-century castle ruin of

Clan Donald Clan Donald, also known as Clan MacDonald or Clan McDonald ( ), is a Highland Scottish clan and one of the largest Scottish clans. Historically the chiefs of the Clan Donald held the title of Lord of the Isles until 1493 and two of those chiefs a ...

) and Aros Castle (a ruined 13th-century castle originally of the Clan MacDougall).

Duart Castle Duart Castle, or ''Caisteal Dhubhairt'' in Scottish Gaelic, is a castle on the Isle of Mull, beside the Sound of Mull off the west coast of Scotland, within the council area of Argyll and Bute. The castle dates back to the 13th century and i ...

(Caisteal Dhubhairt) dates back to the 13th century and is the seat of

Clan MacLean Clan Maclean (; Scottish Gaelic: ' ) is a Scottish Highlands, Highlands Scottish clan. They are one of the oldest clans in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands and owned large tracts of land in Argyll as well as the Inner Hebrides. Many early Macle ...

. There are two Scotch whisky distilleries sited adjacent to the Sound, these are Nc’nean distillery on the Morvern peninsular and Ardnamurchan distillery on the Ardnamurchan peninsular of

Lochaber Lochaber ( ; ) is a name applied to a part of the Scottish Highlands. Historically, it was a provincial lordship consisting of the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig. Lochaber once extended from the Northern shore of Loch Leven, a distric ...

External links

* Ingham, Chris (2002)
SCOTLAND - Oban and the Sound of Mull'
Dive Sites- BSAC Website

References