If you want to visit the Isle of Ulva, you have to call the ferry. Just slide the little sign, and a boat will come.
View of the boathouse and pier in Ulva. Ulva is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, just a bit off the west coast of Mull. Today, the island is community-owned.
Ulva is located 500 yards off the west coast of Mull in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It is an island of roughly seven and half miles long and two and half miles wide. (Ulva.scot)
The Howard family owned Ulva until 2018 when a community bought it from West Mull. Ulva has been occupied for almost 8000 years and used to be a thriving community of 600 people in 1861. Only 20 years later, the population was down to 70.
Today, about 20 people are living in Ulva. During my day in Ulva, I saw lots of repairs and other work happening. The community is trying to bring the population back to the island and recreate a striving island community.
Sheila’s Cottage – a tiny museum showing how life has been in Ulva.
Signs of ongoing work.
I just followed one of the paths around Ulva. There are no roads, and there are also no cars but small 4×4 vehicles.
It still felt strange to be back in woodland after one month on the Outer Hebrides Islands.
I visited Ulva in 2022, and in the meantime, a few places to stay have opened up. There is a hostel, yurts, bothy and more – find them at the Ulva.scot page.
View towards Mull.
I was back at the pier and had to get some lunch at the Boathouse. People come to Ulva just to eat here. I tried the local Mull cheese, and it was amazing!
The ferry is ready to go and take me back to Mull.
