Scottish anchorages

Sound of Mull

One of the wonderful Italian statues in the gardens of Torosay castle

Now here is a hidden treat, or it used to be until it was sold in 2011, I think to an American who has closed it to the public, and I suspect the wonderful gardens. You can sail up and down the Sound of Mull for a lifetime and never spot this place, I think because one is always trying to get somewhere else and because the anchorage is very much for fair weather. Of course you can anchor at Craignure, which is more sheltered, and either walk or take the Isle of Mull railway train (but very, very sadly the railway closed in late 2010 because of the uncertainty of who the new owners of Torosay castle will be - it had opened back in 1983).

At Torosay there is an old slipway, a boathouse, a path through rhododendrons and you are there, nineteenth century Torosay castle and an amazing terraced garden (Robert Lorimer?) complete with real 18th century Italian statues (bought or stolen I wonder). The attraction is not so much the plants - although the herbaceous border is pretty spectacular - but the setting, the design, the old stone walls, the gargoyles, the trees surrounding the water garden and those decaying statues - a hand off here, half a fish there but nonetheless an evocation of where the fruits of the land can be enjoyed in simple rural pleasure. There is even a man watering his garden. But all of that is now behind closed gates for the enjoyment of the few and the detriment of the many - sounds familiar in these 2011 days of bankers bonuses and wage freezes in the public sector.

The house is very Scottish Baronial, 1856-8, designed by David Bryce who also did the old Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and Fettes College (Scotland's answer to Eton and Tony Iraq War Blair's alma mater). There are rather wonderful Rupert Bear turrets and crow step gables, and inside it had the feeling of a family home, which it was, with interesting items and charming descriptions of many of the pictures and their family relevance. It was particularly nice to be invited to sit on the chairs. There are tame chaffinches in the garden tearoom (closed), and definitely good stuff to eat. It was a lovely garden for kids to run around in, and roll down the slopes between the terraces, and there used to be a small adventure playground.

The whole place used to have a very nice feel to it, posh for sure, but nice, and not too cocky. But now, closed and the public can sod off.