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Fionnphort
Fionnphort from quarry.JPG
The view towards Fionnphort, from Tor Mor quarry
Fionnphort is located in Argyll and Bute
Fionnphort
Fionnphort
Population 80 (approx.)
OS grid reference NM301232
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town ISLE OF MULL
Postcode district PA66
Dialling code 01681
Police Strathclyde
Fire Strathclyde
Ambulance Scottish
EU Parliament Scotland
UK Parliament
  • Argyll and Bute
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
56°19′30″N 6°21′54″W / 56.325°N 6.365°W / 56.325; -6.365

Fionnphort is a small village and the main port on the Ross of Mull in Scotland. About 80 people live there, making it the second biggest place in the area. Its name means "White Port" in Gaelic. It used to be called Caol Idhe, which means "Sound of Iona".

Fionnphort's Past

For a long time, Fionnphort was a busy fishing village. It was also a key spot for people traveling to the nearby island of Iona. Many religious visitors and tourists would pass through here.

More recently, Fionnphort helped move special stone from a local quarry. This stone was granite from Tòrr Mòr Quarry. People really liked this granite because it was very strong and hard. They stopped taking stone from the quarry around 1907.

Exploring the Geography

Ffionphort cracked granite boulder
Cracked granite boulder on Fionnphort beach

The beach at Fionnphort has a very special rock in the middle. It is a huge granite boulder that is split. This rock is called an erratic. It was left there by a giant ice age glacier. The beach also has a car park and a cemetery nearby.

From Fionnphort, you can see the whole east side of Iona. This includes the famous Iona Abbey. South of the village is an area called Fidden. You can also see the island of Erraid. This island is mentioned in the book Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson. You can walk to Erraid when the tide is low.

How Fionnphort Makes Money

Sorting Crabs Fionnphort
Sorting crabs at Fionnphort

Fionnphort has a busy fishing industry. They are especially known for catching shellfish. This includes tasty crabs and lobsters. Most of these are sent in big trucks to countries like Spain and France.

In 2008, something exciting happened for the people of Fionnphort. They finally got their own cash machine! Before this, villagers had to travel about 100 miles (160 km) to Salen just to get cash. The local postmaster, Sandy Brunton, said that people think their ATM has the best view in Britain. When you stand at the ATM, you can see Iona to the west. To the north, you can see Coll. And looking east, you can see Ben More, which is the only Munro (a mountain over 3,000 feet) on the island.

Getting Around: Transport

Fionnphort is where the ferry leaves to go between Mull and Iona. You can also take boat trips from here to the island of Staffa.

Preceding station   Ferry   Following station
Terminus   Caledonian MacBrayne
Ferry
  Iona
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