Fidden Farm Campsite

Having spent Friday night here in my tent, I’ve been indulging in some heartfelt nostalgia and feel the need to exorcise some demons. I discovered this stunning part of Mull in the early nineties when the campsite indeed existed, and when technology was still a baby. There was a corrugated-iron roofed shed which housed a toilet and possibly a basic shower (lapse of memory) and a dazzlingly beautiful series of beaches. Nothing else was required, and Jimmie and Christine were busy farming. I remember a conversation with Jimmie’s father, who told us about throwing open his bedroom window and firing shots to scare away the corncrakes because of the ceaseless racket they made. If only this were still the case. We used to camp here over several New Years, and paid with a bottle of whisky (Jimmie refused to accept money as there was no running water available, but he accepted a bottle of malt). We camped as close to the beach as it was possible to get, and had fires every night (when it wasn’t stormy) and sat watching the stunning star-lit sky, counting the seconds between flashes of the light beacon between the shore and Iona. This was the territory of countless sea-birds, seals and otters, and brown hares used to tear across the beach. Much as I hate to admit it, life has changed and the priorities of the human being have changed. People are now happy, indeed choose to spend time cramped together in these special spaces, and businesses have to make money. It’s heartening to see children outside and doing the kinds of things that children should be doing, but my heart was a little broken by the teeming masses of people sharing this glorious place. I’ll have to accept that summer visits to Fidden are over for me (although I had a stunning early morning walk along the string of beaches at Knockvologan, and a visit to Traigh Gheal on Erraid with not another person in sight) I am a self confessed grumpy old woman, but I hope some of you may empathise and some of you may even have had similar historic experiences. And having said my piece, it’s still a wonderful place to spend some time, but not if you’re looking for peace and solitude.

· via Google

Fidden has to be one of the most beautiful campsites we have stayed on. So much space and peace, we just didn't want to leave. Facilities were clean and modern and the beach was just spectacular. Perfectly located for Iona trips from Fionnphort, it's just over a mile to walk. What a place! We will definitely be back.

· via Google

We were in a motorhome and parked facing the beach and the view. It was simply the best location ever and worth the drive to get there. It was welcoming, relaxed, unpretentious ,very well maintained and everyone using the site was considerate of others. The beach was easily accessible with long walks on firm sand when the tide was out. I can't praise it highly enough and it was our favourite stop in a 10 day trip

· via Google

The location is amazing. Swimming between the rocky outcrops and doing some island scrambling made this a very memorable holiday. Not least campsite proximity to Iona, and Erraid. Two showers in each gents/ladies in the toilet block - seems surprising few for a site this size. And I also found the water too hot! I liked having the separate toilets in the camping fields, kept very clean, plentiful loo paper etc though the solar lights a bit hit and miss (take your own light in). The Island Eats food van was very welcome - quite expensive though (but then it is quite remote and was great to have that option...). The shop in Fionnphort is very limited but it does have essentials - the Spar on Iona good though.

· via Google