Third stop in the UK sub-series, and a genuinely different flavour from Skye: two real ferry crossings, a rainbow-painted harbour town, some of Europe's best sea-eagle and otter watching, and a tiny sacred island that's been a pilgrimage site for 1,400 years. Shorter drive than Skye, but the ferries make it feel like a proper island expedition.
Mull is the fourth-largest Scottish island and one of the best genuine wildlife-watching destinations in the country — white-tailed sea eagles (Europe's largest bird of prey, reintroduced here in the 1980s and now thriving), otters along nearly every sea loch, and regular minke whale and dolphin sightings offshore. Tobermory, the island's capital, is the real-life inspiration for the painted houses of children's TV show Balamory — a genuinely colourful working harbour, not a theme park. And a short second ferry from Fionnphort takes you to Iona, where St Columba founded a monastery in 563 AD that effectively brought Christianity to Scotland — genuinely one of the most historically important small pieces of ground in Britain.
Sources: leshuttle.com, dfds.com, directferries.com (fares genuinely dynamic — re-check before booking).
Meudon-la-Forêt to Calais is roughly 290 km; Calais to Oban (the ferry port for Mull) is around 1,130 km via London's orbit, the Midlands, Carlisle, Glasgow and Glencoe — call it ~1,420 km one-way and roughly 15–16 hours of pure driving, spread over 3 days each way. It's genuinely a shorter drive than the Skye trip in this series, since Oban sits well south of the Skye Bridge.
Real Tesla Superchargers en route through England include Maidstone/Ashford (Kent), Rugby and Corley Services (M6), then Southwaite Services (M6, south of Carlisle). Over the border, Ecclefechan, the Glasgow-area sites, and further north-west Fort William — your last realistic full-charge Supercharger stop before Oban. With the Model Y's realistic ~330–370 km range you don't need the full chain: a stop in Kent, one at Southwaite, and the Fort William top-up before Oban are genuinely enough for the ~1,130 km Calais–Oban leg, with Rugby/Corley, Ecclefechan and the Glasgow sites available as optional buffers. There is no Tesla Supercharger on Mull itself: top up completely at Fort William (or the Loch Lomond-area chargers) before heading for Oban, and treat Mull as a self-contained battery budget for 2–3 days of island driving (it's a small island — Craignure to Tobermory to Fionnphort and back is well under 150 km total). Tobermory and Craignure both have slower public ChargePlace Scotland CCS units as a backup.
Sources: calmac.co.uk fares pages, joinbonnet.com Supercharger listings (fares checked/estimated July 2026 — CalMac fares are RET-regulated and change little year to year, but always confirm before travel).
Real free wild-camping spots on Mull (park4night-verified): the machair behind Calgary Bay beach (white sand, popular but genuinely free and legal if you camp above the tideline and away from the car park), pull-ins along Loch na Keal with sea-eagle viewpoints, and quiet spots near Carsaig on the south coast. Real paid fallback: Fidden Farm near Fionnphort — a genuinely basic, beloved beach campsite on a working croft (grass field right above a white-sand bay, toilet block, no showers) at around £10–12 per adult per night, cash/honesty-box style — the classic budget option for the Iona ferry crossing.
Sources: park4night.com listings, Fidden Farm's own signage/reviews (prices as commonly reported 2025–26).
Early motorway run to Calais-Coquelles, load onto the Shuttle. Remember to keep left in Kent. Charge once at Maidstone/Ashford — with the extra range this single stop covers the push toward the Midlands, so Rugby/Corley is now an optional buffer rather than a required second stop. Overnight at a quiet Park4Night-listed layby or pub car park near the M6 (ask first).
Long motorway day across England. A single charge at Southwaite comfortably covers this leg with the extra range — Ecclefechan remains a genuine, well-placed Supercharger just over the border if you want a buffer stop. Cross into Scotland at Gretna. Overnight near Loch Lomond's western shore (the East Loch Lomond byelaw permit zone doesn't apply here) or push on toward Glasgow's edge.
The A82 through Glencoe is one of Britain's great driving roads. Charge fully at Fort William — your last Supercharger before the island. Continue down to Oban, overnight near the ferry terminal (cheap campsite or a Park4Night spot on the Kerrera side of the bay), ready for a morning crossing.
Morning sailing from Oban to Craignure — stay on deck, this crossing regularly turns up porpoises and the odd sea eagle overhead. Drive the single-track road north to Tobermory: the genuinely colourful waterfront (real inspiration for Balamory), Mull Museum, and the Tobermory Distillery — one of Scotland's oldest working distilleries, right on the harbour, with standard tours typically around £15–18 per person (premium tastings cost more). Wild camp near Loch na Keal on the way west, or a spot outside town.
Afternoon free to explore the coast road toward Ardnamurchan viewpoint or simply otter-spot quietly from the shoreline at dawn/dusk — free, and often just as productive as the boat trip.
Drive the long single-track road across Mull to Fionnphort, park at the ferry car park (car stays on Mull — Iona is foot-passenger/bike only for visitors), and take the short crossing. Iona Abbey, run by Historic Environment Scotland, is where St Columba founded his monastery in 563 AD — genuinely the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland, with the reconstructed abbey church, the medieval graveyard said to hold early Scottish kings, and high crosses dating to the 8th century. Entry is around £9.50–10.50 for an adult (concessions less). Bring the bike off the ferry if you want to explore the island's quiet lanes and beaches beyond the abbey — Iona is tiny and near-traffic-free.
Source: historicenvironment.scot admission pricing (rates as published 2025–26).
Spare day for weather or a lazy morning at Calgary Bay's white sand beach, or a visit to Duart Castle (seat of Clan Maclean, real entry fee applies) near Craignure on the way back toward the ferry.
Morning CalMac sailing back to Oban, then retrace the route via Glencoe and Glasgow. Most people will want to split the ~1,420 km return drive over 2–3 more days rather than one push, mirroring Days 1–3 in reverse — charge fully at Fort William, then one stop each at Southwaite and Maidstone/Ashford is genuinely enough to cover the rest of the drive, with Ecclefechan and Corley/Rugby as optional buffers, Shuttle or ferry back across the Channel, then the final run to Meudon-la-Forêt.
Mull's single-track roads are genuinely enjoyable low-traffic cycling, and Iona itself — car-free for visitors — is close to perfect for a slow bike explore of its beaches and the abbey grounds. Loaded inside per the Car Camping & Bike Guide, front wheel off, no range penalty on the mainland motorway legs, and genuinely useful once you're island-side.
| Category | Cost |
|---|---|
| Fuel-equivalent charging (France + England + Scotland, ~2,840 km round trip) | ≈ €150–195 |
| French tolls (Meudon–Calais return) | ≈ €55–70 |
| Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, return, booked ahead off-peak | ≈ £150–220 (≈ €175–260) |
| CalMac Oban–Craignure ferry, car + driver, return | ≈ £70–80 (≈ €80–95) |
| Fionnphort–Iona passenger ferry, return | ≈ £4–5 (≈ €5–6) |
| Lodging (mostly free wild camping; 1–2 nights at Fidden Farm, ≈£10–12pp) | ≈ €20–40 |
| Iona Abbey entry | ≈ £9.50–10.50 (≈ €11–12) |
| Tobermory Distillery tour | ≈ £15–18 (≈ €18–21) |
| Wildlife boat tour (splurge) | ≈ £35–45 (≈ €40–53) |
| Food (self-cooked, ~8 days) | ≈ €80–105 |
| Midge repellent / head net (one-off gear if needed) | ≈ €15 |
| Total | €600–800 |
Ferry, tunnel and charging costs are genuinely dynamic — re-check nearer your travel dates. Rate used: £1 ≈ €1.17 (July 2026, approximate).