Garden and Grounds

Carsaig House is cocooned by lushly planted gardens from its dramatic setting facing boldly out to the Atlantic Ocean. Crenelated stone walls surround the formal walled garden, sheltering the impressive array of plants and trees that have long called this lovingly tended garden home, from hostas to palms and purple beeches. A croquet lawn beckons for guests to embrace their competitive sides, while to the seaward side of the house, a further lawned garden awaits with relaxed sitting areas, an orchard and a tempting gate in the iron estate fencing, which leads through the pasture to a fairy-tale fire pit and lookout point over the black sand beach below.

A short walk from the house delivers you to the old granite pier – a great spot to scan the seas for curious seals or spot gannets as their white bodies pierce the water at impressive speeds. An excellent setting for artists to pull out a sketchbook, or set up an easel, with the coastal seascape their muse.

A path also leads through the woodland to the grey sands of Carsaig beach, one of only two beaches on the island to offer striking black sand. On a lower tide, there’s a great expanse of sand exposed, and abundant rock pools to discover, all while enjoying the view to Jura and Colonsay in clear skies. Turn your back to the sea and cast your gaze up and over Carsaig House, where you’ll catch sight of the tumbling waterfall you passed on the road in cascading from the top of the hill, making its final liquid plummet to the sea.

It’s a setting that feels other-worldly, remote and irresistibly beautiful, quite distinct from any other corner of Mull, where you’re more likely to meet the wild goats that traverse these caves and cliffs than people on your hikes. At low tide, you can navigate the challenging day-hike to the stunning Carsaig Arches, or follow the coastline all the way to Glen Byre and on to Lochbuie in the opposite direction. It is all on the doorstep when you escape to Carsaig House.