Saorphin Farm Holiday Cottages
The farm comprises an old farmstead with a farmhouse, farm barns, and 3 holiday cottages. There are over 400 acres of hill land suitable only for grazing, some improved grass land, 50 acres of conifer softwood plantations, and nearly100 acres of new young indigenous trees to improve the habitat. All set alongside the beautiful Loch Assopol where in the right season there are many small brown trout and after a rain sometimes good runs of sea trout. Down the farm track to the south is the wild and rocky coast with two stunning sandy beaches.
Before the clearances over 100 people lived here farming and fishing, and the school only closed just before World War One. The old hill fields known as lazy beds can be seen in many places as can the ruins of 6 old ruined cottages and the school house – all scattered across the farm.
Chris and Erica Morgan took over the tenancy of the farmhouse and management of the cottages in April 2018 having already been living and working on Mull for several years. Chris with a career in building keeps the cottages in good order and Erica with past experience in catering, hotels and holiday cottages well understands the needs of visitors and holiday makers.
Food and Catering:
New for the 2019 season guests will be able to buy fresh veg and fruit from our new poly-tunnel and local beef, lamb, pork, sausages and bacon will also be available. We have free range chickens who provide fresh eggs daily. Catering facilities will also be on offer – holiday lets can be fully catered with breakfast and evening meals and packed lunches if required, or just odd evening meals, take away’s or oven ready meals – the choice is yours. Menu’s can be as simple as Fresh local fish, chips and peas from £8 adult portion and £5 children’s portion, homemade Aberdeen Angus beef burger stacks with optional salad and chips or full blown celebration meals with canapés, starters, main course and sweet discussed and tailored to your needs. The local meat and sea food is fantastic and highly recommended.
You may just want packed picnics to enjoy on our wonderful white private sandy beaches just a stroll away from the holiday lets. Or for the fishermen amongst you a ‘bacon buttie’ between casting the flies and catching the fish. There will also be the use of our outside kitchen which comprises of – smokery, Pizza oven, Hog Roast Oven and BBQ for those late evenings to wind back and enjoy the fabulous views. For further details and to book catering please telephone Erica on 01681 700178 and let us make you stay at Saorphin extra special.
Farm livestock:
Most of the land on the farm is let to Andrew Prentice based at Maol Farm Iona who has Highland Cattle and pedigree black faced sheep. These are hardy breeds that are well adapted to the poorer hill grazing and can survive outdoors during the winter. The grazing pressure is kept moderately low to maintain diverse swards and a mixture of tall herbs and short vegetation so that it benefits the insects, plants and ground nesting birds.
Livestock are nervous and unpredictable so do please walk around them, close all gates, and very importantly keep dogs close and under control and do not feed any animals on the farm.
If you have any Mull or farm related queries please give Erica and Chris a ring on 01681 700178.