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Shipping thoroughfare
The Western Isles of Scotland may not seem a centre of international shipping today. Locally the busy waterways between island and mainland have always been a lifeline which have seen colonies established, goods traded, cattle transported, land rents collected, religion spread and gatherings organised. However, earlier in its history, ships of many nationalities would sail through the Sound of Mull. Its strategic role is illustrated by the many great medieval castles, built to protect the waters from rival clans and invading forces.
Preference for this longer route from the North Sea to southern Europe over the English Channel stemmed from safety. Now one of the busy shipping channels in the world, the Channel proved in the past to be a perilous place. Being narrow, it is fairly easy to control and was the main arena for skirmishes between the French, Dutch and English. Any unwanted intruder or richly laden merchant ship was an easy target for the French or English navies.
Travelling instead round Scotland and down the western side of Britain, the Western Isles made the perfect stopping off point for supplies and trade. The Sound of Mull in particular was a good harbour. The town of Tobermory on the Isle of Mull grew up as a result of this maritime activity.
Some of the earliest international visitors were the Vikings. Until the late 1200s, the Isles were an important centre for Viking trade. In later periods, many nations would send their ships via the Hebrides, avoiding the Channel. A notable example is the defeated Spanish Armada in 1588. Fleeing the wrath of the English navy in the Channel, the Armada tried to escape back to Spain by sailing round the top of Scotland. Beaten by storms on the north and west coasts, only a few ships limped home, leaving many wrecked and lost.
In the 1600s, battles between England and the Netherlands over trade brought more instability to the English Channel. The Dutch merchants again sought a safer route heading west of Scotland. Three wrecks have been located off Shetland and one off Barra. No doubt there are many more, hidden beneath the seas in the area. It was not only the Dutch that used this remote Scottish base at this time. The French often allied themselves with Scotland against England and the Western Isles were used as a base for their activities. The French employed a number of Highland ships as privateers or licensed pirate ships.
The English Civil War also saw fierce fighting in the Sound of Mull. Many of the Scottish clans supported the Royalist cause and Cromwell sent a number of ships up to the Western Isles to quell dissent and Royalist uprisings. Many of these small battles centred on the clans' strongholds around the Sound of Mull.
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