Ruined Houses are another sight you will find dotted all over Mull, some seemingly on their own, but many in small communities, probably crofters using the land to generate income. The main reason for these buildings being left was down to the Highland Clearances which took place between 1770 and 1850. This was a cruel time and the landowners realising that they could make more money by leasing their land to a single sheep farmer simply kicked people out of their houses, normally with significant force. The strange ash that fell over the highlands in 1846 caused the potato famine which was the nail in the coffin for many people quite literally. During this time tens of thousands of people in the Western Isles were displaced, died or emigrated to America, Canada and even as far away as Australia. This ruin is just north of Tobermory overlooking Bloody Bay.