Isle of Mull: Attractions, activities, best time to visit

Contents: Top 10 places to visit | things to do | best time to travel | getting there & away | food & drink | nature | history

The Isle of Mull has many faces: In the west it has breathtaking cliffs broken by deep holes where eagles and otters cavort. Inland, there are green mountains and highlands that immediately remind you of the Highlands. The eastern side of the strait is flatter, the land seems more cultivated with more forest.

But is the Isle of Mull worth a visit? – Definitely! The island is more varied than any other in Scotland. You can go hiking, visit castles or take a trip out to sea. Gourmets can enjoy locally produced whisky, cheese, chocolate and seafood. If you add the island of Iona to the list, Mull also offers some Caribbean white sandy beaches. And for birdwatchers and otter spotters, Mull has long since ceased to be an insider’s tip.

In short: It’s absolutely worth including the Isle of Mull in a trip to Scotland.

What Mull is known for

Wildlife

Eagles, deer, otters, seals … life is abundant on and around Mull. Nature lovers get their money’s worth.

Tobermory

Mull’s main town, Tobermory, is arguably one of the most beautiful settlements in Scotland. A shopping trip is a must.

The islands

Day trips from Mull include Iona, Staffa, Ulva and many other beautiful islands

The history

Castles, stone circles and monasteries: Mull and its islands are an important part of Scottish history.

Top 10 sights on the Isle of Mull

1 – Tobermory

The picturesque main town on the island glows with different colours. Here you’ll find a distillery, sweets, restaurants and arts and crafts.

2 – Duart Castle

The impressive ancestral home of the MacLeans guards the sea route between Mull and the mainland. The interior can be visited.

3 – Lochbuie

A stone circle, a ruined castle, a church and a sandy beach are grouped around the village in the south of Mull.

4 – Calgary Beach

Probably the most beautiful beach on the Isle of Mull. And the namesake of the town of the same name in Canada.

5 – Iona

The small island in the south-west of Mull is an oasis of peace with a monastery and beautiful stone crosses.

6 – Staffa & Lunga

An excursion to the island with Fingal’s Cave and the hexagonal basalt columns. There are puffins on Lunga at the right time of year.

7 – Ulva

An island without cars, reached by a pedestrian ferry. Ulva offers some wonderful hikes.

8 – Eas Fos

One of the most beautiful waterfalls in Scotland: the Eas Fors cascades impressively from a cliff into the sea.

9 – Loch Scridain & Loch Beag

One of the best places to see otters is Loch Scridain and its far end, Loch Beag.

10 – Mushroom Stone

From the remote village of Croggan in the south of Mull, it’s a short walk to the Mushroom Stone.

Map with all sights

Top 3 Tips: Activities on Mull

1 – Take the road along the west coast

The vastness and the fantastic mountain landscape paired with the sea make the west of Mull particularly beautiful. A scenic single-track road runs along the coast:

2 – Go on a boat trip

Excursions out to sea depart from Tobermory, but also from the ferry terminal at Ulva. In most cases, the Treshnish Isles are on the programme. If you travel from Tobermory, you can often see eagles on the coast at Glerngorm.

Providers are among others:

• Sealife Mull (formerly Sea Life Surveys) from Tobermory
• Staffa Tours from Tobermory
• Turus Mara by Ulva Ferry from

3 – Observe wild animals

The guides on the Isle of Mull know the nesting sites and feeding areas of the animals. They will take you on day trips to the best spots and often bring spotting scopes and binoculars with them.

Providers are among others:

• Mull Wildlife Tours ab Craignure
• Nature Scotland from Tobermory

Best time to travel for the Isle of Mull

Weather and climate on the Isle of Mull

Food and drink on the Isle of Mull

Mull is full of good restaurants, pubs and inns. There is also an excellent chocolaterie, the whisky distillery and other restaurants in Tobermory.

Especially when it comes to restaurants: book in advance! Especially in the high season, places fill up quickly.

Here are a few tips from the wide range on offer:

Tobermory Distillery

A distillery was built on this site as early as 1790 under the name Ledaig. Opened as Tobermory in the 1990s. Most recently completely renovated in 2019, tours with tastings can now be booked in the building again.

Am Birlinn

Close to the beach in Calgary is the house with the large windows and the good food. Seafood, meat and veggies are all on offer here. Incidentally, Am Birlinn is run by a German couple.

Cafe Fish

At the north-east end of Tobermory, right by the ferry pier, stands a white building. The upper floor is home to the Cafè Fish, which serves the finest seafood.

The Old Post Office

For travellers coming to Lochbuie, the Old Post Office is a good choice for a snack or lunch. The operators describe it as a “farm & coffee/tea shop”.

Craignure Inn

A quaint pub near the Craignure ferry terminal that serves very down-to-earth food. Reservations are not necessary, but it can take a while for the food to arrive. Nevertheless, a cheaper alternative.

Wild life

The Isle of Mull is considered one of the best places to see sea eagles and otters. With a little patience, they can be seen on the sea lochs of the west coast. Eagles in particular often perch on the small islands in the bays. It is worth taking binoculars and a strong telephoto lens for your camera with you on Mull. There are also various providers of guided wildlife tours on Mull.

Sea Eagle

Often sitting on small islands in Loch na Keal

Golden Eagle

Zum Beispiel in der Gegend um Glengorm

Puffin

To be found on Staffa and Lunga in summer

Heron

Everywhere on the island by water

Otter

Mainly found in Loch Scridain

Seal

On the rocks of Calve Island off Tobermory

Deer

At home all over the island

Journey: Ferries to the Isle of Mull

There are three possible connections to the Scottish mainland: from Oban to Craignure, from Lochaline to Fishnish and the small car ferry from Kilchoan to Tobermory. Which one is the right one depends on where you are travelling from.

Ferry: Oban to Craignure

If you are travelling from the south or east, Oban is usually the usual choice. Here the ferry runs to Craignure, which is about halfway up Mull. The crossing takes 45 minutes and ferries leave approximately every two hours.

Prices:

For travellers without a car: Buses run three times a day from Glasgow to Oban, costing around £21 and taking just under three hours. It takes around five hours from Edinburgh for around £42 – change in Glasgow. You can also get from Glasgow to Oban by train: the journey takes three hours and costs around £33 one way. From Edinburgh by train you also have to travel via Glasgow. This costs around 50 pounds.

Ferry: Lochaline to Fishnish

If you are travelling by car from Fort William or want to get there, there are two ferries: The Corran Ferry and the Lochaline Fishnish. The route via Lochaline is also an alternative for those travelling to or from Mallaig.

Prices:

Ferry: Kilchoan to Tobermory

If you come from the north in a hire car, you can cross over to Mull from the wonderfully wild Ardnamurchan peninsula (or vice versa). The ferry departs every one to two hours several times a day (from May to August also on Sundays).

Prices:

Travelling on Mull

The operator West Coast Motors runs three bus routes on the Isle of Mull. They connect the main settlements, but leave out the entire west coast area.

The details are as follows:

• Craignure – Tobermory: This service runs from the island’s main ferry terminal to the main town. Eight times a day, journey time 0:45 hours
• Craignure – Fhionnphort: Again from the central ferry terminal to the ferry across to the island of Iona. Three times a day, journey time 1:15 hours
• Tobermory – Calgary: From the main town to the dream beach. Four times a day, about 50 minutes

The full journey costs roughly £18 each way.

Who writes here?

Stephan Goldmann
I am the operator of MyHighlands.co.uk. I have been travelling the Highlands and Islands of Scotland since 1990. I have visited the Isle of Mull several times now, but it always surprises me with something new. The natural scenery there is particularly magnificent.

History: Inhabited for 8,000 years

The first settlements can be traced back to 6,000 BC, i.e. the Neolithic period. Even today you can still see isolated relics from this era, for example the Standing Stones of Dervaig.

When the Kingdom of Dalriada expanded around 500 AD, the Isle of Mull soon became part of it. And an important one at that, as the spiritual centre of the time was located on the offshore island of Iona, where kings were crowned.

But in the ninth century, the glory was over and the Vikings invaded – including Mull. When they were defeated, Mull became part of the Lordship of the Isles. But even their power was limited in time, and from the 16th century onwards, the clans ruled over the island. For example, the MacLeans, who owned Duart Castle – one of the most beautiful castles on the island.

Of course, Mull was also affected by the Highland Clearances. There is plenty of evidence of this on the island. For example, an entire village was set on fire to build Glengorm Castle. The capital Tobermory was founded by the fishing company and was therefore a catchment area for many farmers who were evicted. And the Canadian city of Calgary took its name from a bay on the Isle of Mull – the (involuntary) emigrants from Mull wanted to commemorate their old homeland.