Isle of Mull

Located just 40 minutes by ferry from the mainland port of Oban, Mull's breath-taking landscape is as variable as the winds that batter its coast. Striking mountainsides are juxtaposed by brightly-coloured houses in the quaint harbour town of Tobermory where the eerie wreck of a galleon from the Spanish Armada lies motionless and empty at the bottom of the bay. With a rich cultural history dating back to Neolithic times, Mull's charm, rugged beauty and archaeological sites, with menhirs and stone circle constructions, make it a fabulous tourist destination.

The second largest of the three Inner Hebridean islands, the volcanic Isle of Mull is also the greenest and is the stepping stone to the holy island of Iona, where St Columba landed in the 6th century and built the monastery from which Christianity spread into Scotland. Most travellers tend to base themselves in the town of Tobermory, which is home to the only whisky distillery on the island, the Mull Museum, plenty of first-class accommodation, and a good variety of pubs and restaurants.

Besides the impressive structures, like Torosay and Duart Castle, indigenous animals such as otters, seals, deer and birds of prey like the White-tailed Eagle can also be spotted. During the months of April to October, tourists can take boat trips out to sea to spot whales, dolphins and porpoises as well as visit puffin breeding grounds.

With several shipwrecks off the coast of Mull, scuba divers will be in their element exploring the marine and coral life that live off these wrecks, while landlubbers can take a walk on the wild side and explore Ben More, the highest hill on Mull. On a clear day travellers will be rewarded with spectacular views out to Ben Nevis on the mainland and many other Hebridean islands in the distance.