Explore the pure wilderness of the Isle of Mull

Scotland has a wide range of spectacular and wild islands just off the west coast, which makes this part of the UK incredibly interesting and appealing for those who look for non-spoiled and natural destinations – it has almost 800 offshore islands and some of them are inhabited while others are pure wilderness. I have already talked about some of the islands, like the well-known Isle of Skye and the beautiful Isle of Lewis, but in this story, I am going to tell you about the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides, after Skye, the Isle of Mull. 

The Isle of Mull is the fourth-largest Scottish island, encompassing 875 sq km, and it really deserves recognition. Most of its population (around 2700 inhabitants though the number increases in summer due to tourists) live in Tobermory, a very cute place full of colourful houses on its waterfront and the main capital on the Isle of Mull. If you like Scottish whisky, in this town you can also find Mull's only single malt Scotch whisky distillery, Tobermory distillery, formerly known as Ledaig. Its colourful harbour has plenty of shops with local produce and crafts.

Why visit the Isle of Mull?

There are different reasons to visit this island, since it offers its visitors amazing outdoor activities and stunning scenery. But one of the main reasons is that the island is very accessible, as Mull can be accessed by ferry from 3 different points on the mainland: Oban, Lochaline and Kilchoan. If you want to take a ferry from Oban, it is totally recommendable to book it in advance – the journey takes 45 minutes and it is absolutely scenic as you can imagine. 

Where to stay?

There are quite a lot of options when finding accommodation in Mull, ranging from hotels which are mostly concentrated around Tobermory, several Bed & Breakfasts around the coastal villages, holiday rentals and cottages, and some hostels for those with budget-friendly accommodation in mind. AirBnB options are also increasing in the Scottish islands and you can find campsites as well as several locations suitable for free wild camping if that is what you are looking for. Check out some Bed & Breakfast options below.

What to do?

You can go wild swimming at Calgary Beach, the most popular sandy beach, if you are brave enough to swim in this cold water. You can also find out about whisky at Tobermory Distillery or go window shopping and enjoy its gorgeous views, pubs, restaurants and cafes amongst other things.

If you visit the Isle of Mull you should check out Duart Castle, which was the home of Clan MacLean that overlooks the different entrances to the island. The castle was used to make sure that ships could not sail to the island without the Clan Chief’s knowledge. It is open for visitors and is an interesting place to visit on Mull before getting the ferry back to the mainland. 

Exploring the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides would allow you to experience the wildness of one of the most beautiful islands in Scotland! If you have the opportunity, don't miss it!