Mull is the third largest island off Scotland's west coast, and one of the most accessible — the ferry from Oban to Craignure takes about 45 minutes. It is a place of big, empty landscapes: raised bogs, sea lochs cutting deep into the interior, basalt cliffs along the western coast, and Ben More (966 metres), the only Munro on a Scottish island outside Skye.
The island is known above all for its wildlife. White-tailed eagles — reintroduced to Mull in the 2000s — nest along the coast and are regularly spotted from boat trips out of Tobermory and Ulva Ferry. Otters are common along the shoreline, red deer roam the hills, and the waters around the island are good for harbour porpoises and occasionally minke whales. Bring binoculars.
Tobermory, the island's main town, is famous for its painted waterfront — a row of brightly coloured buildings along the harbour that has appeared on countless postcards and the children's television series Balamory. It has a good distillery, a couple of decent restaurants, and the island's best range of shops.
The Ross of Mull — the long peninsula at the island's southwest — ends at Fionnphort, where a short ferry crosses to Iona. The beaches along the Ross's south coast are among the finest in the Hebrides, with white shell sand and clear water.
Calgary Bay in the northwest has Mull's most famous beach — a wide arc of white sand backed by machair grassland. The bay is beautiful but can be busy in summer.
