Tobermory is the principal town of the Isle of Mull. Built as a fishing port in 1788 on a design by Scottish civil engineer, Thomas Telford, the town curves around the harbour and rises into the wooded hillside beyond. I think it is one of the prettiest towns in Scotland.
Main Street is a mix of brightly painted buildings including shops, restaurants and cafés, hotels and guest houses and it has an excellent selection of locally produced arts and crafts. We stayed at centrally located The Tobermory Hotel.
Tobermory is home to the Mull Museum, which is crammed with information and exhibits about the history of Mull and its people. Guided tours can be booked at Tobermory Distillery while at the Mull Aquarium you can see interesting exhibits about the area’s marine heritage.
Locals believe there is the wreck of a Spanish galleon somewhere in the mud at the bottom of the harbour. The ship was part of the defeated Spanish Armada of 1588 and was fleeing the English fleet when she exploded and sank near Tobermory. The ship was supposed to have been carrying millions of gold coins but no one has ever managed to find any significant treasure.
There is an abundance of birdlife here, including puffins, and the island was home to Skye and Frisa, apparently the most famous pair of white-tailed eagles in the world and featured on numerous television and radio broadcasts. It’s not clear if they’re still alive and if they are they would be very old by now. Nevertheless, the reintroduction of these iconic birds of prey has been so successful that breeding pairs can now be seen throughout the length and breadth of the island, including Tobermory.
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