A colourful row of houses nestles against a stunning sea bay – this is Tobermory, the capital of Mull. The word “picturesque” really does fit here, since the buildings gleam in a range of colours that’s rather unusual for Scotland.
Strolling along the harbour front is well worth it, though it won’t fill a whole day – after all, Tobermory has only about 700 residents, so you’re quickly through it. Well worth a visit is the distillery in the town, which produces the “Ledaig” alongside the Tobermory whisky (Ledaig is the name of the area the distillery stands on, right at the start of the harbour front). And of course, the restaurants serve excellent food.
Otherwise, Mull’s capital is a great base for plenty of exciting activities: fishing, hiking, whale- and bird-watching (Mull is well known for its eagles!) – there’s even a nine-hole golf course nearby.
No place is complete without a legend or ghost story. The sea off Tobermory is said to hide a secret: the remains of a Spanish galleon, supposedly lying on the bottom of the bay. In 1588, after the Armada had been defeated by the English, it’s said to have sailed around the northern tip of Scotland and put in here for supplies. The trouble was, the Spanish refused to pay – so the Scots simply blew the ship up, crew and all.
It’s an interesting question which ship it’s actually meant to be. Many assume it was the “Almirante di Florencia” – which would certainly be the most exciting version, since she was said to be laden with gold.
The more likely version of the story, though, goes like this:
- It wasn’t the Scots but the English who cornered and blew up the ship.
- It was simply an ordinary warship, with no treasure aboard.
Personal note: in brief
I found Tobermory genuinely lovely. Even so, half a day was enough for me to see the sights there. Mull has plenty more to offer, after all…
Tips: fudge and a ferry
Pop into “Tobermory Chocolate” for a while – alongside chocolate, they also do delicious fudge. After that, though, you’ll likely have had quite enough of sugary things.
Incidentally, you can stay in proper feudal style around 10 kilometres away at Glengorm Castle.
Oh, and keep an eye out for the famous Tobermory Cat – a chubby, ginger-striped cat that roams the streets. When she needs to relieve herself, she does so very tidily over a drain, by the way. Good cat!
For onward travel: a small ferry runs from Tobermory to Kilchoan on the mainland. The lonely road from there is one of the most beautiful drives in Scotland.
Did you know: fishing, only at the start
Tobermory comes from the Gaelic “Tobar Mhoire”, meaning roughly “Mary’s well” or “Mary’s spring”.
Like Ullapool, Tobermory was founded by the British Fisheries Society, with the aim of catching herring. That was in 1788. However, the fishing venture never really took off – the local population lacked the necessary know-how. Instead, for a time, people made their living harvesting kelp, the large seaweed used as a raw material for soap. But that boom too lasted only until around 1820.
After that, tourism was already growing in importance. A visit from Queen Victoria, who spoke warmly of the pretty harbour town, gave it a decisive boost.
Getting there:
Take the ferry from Oban to Craignure, drive off, then turn right onto the coastal A849 – the sign also points to Tobermory. Continue through the village of Salen, after which the road becomes the A848 – keep following the coast throughout. At the end, turn towards “Main Street”; there are usually plenty of parking spaces down by the harbour. All told, it’s just under 34 kilometres from the ferry.
